Esther Angell, Women In Energy’s new Executive Director, takes the position after a career in the upstream, midstream, and downstream energy sectors.
Esther Angell’s connection to the energy industry goes back to before she was born. A native Oklahoman, her grandfather was in research for Phillips 66. But it wasn’t until she moved to Houston that she jumped into the oil and gas industry herself. Since then she’s worked in upstream, midstream, and downstream businesses within manufacturing, sales, consulting, digital services, and more. Now, her lifetime of experiences in the energy industry will be focused on her newest role, that of Executive Director for Women in Energy (WE).
“Regardless of where you are in the energy life cycle, there’s a sense of community that’s very unique to the business,” Angell says. “It’s especially fascinating that when you say ‘the energy industry,’ people often think of a single segment. I think, ‘which part do you mean?’ I have friends ‘in energy’ and they work in electric vehicles! The oil and gas/energy industry is a very broad, rich space. I’ve seen that the industry, whether upstream, midstream or downstream, is cyclical, with very unique challenges in each segment. I’ve been fortunate to learn about each of them throughout my career. What I bring to Women in Energy is that unique diversity and exposure to the markets.”
A Life in Energy
When Angell discusses the range of experiences she is bringing to her new role, she is not exaggerating. In Houston she worked for a manufacturer that supported the oil and gas industries. While the products were mostly upstream, she had exposure to the midstream and downstream markets as well. There, she says, “I got an understanding of what drives demand, and what solutions people are looking for.”
When she left Houston, she continued in the manufacturing industry before joining Cargas in 2020 as Vice President of CRM. While her position encompassed the entirety of the Cargas CRM portfolio, her work with Cargas Energy was, she says, “my first real foray into the retail component of energy. Its ‘last mile.’ That’s when I developed a deeper understanding of the different metrics and policies that affect companies in that space.” It was while at Cargas that she first joined Women in Energy.
A year ago, in June 2025, Angell left Cargas and founded Insightfully Curious Consulting. She explains that the goal of her company is “the democratization of strategy and technology.” Angell realized that while large corporations have the money and resources to pay for and invest in strategic development and technology, those opportunities have not always been available to smaller operations.
“Large automobile manufacturers have been using robotics for decades, but it wasn’t cost effective for many smaller businesses until more recently,” she explains. “Similarly, technology such as artificial intelligence is enabling businesses to work through in-depth strategic development. My driving force is to ensure businesses of all sizes have access to strategic insights and the opportunity to execute on those strategic objectives.”
Executing a strategy is, of course, the big hurdle. “How often does a company or organization have a solid strategy, and 12 months later it’s still sitting on a shelf. We help create an execution plan, so they can continue to make progress every day – even if it’s just a little bit at a time – while still keeping the lights on. The articulation of the strategy and the ability to execute it is incredibly empowering,” Angell says.
The Intersectionality at Women in Energy
Angell has participated in leadership panels and presentations for Women in Energy since joining in 2020. She also has deep experience in organization leadership, beyond her paid positions. She was the president of the local Meals on Wheels organization, and is on the board of directors of the Lancaster Science Factory, “a wonderful organization for kids to get them engaged in STEM, which works with my background in technology and manufacturing.” She also volunteers for the American Marketing Association of Central Pennsylvania, working on the committee for their annual conference.
The opportunity to take on the executive directorship of Women in Energy came at an opportune time. “It was a crossroads for both of us. I was looking to establish something new, and they were looking for leadership fulfillment. They had the need. I had the availability and opportunity. I wouldn’t have been able to take on the executive director role two years ago,” she says.
“I have been involved in women’s organizations in the energy industry in the past. This is an opportunity to go back to some roots, and build in the segment – propane and retail – where there’s space, where there are opportunities. I’m excited to give women in this space more opportunities to connect.”
“Women in Energy creates a community that often struggles to find connections. There are a lot of women in energy, across all sectors,” Angell notes. “They’re executives and leaders and office support and technicians. Women in Energy is about helping them connect, find support, and become part of the conversation. ”
Angell has often been the only woman in the room. She believes that most organizations are unaware that someone might not be a part of the conversation. She knows that when you are the only person in the room that “looks like you” – whether that means one’s gender, race, age, or background – it can be daunting, but sharing that perspective can lead to greater understanding and empathy. “With Women in Energy, women can be connected, and give the advice and mentorship that we exist to support,” she adds.
12 Months, Three Goals.
Angell has set three goals for her first year.
- Improving organizational structure. In partnership with the Board, execute the strategic plan to enhance oversight and structure for both the membership and board.
- Increasing membership across regions and industries. Building on the framework already in place to ensure women across the energy industry have access to a network of like-minded professionals.
- Enhancing member engagement. Engaging current members to ensure that they take full advantage of the assets and opportunities Women in Energy offers.
She sees her long-term goals as being defined by the goals for her first 12 months: increasing benefits to members and building a more robust community, especially in areas where women are still under-served with community and networking opportunities.
With these lofty goals, Angell understands that her board members are volunteers. “The board members are giving their time, but there’s a bond of accountability to drive the mission forward, with the understanding that this is not their day job. Being empathetic with each other, as well as clearly defining expectations, is the best a board and director can do together,” she adds.
Unexpected Advice
Angell also hosts a podcast, “Unexpected Advice,” which is available on most platforms. In it, she interviews “interesting people,” but not about their companies or achievements. Instead, they talk about life lessons or a piece of advice the guest received along the way. Angell says that the next season is in production, where she follows the same format, but speaks with her neighbors rather than business leaders or owners.
Turning the tables a bit, we asked Angell if there was any “Unexpected Advice” she had to share with Oil & Energy readers. “It’s ok to say no. In fact, you should practice it. I had an entire year of no. I was approaching burnout at the time and needed to clear my plate. There were lots of times I was asked to help with something or volunteer for another thing, and I just had to (politely) decline. At the same time, I bowed out of activities and even relationships that I couldn’t maintain anymore. That cleared enough space so that I was ready when the opportunity with Women in Energy presented itself.”
In closing, Angell says, “I would want people to know that if you are a woman who wants to support our movement, or if you know women who want to get involved, we want them to reach out to us. We want them to connect with us.”
More information is available at the Women in Energy website, WEWomenInEnergy.com, and Angell can be reached directly at
esther@wewomeninenergy.com.
