YWE: Women in Operations Dinner

Julie Hawco is an engineer with over 15 years of experience working in Canada’s Energy sector focused on subsurface, operations, technology development and collaborative innovation. Currently she leads technology commercialization programs for Suncor’s insitu oil sands assets. Julie is a dedicated volunteer within Alberta’s energy ecosystem, a 2023 Young Women in Energy Award Winner and the founder of the STEM Moms Project – an initiative focused on improving the retention of mid-career STEM women.

Vanessa Rawlins is Vice President, Operations & Capital Execution for ConocoPhillips Canada (CPC), responsible for the Production Operations, Drilling, Completions, Projects, and Supply Chain functions. She joined ConocoPhillips in 2008 to build an asset integrity program for the business unit’s oil sands assets, after working for a decade as a mechanical engineer and inspector/auditor for the pressure equipment regulator in Alberta. During her tenure at ConocoPhillips, Rawlins spent 10 years at the company’s Surmont operation in several leadership roles, including as Operations Superintendent. Her responsibilities during this period included operations, operations excellence, integrated planning, asset and operating integrity, and process safety. Rawlins has experience in both conventional and unconventional assets. In 2018, she moved to ConocoPhillips’ Lower 48 (L48) business unit where she served as Permian Operations Manager, and later, as Delaware Operations Manager within the Permian Basin. Most recently, she was the Health and Safety Manager for the L48, responsible for implementing a new HSE management system, and a key player in the Concho integration. Originally from Nova Scotia, Rawlins holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia. She is a Professional Engineer in Alberta and served on the board of the Permian Road Safety Coalition during her time in the L48.

Monica Santander is the Vice President, Operations of the Gathering & Processing Business Segment at Keyera Corp. and has been working with Keyera since 2013 in various leadership roles across technical and operations teams. Most recently, she held the position of General Manager, Technical Services. Ms. Santander is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of energy industry experience in the Upstream, Midstream and Regulatory sectors. Prior to joining Keyera, she worked at Husky Energy for 7 years and at the Canadian Energy Regulator for 8 years, holding various technical and leadership positions. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Systems Engineering from the University of Regina and is a registered Professional Engineer in Alberta.

Kim Williams is Vice President & General Manager of Canadian Operations at Ovintiv. Joining as a summer student, she’s worked for the company her entire career with various roles in production, reservoir, development, facilities, and strategic planning. In 2010, Kim took on her first formal leadership role as a Development Manager, and in 2012 was promoted to Senior Manager of Development. She helped execute several of Ovintiv’s property divestitures from 2013-2016 and was seconded to the Corporate Strategy Refresh Team leading a review of Ovintiv’s asset portfolio, and developing the Alberta Montney play. Kim was promoted to Vice President of EH&S, Regulatory and Security in 2019, managing the company’s safety and environmental performance across all of the company’s assets and through the global pandemic. She was named Ovintiv’s first female Vice President & General Manager of an operating area in March 2023. Kim was proudly recognized as a recipient of the Inspirational Team Leader award at the 2017 North American Women in Energy Forum, and a 2020 Honoree at The Manufacturing Institute’s STEP Ahead awards. She is a Director for the Canadian Energy Executive Association, a Board Member at Hull Services, sits on the Board of the Business Council of British Columbia, and is an incoming Board Member at the Calgary Petroleum Club. Originally from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Kim graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 2000 with a Chemical Engineering degree. In her free time, she serves as principal oboist in the Calgary Fire Department’s “Cappy Smart” Band, enjoys tournament poker, and quilting. Kim and her husband Zane enjoy travelling, camping, and fishing together with their dog Doug.