Brenda Bayer

SVP & CAO
GDF SUEZ Energy North America, Inc.

Brenda Bayer is Senior Vice President & Chief Accounting Officer at GDF SUEZ Energy North America, Inc.  She leads the accounting and tax organizations for the business lines which include gas, power generation, retail power, and trading & portfolio management operating in North America, Canada and Mexico.  She has 25 years of combined experience in the energy industry and public accounting.  Her industry experience includes Reliant Energy and Tenneco Energy.  In public accounting she worked as an audit manager at KPMG Peat Marwick.  She is a certified public accountant (CPA) and a member of the Texas Society of CPAs and American Institute of CPAs.  She holds a BBA in Accounting, with honors, from Sam Houston State University.  

Laura Buss Sayavedra

Vice President  & CFO
Spectra Energy Partners, LP

Laura Buss is Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Spectra Energy Partners, LP, the $1.6 billion master limited partnership formed by Spectra Energy. Before being named to her current position in May 2008, Buss served as vice president of strategic development & analysis for Spectra Energy Corp. She has held a variety of strategic positions within the organization including business development and acquisitions, market forecasting, regulatory affairs and strategy.

She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1989. In 1991 she received a master’s degree from Columbia University, with a focus on International Political Economy and Business.

Buss is president-elect and a member of the board of directors of the DaCamera Society of Houston; a member of the United Way Young Leaders and Women’s Initiative; and the Greater Houston Partnership Education and Workforce Advisory Committee.

Cheryl Chartier

Vice President Marketing & Proposals
Foster Wheeler USA

Cheryl Chartier is the Vice President of Marketing and Proposals for Foster Wheeler USA, a global engineering and construction contractor in the oil and gas industry. Cheryl holds all marketing & communications responsibilities for the company as well as commercial responsibility for client proposals. She has 20 years of industry experience and formerly held senior positions at NATCO and KBR in Business Development, Investor Relations, Project Management and Technology Management.  She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania. Cheryl’s true passion is mentoring and developing talent within her organization and the industry. She is an experienced speaker who routinely presents at conferences, industry forums, and other special events.

Rachel Clingman

Partner-in-Charge
Sutherland, Asbill & Brenner LLP

Rachel Clingman, Partner-in-Charge of Sutherland’s Houston office, is nationally recognized for her energy, transportation and commercial trial experience. Rachel has tried numerous cases to jury verdict and has handled litigation in 20 states. She also has been honored regionally and nationally for legal excellence and civic contributions. Rachel’s jury trial and arbitration practice includes assessment and reduction of risk, litigation avoidance and preparedness in acquisitions and other business transactions. She prosecutes and defends claims including trade secrets, contract and contract formation, trading, valuation, tortuous interference, misappropriation, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, business disparagement, physical security/terrorism, conversion, insurance coverage and indemnity, shareholder disputes and breach of fiduciary duties.

Lynn L. Elsenhans

Chief Executive Officer and President
Sunoco, Inc.

Lynn Elsenhans joined Sunoco, Inc. as Chief Executive Officer and President in August 2008. She became chairman of Sunoco’s board of directors in January 2009. A veteran oil industry executive with domestic and international experience in manufacturing, marketing and planning, Lynn joined Sunoco most recently from Royal Dutch Shell where she served since 2005 as executive vice president of global manufacturing. Ms. Elsenhans graduated from Rice University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematical Science in 1978 and earned a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1980 before joining Shell Oil Company in Houston.  She serves on the Board of Trustees for Rice University and the Council of Overseers for the Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice. She is also on the Board of Directors of International Paper Company and the Texas Medical Center.

Laurie Markoe

President and COO
Contract Land Staff

Since 1998, Laurie Markoe has been instrumental in shaping the strategic direction and growth of Contract Land Staff, LLC, one of the largest providers of right of way, land and real estate services to the energy, pipeline, utility, transportation and telecommunications industries.  As President and COO, Laurie oversees CLS’s day to day operations, with 350 employees nationwide performing land and right of way consulting and project services. 

A 1988 Baylor University graduate, Laurie is a member of the International Right of Way Association's (IRWA) International Pipeline Committee, the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL), and in 2009 was President of the IRWA’s Houston chapter.  She is also currently serving on the IRWA’s International Communications and Marketing Committee, and additionally serves on the Executive Committee of The INGAA Foundation.  Laurie is a former board member of the Women’s Energy Network of Houston and South Texas Girl Scout Council, and is a lifelong Girl Scout volunteer.

Laurie is an avid sailor and swimmer, and she and her husband Jimmy have two children.

Rebecca McDonald

Chief Executive Officer
Laurus Energy, Inc.

