Equity Unplugged: The Next Chapter
If you pay attention to the news cycle, you might have reason to believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are dead. In some cases, companies are doubling down, while others are rebranding and shifting their focus. Where do we go from here? Equity has become a word that means different things to different people and organizations.
Join ALLY Energy and our council community for an in-depth, tech-free conversation on equity and its next chapter: the purpose economy. Equity Unplugged brings together leaders for candid, action-oriented discussions on equity—moving beyond buzzwords to deliver lasting change. This council session is designed for senior leaders ready to understand and break down organizational barriers and learn how to implement systemic changes that create fairer, psychologically safe, purpose-driven workplaces. Through a blend of insights, interactive roundtables, and facilitated reflection, you’ll leave with practical tools to lead by example. Let’s unplug from the noise and plug into equity and purpose.
Key Outcomes:
- Gain a deeper understanding of equity and equality.
- Collaborate on strategies for reducing inequities and enhancing purpose while avoiding tokenism.
- Leave with actionable steps to promote workplace equity within your organization.
We thank Baker Hughes for generously hosting this session. At the end of the program, we'll host a "Friendsgiving" lunch to allow participants to network with each other. This session is limited to members and selected guests.
We also thank Peter Durand for providing graphic facilitation and visual communication of this event. Peter is a Houston based artist, educator, and visual facilitator with a deep commitment to using visual storytelling to enhance learning and engagement.
Location
Baker Hughes
575 N Dairy Ashford Rd.
Houston, TX, 77079
575 N Dairy Ashford Rd.
Houston, TX, 77079
Date & Time
November 21, 2024, 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
SPEAKERS
Julie Shochat
Director of Employee Experience @ OXY
Julie Scochat is the Director of employee experience at OXY, where she is responsible for the design, development, and implementation of critical strategic workforce programs that impact our whole organization. This includes but is not limited to, research and analysis of current and emerging industry trends and best practices and developing strategies that will help us improve and modernize the workforce experience.
Julie Scochat is the Director of employee experience at OXY, where she is responsible for the design, development, and implementation of critical strategic workforce programs that impact our whole organization. This includes but is not limited to, research and analysis of current and emerging industry trends and best practices and developing strategies that will help us improve and modernize the workforce experience.
Landi Spearman
CEO @
Organized SHIFT™
Future-ready leadership expert and Top 15 Executive Coach Landi Spearman pioneered the SHIFT Approach, a proprietary framework that equips leaders with adaptability, self-awareness, and data-driven decision-making—transforming change into a strategic advantage. The SHIFT Approach empowers leaders to build agile, inclusive, and resilient multigenerational teams that drive growth and high performance—without burnout.
Organized SHIFT™
Future-ready leadership expert and Top 15 Executive Coach Landi Spearman pioneered the SHIFT Approach, a proprietary framework that equips leaders with adaptability, self-awareness, and data-driven decision-making—transforming change into a strategic advantage. The SHIFT Approach empowers leaders to build agile, inclusive, and resilient multigenerational teams that drive growth and high performance—without burnout.
Lemar Brown
Managing Partner
@ Negocium Group
Lemar Marie Brown is a corporate board director and retired executive with over 25 years of experience at Shell plc and Goldman Sachs. She is currently on the board of InnoVent Renewables. Previously, she served as an independent corporate board director of Certarus, a "green energy" supplier. Certarus transports compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG), and Hydrogen over the road in the US and Canada.
@ Negocium Group
Lemar Marie Brown is a corporate board director and retired executive with over 25 years of experience at Shell plc and Goldman Sachs. She is currently on the board of InnoVent Renewables. Previously, she served as an independent corporate board director of Certarus, a "green energy" supplier. Certarus transports compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG), and Hydrogen over the road in the US and Canada.
Victor Wright
VP, Global Labor & Employment Law @ Baker Hughes
Victor Wright is currently Vice President of global Labor and Employment Law at Baker Hughes Company. He is an experienced labor and employment law attorney, litigator, and strategic business advisor with more than 25 years of professional experience in the federal government, private practice law firm, and public corporation sectors.
