Wenona Journeycake

I originally worked as an ICU ER nurse before transitioning into oil and gas 22 years ago when a company opened an office just 5 miles from my home in rural Oklahoma. They made me an offer I couldn't refuse - great pay, weekday hours with no weekends, holidays, or shift work, which was perfect for my young children. I started as a receptionist with just my nursing degree and worked long, long hours to learn the business. I taught myself how to count pipe, understand what the pipe was for, and gradually moved into drilling and other disciplines within the industry like engineering, production, completions, and reservoir management. When my children reached college age, I decided to go back to school myself. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems with a minor in accounting in 2018, then went to law school and earned two master's degrees - one in Oil, Gas, and Energy Law in 2019 and another in Indigenous Peoples Law in 2020. Because of the volatility in the oil and gas industry, with most of the bigger companies in Oklahoma City moving to Houston, I currently work as an engagement manager at the Google plant in Pryor, Oklahoma, where I supervise 72 people. However, I plan to re-enter oil and gas, which is where my true love and expertise lie. I also teach oil, gas, and energy management to students earning their bachelor's degrees in Guyana through an online program, which I really, really enjoy.