Catalina Leal Isaza
Catalina Leal Isaza earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in her native Colombia and her MBA in the U.S. Her passion for learning, however, transcends academic achievement.
“Being a woman in this male-dominated industry can be perceived as a challenge, but my continuous hunger for learning has served me well,” she said. “I work continuously to identify my strengths and areas of opportunity and I always keep my eye on the job that needs to be done, focused on the results. I surround myself with people I can learn from to improve my knowledge and capabilities.”
She has used her assignments as learning platforms to become a better leader.
“I believe developing business leadership and entrepreneurship skills is a journey of continuous learning,” Leal Isaza said. “Our greatest achievements sometimes are just beyond our perceived limits.”
She pursues opportunities to stay challenged. That has meant taking roles in different product lines and different functions, and pivoting from engineering to quality, and from drilling to production.
“Someone once told me, ‘if you look at a job description and it feels you can do everything in there, it is probably not the right one for you,’” Leal Isaza said. “‘But if, in turn, it looks daunting, chances are that it is the one that will potentially give you the most opportunities to grow and develop yourself.’”
Staying curious tops her list of advice to young professionals. But it’s not her only advice.
“Remain authentic and keep a positive spirit,” Leal Isaza said. “Being authentic is key to developing trust with your teams. Also—and this is a big one for me—always be of service to others. Your actions will have a ripple effect. A random act of kindness in the professional world can have an enormous impact on a career, a team’s success and even the evolution of your organizational culture. By helping others and staying positive, you will also find daily joy.”
And, of course: network, network, network.
“I underestimated the value of networking early in my career,” she said. “I would remind young professionals to grow and nurture their networks.”
Among the challenges that many women face is imposter syndrome, or doubting abilities and feeling that women must work extra hard to prove themselves in the male-dominated oil and gas industry.
“As women, we need to be confident in our own self-worth and expertise,” Leal Isaza said. “We need to learn to recognize our own achievements and our continuous growth. Learn to take mistakes in stride and to remember the saying that ‘this too shall pass.’ Chances are, later you will realize what a great learning opportunity it was. So, challenge yourself and grow in confidence as a result.”
Another challenge, not unique to this industry, is becoming a mother. Leal Isaza acknowledged that balancing the load from her day job while juggling the responsibilities at home never gets easier.
“It is a struggle, but my kids are the reason to try to find that balance every day,” she said. “My daughter, in particular, has shown me how she is always watching and how I am a role model to her. This has been my most important job I have had and the one I would not trade for anything, so, even with the challenge, it is worth it.”
Making a difference in people’s lives keeps Leal Isaza passionate about coming to work each day. Those people include the ones who report to her.
“Keeping my team motivated and inspired to improve how we work is a blessing to me,” she said. “I believe in unlocking everyone’s potential by encouraging and helping them find their passion. Our industry provides energy to the world, and what a responsibility that is. It really is an exciting time to be part of this industry and be able to drive change.”
Check out the rest of Hart Energy's 2024 Women in Energy here.
1. I don’t do spicy food. I improved a bit in my assignments in Mexico, but even my Mexican friends say that I am not even a 3 in a scale from 1 to 10.
2. When in college in Colombia, I joined a program for students called work and travel and we would come to the U.S. during the summer under a special cultural exchange visa. I worked as a ride operator in amusement parks, cashier at a supermarket, and there was one season I worked five different jobs at once to help pay tuition back at home. So, I know how it is like to work at Wendy’s, TJMaxx and I even learned how to make pizza from scratch.
3. My first real job after graduating as a Chemical Engineer was in a different industry and I would come home smelling like baby shampoo every day. Very different than Oil and Gas!