Her Story
About Joanna
Joanna Desjardins is a seasoned executive whose career spans engineering, corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, management consulting, and operations leadership. Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer of Bayou City Hemp Company in Houston, Texas, she leads supply chain, distribution, research and development, and quality functions for the rapidly growing consumer beverage company. With a foundation in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA in Finance from the University of Calgary, Desjardins has built a reputation for driving growth, operational excellence, and organizational transformation across multiple industries.
Before entering the consumer goods sector, Desjardins spent nearly two decades in the energy industry, holding progressively senior roles with major organizations including ConocoPhillips, Cenovus Energy, Deloitte, and WPC Energy. Her experience ranges from production and reservoir engineering to corporate development, strategic planning, and large-scale M&A transactions. She played key roles in multi-million and billion-dollar asset transactions, led cross-functional teams, advised executive leadership on investment opportunities, and contributed to international energy initiatives. Her work has earned industry recognition, including being named one of Oil and Gas Investor Magazine’s Top 20 Under 40 professionals.
Beyond her corporate achievements, Desjardins is a respected public speaker, board leader, and advocate for professional development. She has served in numerous leadership positions with WPC Energy and the World Petroleum Council, helping shape global conversations on energy, innovation, and workforce development. A strong believer in fairness, hard work, and collaboration, she emphasizes leadership built on accountability, trust, and team success. Today, she applies her diverse background in engineering, strategy, and consulting to scale Bayou City Hemp’s operations while fostering a culture focused on growth, innovation, and execution.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Joanna
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of the best career lessons I’ve received is to prioritize fairness over simply being nice. The question, “Would you rather be nice or fair?” has guided my leadership approach, helping me make difficult decisions with integrity and consistency.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to persevere through challenges and self-doubt. There will be times when you feel unprepared or overwhelmed, but those moments are often opportunities for growth. Keep learning, trust the process, and remember that many challenges seem much smaller once you’ve worked through them.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in the hemp beverage industry is navigating an evolving regulatory landscape. With changing federal and state regulations, companies must remain agile, adapt quickly, and build strong, trusted teams to respond effectively to new requirements and opportunities.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are hard work and collaboration. I believe meaningful success comes from individuals giving their best effort while also working together with a shared commitment to supporting one another and achieving common goals.
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