Her Story
About Mariangel
I grew up in a city near the largest refineries in the world in Venezuela, and chemistry was always related to my life since my mom is a professor of chemistry in Venezuela, which is why I decided to study chemical engineering. At the beginning of my career, I worked in Austria in a strategy commercial office for PDVSA. Then I returned to Venezuela where I worked in the same company doing contracts for upstream business, and later as superintendent of a refinery in the optimization department. I relocated from Venezuela to the U.S., which hasn't been easy, but I've been working on reaching my goals. I completed my MBA at Atlantis University in Miami in 2021, and also have training in crude oil marketing from London in 2018. Since 2023, I've been working in the oil industry in my current position, where I handle logistics for oil tankers in the Gulf. Every day I check my vessels and coordinate all the logistics to put the vessel in the river in New Orleans. I also do the PDAs, invoices, and quotations for our clients in the whole Gulf from Brunswick to New Orleans, and I monitor the market using new software to see the movement of vessels in the U.S. I participate with the Young Ship Texas association where I do a newsletter every three months as a paper that I offer to the Texas community. I'm looking to continue in a position where I can put together all my new skills in shipping with my knowledge of oil prices and oil marketing, working in the commercial area for the oil industry.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mariangel
01What do you attribute your success to?
I always have set my goals to be reached out, so I plan my goals in life, and I try to reach them at the time I expect. Sometimes it takes longer, but I continue working to get there. I always try to get my goals on the right way, and I've learned to be resilient, especially with relocating myself from Venezuela to the U.S. It hasn't been easy, but I am working on that and getting my goals on time.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be resilient, because I relocated myself from Venezuela to the U.S., and it hasn't been easy, but I am working on that and getting my goals on time.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My industry is mostly a male industry, but it's changing right now, so you can probably get easier opportunities. The only thing that I'd advise is to be prepared, to always try to know the good agent technology, and be prepared for any opportunity that arises.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I faced was the English language. I lived in Austria for one year, but then I came back to Venezuela for a while, so I lost part of my English knowledge. When I came back to the U.S., I was in Miami so it was easier, but right now I am in New Orleans, so I always try to improve my pronunciation and communication. In this area, you have to demonstrate that you can communicate very well. As for opportunities, I am looking to continue in the field, and now that I know about shipping, oil prices, and oil marketing, I'm looking for a position where I can put together all my new skills and the old ones and work in the commercial area for the oil industry.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being ethical is very important to me, and also being respectful with your colleagues. I try to get my goals on the right way, doing things properly and with integrity.
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