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Brandi Sheely · In Her Own Words
In Conversation
Brandi Sheely for Bold. Brilliant. Unstoppable.
Read the transcript
Brandi Sheely: don't have to make those same mistakes. So I would just say leverage um your people network and, and the, the people, your community that, that help you um through the good times and celebrating and also during those difficult times where you really have to grind it out and push through.
What does being an Influential Woman mean to you?
Brandi Sheely: Being an influential woman to me is about getting that ripple effect. So it can be one interaction, one piece of wisdom, one brightening someone's day, turning, changing their perspective that allows them to have impact on others who they meet with. So it's really Bringing your best, uh, taking those individual moments that you have with people and allowing it to have that ripple or multiplication effect. And you know, it can be small events or it could be large events that, you know, helping someone through a hard time that they have. You know, going on personally at work and allowing them to make it through. So that's what being influential means to me. It's, you know, the culmination of multiple little moments that allow for impact in someone's life so they can impact other lives. Um, and I, I think it is also just leaving. Situations, people, places, and a better place than you know before you got there. So that's what being an influential woman means to me.
What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?
Brandi Sheely: Um, the one piece of advice that I would give is leveraging your full network. So the relationships that you've built, whether it's a family, close friends, keeping you grounded, mentors, sponsors, um, from a career perspective that give you different points of view, um, there's gonna be hard times, there's gonna be times where your expectations aren't being met. So having Others in your, your circle who can influence you, who can encourage you, who can keep sharpening you, who can push you when you do hit those hard times. And also, you know, the mentors, they help by providing wisdom that they've learned so you don't have to make those same mistakes. So I would just say leverage um your people network and, and the, the people, your community that, that help you um through the good times and celebrating and also during those difficult times where you really have to grind it out and push through.
Her Story
About Brandi
Brandi (Andrews) Sheely is a seasoned technical leader with nearly 12 years of experience in the energy and lubricants industry. She currently serves as a US Regional Technical Team Lead at Shell, where she leads a cross-sector technical team supporting customers across a wide range of industrial and transportation applications. Known for her strong problem-solving skills and customer-focused mindset, Brandi plays a key role in delivering high-performance lubricant solutions backed by data, innovation, and technical excellence. Throughout her career at Shell, Brandi has progressed through roles including Senior Technical Advisor and Business Development Advisor, building deep expertise in lubricants, greases, and field-based technical application support. Her background also includes experience as a Sales Engineer at ExxonMobil, where she strengthened her ability to bridge technical knowledge with commercial strategy. Brandi is recognized for her ability to translate complex technical concepts into practical, value-driven solutions for both customers and stakeholders. Brandi holds a degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from Oklahoma State University, where she was a D1 All American and involved in a range of leadership organizations and councils. She is passionate about continuous improvement, mentorship, and increasing visibility for women in STEM in male-dominated industries. Through her leadership at Shell, she remains committed to driving innovation, collaboration, and sustainable progress across the energy sector.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Brandi
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to faith in God as well as a strong family foundation and support system. Some specific characteristics include resilience, adaptability, and a strong commitment to people-first leadership. Over the past few years, my team and I have navigated significant post-COVID changes—including multiple reorganizations, significant team size reduction, technological shifts, and supply disruptions—while continuing to deliver for our customers and building further onto a strong legacy of technical excellence. Guiding my team through change by building trust, embracing innovation, always striving to leave every situation better than we found it, and having fun while doing it has been my mission. I’m especially proud of balancing this season of leadership while starting my motherhood journey, I now have two little girls of my own!
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I have received tons of amazing career advice, but if I reflect on the past couple of months it has been to read and apply some strategies by "Expect to Win 10 Proven Strategies for Thriving in the Workplace," by Carla A Harris. A specific take away from that book was "You can change the way people think about you simply by changing the way you behave, the things you say, and the words you use when you are speaking to them." Carla Harris
Another good one related to working in Corporate America is "Surround yourself with people who fight for you in rooms that you are not in."
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women to lean on the wisdom of others and spend time building relationships and learning from mentors and sponsors who can help guide them as they learn the industry and business. You don’t have to go it alone—leveraging the experience of those around you can accelerate your growth and help you navigate challenges more effectively. Prioritizing mentorship and sponsorship relationships, building a strong support network, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance are keys to long-term success, because even the most independent careers are built with the support of others.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I believe the biggest challenge in the energy industry right now is how to achieve Net‑Zero Emissions across all three scopes by 2050 while still remaining profitable and providing stakeholders-investors consistent and profitable growth.
Another challenge is maximizing the performance outputs, communication, and information transfer across multi-generational teams.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are faith, family, and impact. As a wife and mother of two little girls, my family and church community are central to my life. I’m actively involved in youth ministry. I also value staying active—exploring, running, and prioritizing health, especially mental health—because it helps me show up fully and with purpose in both my work and personal life. You never know what a person could be going through or what news they may have just heard, so every interaction is an opportunity to start a ripple effect of potentially generational impact.
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