Women's History Month Spotlight: Defining Success For You - By You

As I celebrate my 10th year with Helmerich & Payne, I can’t help but reflect on my journey within the organization and the experiences, people and opportunities that led to this point – a point I don’t think I could have imagined as a new graduate.

After completing my master's degree at The University of Tulsa, I wasn’t exactly sure where my career would take me or even what it would look like – I just knew I had a passion for people, learning and experiencing new things. Little did I know that this passion, combined with a lot of curiosity and a little hard-headedness, would lead me to become the first female superintendent in US Land and today the regional director of our northern operations; a role where I get to lead and help grow the most talented and diverse team I could ever hope for as they manage to keep 31 rigs running and performing safely across eight states.

While I’m proud of these achievements, they wouldn’t have been possible without an extremely supportive organization of leaders who actively cared about my success and opened opportunities for me to gain invaluable experiences that continue to shape my perspective and drive my unique path through the organization. Through these experiences that started with shadowing in the field, supporting our rig teams, and ultimately working in operations, I have come to better understand who we are as a company and ultimately who makes us successful at the end of the day. The connections I’ve made have been instrumental in getting me where I am today, so I try to use my time and influence to give back by helping to develop and create opportunities for each of the 800+ individuals who work in the North region and share their thoughts throughout the rest of the company.

It can be daunting, difficult and lonely to be the “first” or the “only,” especially when you feel like all eyes are on you because you’re different in some way. I would encourage everyone – not just firsts – to seek out a mentor you can trust, confide in and whose values align with your own. They do not need to have been in your shoes or endured the same experiences as you, but the right mentor can provide a valuable perspective just by seeing what you are going through from an outside lens and help reset your view of reality. Know and continue to remind yourself that you are not alone, and that help is always available if you ask.

Finally, know that you are capable of greatness and success, even when your internal narrative is telling you otherwise. I encourage everyone not to impose limitations on yourself and reach higher than you think you can achieve but don’t let that drive for greatness define you. Regularly check in to make sure that you’re guided by your goals and values and that the path you are on is still relevant and fulfilling. I promise that you have many people cheering you on and invested in your success, but make sure that what success looks like is defined by you and for you.