Rebecca McDonald was named as the Chief Executive Officer of Laurus Energy, Inc. in 2008. Prior to her appointment at Laurus, Rebecca served as President Gas and Power for BHP Billiton and was responsible for the worldwide natural gas marketing and commercialization strategy. With over 25 years of experience in the energy industry, she has held a multitude of strategic positions including president of the Houston Museum of Natural Science and independent director of BOC Group in the U.K., Trammell Crow Corporation, Eagle Global Logistics, Morton International and Noble Energy. Rebecca currently serves as the independent presiding director for Granite Construction Company and serves on the boards of the Chinquapin School Advisory Board, Inprint, the Women’s Initiative of the United Way Steering Committee and Graduate School of Business for SFASU. She holds a BS from Stephen F. Austin State University. 

Margaret C. (Peggy) Montana

Executive Vice President-Supply & Distribution
Shell Downstream Inc.

Peggy Montana is the executive vice president, supply and distribution for Shell. She is responsible for the crude and product supply to Shell’s Downstream manufacturing and marketing businesses worldwide. Peggy’s career with Shell spans 33 years across a wide variety of businesses and cultures, primarily in technical and operational management roles. She is active in the community, serving on the boards of the Houston Area Urban League and the YMCA. Peggy holds a Chemical Engineering degree from Missouri Science and Technology University.

Ann M. Oglesby

Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs
ConocoPhillips

Ann M. Oglesby is vice president, Communications and Public Affairs, for ConocoPhillips located in Houston, Texas. In this role she is responsible for corporate communications, brand and outreach, public policy management and sustainable development.

Ann earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Oklahoma State University in 1987. She began her oil industry career with Mobil Corporation and then joined ConocoPhillips in 2001. Through her career she has held a variety of engineering, supply and marketing, business development, planning and strategy positions. Ann is an active participant in a number of industry and community groups.

Originally from Fort Smith, Arkansas, Ann resides in Katy, Texas with her husband, Bill, and their two children.

Sue Ortenstone

Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
El Paso Corporation

Sue Ortenstone is Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for the El Paso Corporation. Sue oversees human resources, communications and community relations, information technology, facilities, and real estate functions for the company.  Her major focus is driving a cultural transformation to achieve the company’s vision of being the Place to Work, the Neighbor to Have and the Company to Own. Sue began her career as an engineer for Tennessee Gas Pipeline, and most recently was chief executive officer for Epic Energy, a large natural gas pipeline company in Australia.  In her career she held various positions in engineering, operations, marketing, business development and strategy. Sue holds a BS in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Wisconsin and is a registered professional engineer.  She is on the Board of Junior Achievement, the Houston Area Women’s Center, the Advisory Board for the University of Texas College of Engineering, and the Business Advisory Council for Goodwill Industries.

Alexandra Pruner

CFO & Partner
Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., LLC

Charlene A. Ripley

Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
LINN Energy, LLC

Charlene A. Ripley is the senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for LINN Energy, LLC. Prior to joining LINN Energy in April 2007, she served as vice president, general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Charlene holds a BA, with distinction, from the University of Alberta. She earned her Law Degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and is a member of the Texas State Bar, Law Society of Alberta, Canadian Bar Association, the Executive Women’s Partnership of the Greater Houston Partnership, and The United Way of Greater Houston Women’s Initiative. She serves on the board of the Texas General Counsel Forum and is the past President of The Woodlands Bar Association, which she helped found. Ms. Ripley serves on several non-profit and advisory boards including the Impact Youth Development Center, Girls Inc. and the American Heart Association of Houston.

Cecilia Rose

ICF Credentialed Coach

Cecilia Rose is an ICF Credentialed Coach, with 15 years as a trusted advisor, and career and change management strategist working with global Fortune 50 and 500 companies. She has over 25 years of business experience in sales & marketing, career development, training, and retail operations. She has extensive experience as a national and professional speaker with engagements ranging from local to international forums. She has served on multiple panels as well as taught and co-written for the University of Houston Small Business Development Center. Cecilia has been interviewed and quoted by national publications (Forbes Magazine, 20/20) and bylined articles in USA TODAY and The Washington Post. Cecilia is a MCC Master Coach Candidate and ACC Credentialed Executive and Career Coach with the International Coach Federation. She is a graduate of Coach University, has a BS from the University of Houston and is on the faculty for the Medical Center’s Institute of Spirituality and Health.

Carol SingletonSlade

Head of Global Energy & Cleantech Practice
Managing Partner for Egon Zehnder International

Carol SingletonSlade leads the Global Energy and Cleantech Practice and is the Managing Partner for the Houston office of Egon Zehnder International. Prior to joining Egon Zehnder, Carol held senior financial positions with Atlantic Richfield Corporation advising executive management on portfolio management and financial and strategic planning. Her prior experience includes working as a consultant with CSC Index in both Dallas and London. Carol held various senior technical roles in the exploration and production industry with British Gas Exploration and Production, Amerada Hess Ltd., British Petroleum and Halliburton Geophysical. Carol earned an MBA from Southern Methodist University, a M.Sc. in Geophysics from Durham University and a B.Sc. in Physics from Imperial College of Science & Technology.