Women in Energy: Sasha Gumprecht, SJ Resource Partners

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Born and raised outside of Seattle, where everyday life takes place in the shadow of both active and dormant volcanoes, Sasha Gumprecht has always had a love for the outdoors.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in geology from Southern Methodist University, she spent a year abroad as an ESL teacher in Prague, Czech Republic, and Saint Petersburg, Russia. There she discovered that she would ultimately love to combine her passions for geology and travel into a career in international oil and gas exploration. She went on to complete her master’s degree in petroleum geoscience at Royal Holloway University of London and then her MBA at Rice University in Houston.

“The oil and gas industry first caught my attention after taking an undergraduate geology course from an esteemed guest lecturer and industry legend, Marlan Downey, where his instruction on solving problems that combined both scientific and economic analysis sparked my undivided curiosity,” Gumprecht said.

Her first energy-related job was working as an entry-level geologist for a consulting firm, where she handled prospecting work for client projects. Now she serves as vice president of business development with SJ Resource Partners.

She lives in Houston where her hobbies include CrossFit, elk hunting, hiking and traveling. She also volunteers with her dog at a critical care unit through Therapy Pet Pals of Texas and is a “Big Sister” through Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Formative experiences

“During my first job related to oil and gas, I had two wonderful mentors, David Scull and Howard McLaughlin, who took me under their wing to show me the ropes of what the industry was and how oil and gas worked. Without that base level understanding and guidance, I would have never been able to take the leap from what I knew with an undergraduate geology degree into translating that knowledge to a job.”

No disparities

“I have never thought of it being an issue between male and female, and I think a lot of that mindset comes from the environment I grew up in. Both my parents had successful careers in the medical field, with my grandmother starting her career as a doctor back in the ’40s. So, I grew up thinking it was normal for women to have successful careers, and I’ve never known any different. My sister and I were given the same opportunities as my brothers and were treated equal by my parents, so it never crossed my mind that there was a disparity between the two genders or that I was different from the guy sitting next to me.”

Career success

“As an executive with SJ Resource Partners, I am directly responsible for generating leads and actionable acquisitions for investors in multimillion-dollar deals. I have been able to leverage my extensive industry network I’ve built up over the years to secure and expand our business development activities. What has been most beneficial to my success has been having an unusual combination of skills with a background with technology, management consulting, technical science and an MBA as well as working with a brilliant team with extensive industry knowledge.

I have found success in roles that are centered around solving complex problems whether it be finding the best prospects or helping clients develop and implement an actionable solutions.”

Click here for a full list of “25 Influential Women in Energy” honorees for 2022.