Rebecca Boudreaux
A self-described energy nerd, Rebecca Boudreaux was on a career path to nursing when the dean of the honors college at the University of Southern Mississippi encouraged her to pursue a career in science. A bachelor’s degree in polymer science, and a master’s and doctorate in polymer science and engineering later, she’s now on a career path to change global production of low-carbon intensity fuels.
She didn’t pivot entirely from health care, though. Her first company, formed with graduate school colleagues from the University of Massachusetts, was a biotech startup focused on making more effective treatments for cancer.
“This experience helped me find my personal ‘why’—to use my scientific background to solve global challenges related to health—and energy and set me along the path of building emerging growth companies,” Boudreaux said. “I met the Oberon founders when the company was only five months old and realized I could once again use my scientific training to solve huge challenges around waste, emissions, developing cleaner energy sources and creating economic opportunity in rural communities.”
In May 2021, eight months after she was promoted to CEO of Oberon Fuels, the company produced the first renewable dimethyl ether (DME) in the U.S.
“Doing anything for the first time is a huge accomplishment,” Boudreaux said. “However, not only had our team done something that no one in our country had ever done before, but they did it in a time of global turmoil from 2020-2021 when COVID first turned our world upside down. Still, innovation found a way to push forward.”
Boudreaux is acutely aware of the need for mentorship and executive role models for women.
“While women leadership is increasing across the industry, we are not where we should be,” she said. “I am still too often the only woman in the room, on industry panels and in strategy meetings.
“One of the biggest challenges is the lack of female role models in executive positions. It is hard to imagine yourself as something that you cannot see.”
That is why mentoring programs such as Women in America are crucial to develop and mentor the next-generation of female leaders, she said.
“Spending over 20 years in emerging growth companies, there are limited professional development programs within these companies,” Boudreaux said. “WIA stepped in early in my career and provided that development opportunity for me.”
Her advice for any young professional is to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.
“Step out of your comfort zone and confront your fears,” Boudreaux said. “We’re all scared of something, whether it’s talking in public or jumping out of a plane, but you have to confront it and not let that fear rule you.”
She also believes in surrounding herself with good people. Boudreaux was picked as CFO at her biotech startup, despite a lack of financial background at the time. She studied up and worked hard, but more importantly asked for help and hired people who were knowledgeable in that field.
A champion of transformational energy technology, Boudreaux sees hydrogen as key to the future of the industry.
“More hydrogen technologies will get out of the lab and into proofs of concepts and small-scale deployments, refining the approach and business model to pave the way for larger and larger deployments in years to come,” she said. “The industry needs to be prepared for a healthy debate and lots of confusion around the different colors and associated climate-friendliness of hydrogen.”
Check out the rest of Hart Energy's 2024 Women in Energy here.
- Outside of my industry involvement, I currently serve on the Board of the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation, which raises student scholarship funds and was the reason I was able to afford a college education. For six years, I served as a Board Member and former Chair of UrbanPromise International, which works to break the poverty cycle for children around the world through education and workforce development.
- At Oberon, we take our work seriously but not ourselves. Thanks to Oberon’s co-founder Elliot Hicks, Oberon is named for one of the 27 moons of Uranus—which we all agree is the funniest planet. The moon Oberon also has a lot of methane, which is our feedstock.
- One of the things I enjoyed doing as a child was running. My dad is a runner and I learned from him. I was never very fast but I was always persistent, which parallels the reality of my professional career. Over the years, I have run multiple half-marathons and full marathons and now prefer to CrossFit and cycle. With the right training, you can really do anything.