This panel session will discuss the challenges faced by women of color who pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The objective of the session is to share personal experiences of the panel members and how they have overcome the complex challenges women of color face. The panelist will discuss how they manage the “double bind” living at the intersections between race and gender. The panelist will share their perspectives on their journeys, failures, and successes.

1. Challenges of Women of Color in
STEM Careers
SWE 2015 Conference

2. Challenges Faced by WoC in STEM
• Women of color in STEM face the following challenges
– salary disparity,
– under representation,
– gender stereotyping,
– a sense that their ideas are not taken seriously,
– being overlooked for promotions,
– inadequate mentors
– exclusion from informal networks and
– questioning of technical capability and competence
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3. Jeannie Gardner
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Global Pricing Lead
Shell Downstream International
Houston Texas
Jeannie Gardner has over 20 years of experience working in the oil and gas industry. She is currently a Global
Process Lead in Shell’s Trading & Supply Business Excellence group where she helps to increase profitability and
optimize performance through enhancing business processes, implementing best practices and strategic planning.
With a Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University, Jeannie began her
career as a process engineer at UOP, where she travelled around the world starting up UOP licensed process units.
Leaving UOP, Jeannie joined one of the countries Big 5 consulting companies, Accenture. As a Manager in
Accenture’s Energy practice Jeannie led global supply chain and strategic sourcing projects for metals, mining,
energy, and chemicals industries.
Jeannie likes to stay active in the community. She is currently an Executive member of Women’s Energy Network
and serves on the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Advisory Board. She has served as President of Women’s Energy
Network, on the Board of Directors of BBBS, President of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Houston Area
Section, and President of the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. At Shell, she
currently serves as President of the Shell Black Networking Group (SBNG) and is an active mentor within SBNG
and participant in WAVE (Women Adding Value Everywhere).

4. Carla Fair-Wright
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Senior Project Manager
Chevron
Houston Texas
Carla Fair-Wright is an experienced project manager and a regular lecturer on project management and
leadership. A senior project manager in the information technology department at Chevron, she has an extensive
background in software development, project management, training, and consulting.
Carla is the chapter author of two books, Encyclopedia of Energy Engineering and Technology and Case Studies
and Applications of Web Based Energy Information and Control Systems. She has appeared on FOX News, PMI
Podcast, Terri Craig Radio Show, Business Makers Small Business Network Show and has been featured in the
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) magazine, Maintenance Technology, STEMINST, and CODE Magazine.
Carla was a featured speaker at the 2014 Project Zone Congress in Frankfurt and recently presented at the 2015
Project Management Institute (PMI) Global Congress in London. Carla is the past President of Society of Woman
Engineers (Houston) and a recipient of the 2014 Regional Emerging Leader award.

5. Julia P. Clarke, PE
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Senior Project Professional
Fugro Consultants, Inc.
Houston, Texas
Julia joined Fugro in February 2008 while earning a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue
University. During her employment, she received her engineering license from the Texas Board of Professional
Engineers. Her current position as Senior Project Professional, involves being a Lead Geotechnical Project Engineer
on highway improvement projects on the Commercial and Infrastructure project team. As a Lead Geotechnical
Project Engineer, Julia’s responsibilities include coordinating field exploration and laboratory testing programs,
performing engineering analyses, developing engineering recommendations and preparing technical reports. In
addition, Julia assist her Engineering Manager with managing project schedules and budgets within the Commercial
and Infrastructure project team and developing business development strategies for marketing Fugro’s services.
While working, she has published technical papers in several American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) conference
proceedings and in the Applied Clay Science Journal of her research works conducted at Purdue University. She
received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of South Florida in 2005 prior to attending
Purdue University.
Julia currently serves as Section Representative for the Society of Women Engineers – Houston Area Section (SWE-
HA) and SWE Region C Mentor Committee Co-Chair. She is also a member of the SWE Curriculum and Strategic
Initiatives Committees. Her past roles with SWE-HA are Section President (2014-2015), Vice President-Internal
(2012-2014), and Awards Chair (2011-2012). Julia also serves as the Technical Committee Chair for the ASCE-
Houston Branch.

6. Alysia Green
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General Manager
Chevron Information Technology
San Ramon, California
Alysia Green is the General Manager of Information Technology for Gas, Midstream and Global Corporate
Functions based in San Ramon, California.
Alysia is a 24-year veteran of Chevron. She graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science degree
in Mathematical and Computational Sciences in 1991.
During her tenure with Chevron, Alysia has worked in the Downstream business in a variety of IT and business
roles, in the central IT company in leadership positions, in the Global Gas business as the IT Strategy manager and
in the Upstream business as Information Technology and Business Development & Planning Manager in Chevron’s
Gulf Of Mexico Business Unit. Her most recent position was General Manager of Information Technology for
Chevron’s Asia South Business Unit based in Bangkok, Thailand.
Alysia was a part of the initial leadership team of Chevron’s Black Employee Network. She currently serves as the
Chevron Management sponsor for IT recruiting for HENAAC, SHPE and NSBE.
Alysia and her husband, Henry of more than 20 years, live in Pleasanton, California with their sixteen-year old
daughter, Jazmyn.

7. Challenges Faced by WoC in STEM
Bicultural Stress
Bicultural stress is the feeling that you are living two lives;
shaping your career in one world and while shaping other
dimensions of your life within your specific community.
• Feeling of isolation in the work environment
• Cultural differences at social gatherings make individuals feel out of place;
don’t fit in
• Cultural diversity in terms of behavioral styles, hair, dress, etc.
• WoC often they feel like they are outsiders
• There are a lack of Mentors that look like WoC, therefore they must learn
to succeed from the main stream of organization life
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8. Challenges Faced by WoC in STEM
Stereotypes
Stereotypes, both being a person of color and being a woman
• Aggressive, sassy, outspoken, poor performers academically, not
ambitious etc.
• Many WoC feel like they have to say the right thing, not say too much, or
agree just to fit in
• WoC may see performance decline, due to the result of the pressure
formed from the anxiety of disproving stereotypes
• Increased pressure to perform can result in choking under pressure
• WoC spend a lot of time legitimizing their place in the organization
• WoC feel that they have to out perform and out strategize their white
male and white female colleagues to succeed
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9. Challenges Faced by WoC in STEM
Tokenism
Tokenism - A lone WoC becomes part of an organization or is
placed in an area where they are underrepresented or only one
of a kind
• WoC can be double tokens, both racial and gender
• Under-representation leads to high visibility
• There are a variety of negative perceptions of persons labeled as tokens
• Behavior and job performance, whether good or bad, are magnified,
distorted and overly scrutinized
• Increased pressure to perform leads to choking under pressure
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10. Challenges Faced by WoC in STEM
Summation
• Learn to handle conflicts and confrontation skillfully
• Self promote and be your own public relations manager
• Network, cultivate and build relationships
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11. Challenges Faced by WoC in STEM
Resources
• Our Separate Ways – Black and White Women and the
Struggle for Professional Identity – Ella Bell & Stella Nkomo
• Breaking Your Own Rules – How to Change the Patterns of
Thinking That Block Women’s Paths to Power – Flynn, Heath,
Holt
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