Angela Gallagher Tillman
Angela Gallagher Tillman is a dedicated and highly skilled professional in the energy and oil and gas industry, currently serving as Security Supervisor at Rival Services, LLC in Fort Morgan, Colorado. With over seven years of experience in the sector, Angela’s career journey is both inspiring and unconventional. She began her professional life at 15, working in healthcare with the Alzheimer's population, moving into end-stage hospice. Needing a change, she began her education at GCU to become a Special Education teacher and taught Kindergarten, where her interest in safety first emerged. A chance meeting at a coffee shop drew her curiosity for the energy sector, where her passion for safety could be fully realized. Since then, she has built a career that blends security and safety, progressing from hands-on field roles to supervising large teams and critical operational safety programs. Angela is recognized for her exceptional accountability, attention to detail, and commitment to compliance. She began her career at Rival Services as a security guard working directly with field teams, quickly advancing to supervise a team of 40. She enforces OSHA programs, First Aid/CPR training, emergency coordination with local authorities, site safety assessments, and team scheduling and development. She is evolving in her role and hoping to expand her impact within the company. Her work ensures that all personnel return home safely each day—a mission she considers the most rewarding part of her career. Outside of her professional endeavors, Angela is an avid creator and family-oriented individual. She enjoys cake decorating, traveling, and DIYs, combining her love of creativity with quality time spent with loved ones. Angela also holds an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice and Corrections from Florida Metropolitan University, and she is known for her ability to integrate hands-on safety training with strategic oversight, fostering a culture of accountability, safety, and teamwork in every role she undertakes.
• CPR Instructor
• 155-hour OSHA health and safety specialist
• FEMA Incident Command & disaster management
• American Red Cross CPR and first aid provider
• Florida Metropolitan University - AS, Criminal Justice and Corrections
• Pharmaceutical technician @ Heritage College Denver
• Chiefs Commendation, Frederick Police Department
• Girl Scouts Life Member
• End-Stage Hospice Volunteer
What do you attribute your success to?
Perseverance! I've always been determined, and if somebody said to me that I wasn’t capable or not good enough, my response was silence with results that spoke volumes. The Oil and Gas industry is still predominantly male. It is assumable that women have tasks like they once did- ‘go make us coffee' and ‘get the phone’ . The industry has undergone a cultural shift. Women are no longer just getting coffee, we are in increasingly the ones running boardrooms and pioneering new technologies. Building rapport is a secret weapon for dismantling the outdated stereotypes. Once people see the expertise and character up close, the old ways begin to evaporate one person and one relationship at a time. My own team serves as a primary example of this shift; comprised predominantly of women, we are not just participating, but actively driving out old assumptions and focusing on contributing to building expertise rather than tradition
it is a top priority for me to ensure that the value women bring to the industry is recognized as well as to replace outdated biases with the undeniable evidence of our performance, proving that a female lead team isn’t just an alternative - it’s the competitive standard that our industry needs to move forward.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I was very interested in safety, but I was working in a field where those things didn't matter. A friend I confided in looked at me and said, 'I think if you went towards the energy sector, your passion could be better put to use.' That advice completely changed everything. I said alright, I'll give this a go, and I started in the security teams and grew into the safety part of it. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I can't believe how well it incorporated everything - I get to teach from the medical aspect and utilize that education, there are so many parts and pieces that I get to pull from. That one conversation opened up a path where I found my true passion.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say don't be scared of what history has painted. Jump in, and don't be afraid to put yourself out there. For every one person that is stuck in the "what was", there are going to be 5 that are going to welcome you and want to mentor and inspire you. Being a woman doesn't discount you; it doesn't lower your value. This industry is still predominantly male, but slowly, more women are paving a whole new path. So don't let the history of this industry scare you away - just jump in.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that we still hold less than a quarter of the roles in the industry. Typically those rules are entry-level support staff with 25-31% less pay.
opportunities come from companies looking to diversify stats. Investors are grading companies on the stats as a wave of people live in to retire in their age. It leaves gaps for us to fill those seats, which gives negotiation leverage.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Accountability, strict adherence to safety rules, and ensuring that people return home safely are central values.