Colorado Petroleum Council Executive Director Tracee Bentley, American Petroleum Institute Senior Economic Advisor Rayola Dougher, Anadarko Petroleum Government Affairs Manager Chantell Taylor, and Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nancy Rice help young women explore the oil and gas career opportunities available to women in Colorado

DENVER, June 18, 2015 – The Colorado Petroleum Council, the regional chapter of the American Petroleum Institute, hosted more than 250 of Colorado’s high school juniors and seniors and college-aged young women to discover the career opportunities that exist for women in the oil and natural gas industry. “Women Rocking the Rockies” is the second event of the Colorado Petroleum Council’s “Women in Power” initiative, a proposal designed to draw more women to one of Colorado’s most dynamic and vital industries. 

“Women Rocking the Rockies” included a series of informative seminars, eight $500 scholarship drawings for college-bound attendees, and opportunities for participants to interact with women who have served as trailblazers in their respective fields. American Petroleum Institute Senior Economic Advisor Rayola Dougher and Anadarko Petroleum Government Affairs Manager Chantell Taylor were on hand to speak with attendees, and the program featured Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nancy Rice as its keynote speaker.

“Women Rocking the Rockies is designed to show Colorado’s young women that this field has a lot to offer,” said Tracee Bentley, executive director of the Colorado Petroleum Council. “Women and minorities have pathways to success in the oil and gas industry and we want to give them the tools they need to thrive in this growing field.”

Democratic strategist Celinda Lake and Republican strategist Linda DiVall found that women seeking employment have bypassed the industry because of a systemic lack of knowledge about available job opportunities. Their findings were released in a recent study commissioned by the American Petroleum Institute, “Attitudes and Perceptions of Women about Seeking Employment in the Oil & Natural Gas Industry.” The “Women in Power initiative,” spearheaded by Bentley, was created to change that paradigm.

“We want Coloradoans to come away with a better understanding of the careers that exist in an industry that works hard to bring Americans the energy they need, now and in the future,” said Bentley. “Women Rocking the Rockies is about introducing the attendees to new opportunities, and I believe that many young women will realize that their unique interests and skills are compatible with a career in oil and gas.”

In addition to “Women Rocking the Rockies,” the “Women in Power” initiative will also sponsor a third event on June 26 for female students in grades six through 11 meant to spark a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math.

Partnering organizations that helped make this event possible include: ACE Scholarships, Alliance of Choice in Education, Alpha Kappa Alpha, American Association of Blacks in Energy, Camp Experience, College Summit, College Trek, Colorado Association of Career and Technical Administrators, Colorado Association of Career and Technical Education, Colorado Black Roundtable, Colorado Black Women for Political Action, Colorado League of Charter Schools, Colorado School Counselor Association, Colorado Succeeds, Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Workforce Development Council, Delta Sigma Theta, Douglas County Energy Alliance, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver, Escuela Tlateloco, Kappa Alpha Psi, McKenna Long Aldridge Women’s Initiative, Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors of Colorado, Rocky Mountain Energy Forum, Rocky Mountain Pipe Trades District 5, StemsCo, TRIO Educational Opportunity Center, Xcel Energy, and Urban League of Denver.

API represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 625 members produce, process, and distribute most of the nation’s energy. The industry also supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and eight percent of the U.S. economy.