Victor Wright is currently Vice President of global Labor and Employment Law at Baker Hughes Company. He is an experienced labor and employment law attorney, litigator, and strategic business advisor with more than 25 years of professional experience in the federal government, private practice law firm, and public corporation sectors.
Carol Lee Andersen
Global VP, Oil And Gas Technology @ IBM
Carol Lee Andersen is the Global Vice President of Oil and Gas at IBM Technology, leading a team dedicated to transforming the industry through innovation and a deep commitment to people. Based in Houston, Texas, Carol Lee addresses the sector’s unique challenges by leveraging IBM’s advanced AI, data analytics, asset management, and cloud technology capabilities. Her work is centered on empowering oil and gas companies to drive efficiency, sustainability, and safety in their operations.
Peter Durand
Director, Artist, Educator & Visual Facilitator @ ALPHACHIMPLLC
As an artist, educator & visual facilitator, Peter Durand works with teams to understand and explain complex systems. Through meaningful discussion, drawing, brainstorming, design thinking, and visual storytelling, he coordinates humans to solve systemic problems in healthcare, technology, society, energy, climate, and social entrepreneurship.
Xchelsia Jennings
Commercial and Process Excellence Executive @ Baker Hughes
Xchelsia Jennings is an experienced sales and operations leader with 25 years of demonstrated results working in the energy Industry. She has extensive domain knowledge in Sales, Commercial Operations, Marketing/Commercialization, NPS, and digitization projects, including Contract Lifecycle Management leveraging AI.
Katie Mehnert
Chief Executive Officer & Founder @ Ally Energy
As CEO of ALLY Energy, Katie Mehnert's journey is marked by two decades of strategic leadership focused on revolutionizing the energy workforce. ALLY's implementation of modern AI-driven talent platforms has been pivotal in steering the energy transition toward inclusivity and equity. She's a former Ambassador to the Department of Energy and an appointee to the National Petroleum Council.
Juliana Garaizar
Founder & CEO@ EnergyTech Nexus
Juliana Garaizar is a Founding Partner of Energy Tech Nexus, a General Partner at Malaika Ventures and a Venture Partner at Climatetech Global Ventures. Previously she was the Chief Development and Investment Officer at Greentown Labs. Juliana is a Lead Investor of the Portfolia Rising America Fund that invests in underrepresented founders and markets.
Schedule
8:00 AM
Registration and Networking
Start the day by connecting with fellow leaders over coffee and get ready for real, transformative conversations.
9:00 AM
Opening Remarks - Xchelsia Jennings and Katie Mehnert with Peter Durand
Kick off the session with a powerful introduction to what equity really means and how we’ll work together to drive change.
9:15 AM
Equity: Pulse Check - Landi Spearman
Hear from a leading expert as they break down the systemic barriers to equity and what it means for your organization.
9:30 AM
Expert Panel - Lemar Brown, Victor Wright, Carol Lee Andersen, Julie Shochat and Juliana Garaizar
Learn from real-world examples as our panel shares proven strategies for fostering equitable workplaces.
10:15 AM
Roundtable Discussions
Engage in candid, tech-free discussions to identify challenges and work on actionable solutions to bring back to your teams. Foster peer-to-peer dialogue by mixing senior leaders and ERG members, allowing cross-level discussion on systemic challenges and solutions.
10:45 AM
Reflection and Action
Take a moment to reflect and map out actionable next steps that will make a real difference in your workplace. Summarize key takeaways from the discussions, allowing participants to reflect and define concrete action steps.
11:15 AM
Closing Remarks
Wrap up the morning with clear takeaways and actionable insights to inspire equity-focused leadership. Aim: Provide closure with a summary of key insights and a roadmap for implementing what was learned.
11:30 AM- 12:30 PM
Lunch and Networking
Thanksgiving-inspired lunch to promote continued informal discussion and connection-building. Unwind and connect over an informal Friendsgiving meal to foster deeper conversations and more robust networks. Continue the momentum from the event through informal conversations over a Thanksgiving-inspired meal.