Women in Energy: Morgan Hager, Chesapeake Energy

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A well-rounded and versatile member of the energy community, Morgan Hager has brought her engineering and leadership expertise to the upstream, downstream, midstream and renewable energy sectors.

“I really enjoy engineering and am lucky to have found my way into this field of study,” Hager said. “Growing up, my only exposure to engineering was that they were the men standing next to road construction with a clipboard. I had no idea the vast opportunities that existed within engineering.”

In addition to balancing her work at Chesapeake and caring for her stepdaughter, Hager also serves in the Central Oklahoma chapter of the American Heart Association, as she strongly believes in the importance of educating the public on improving heart health.

Industry transformations

“Fresh out of graduate school, with an environmental engineering degree in hand, I wanted to make a positive difference in the world, and the oil and gas industry provided that opportunity. In 2008, the industry was poised for change. There was an energy and ecological crisis merging creating the groundwork for new ideas and innovation.”

Implementing HSER

“One of my most memorable milestones is the first time I managed a team, and we achieved our goal. It was very early in my career, and we successfully integrated a health, safety and environmental management program into a new business unit. It was definitely not an easy task. However, by working together and leaning on each other’s strengths, we were able to make it a very successful, and mostly painless, process. I learned a lot about myself and leading from that experience.”

Working as a team

“Transitioning between departments and companies has provided me with exceptional leadership experience. These changes gave me the opportunity to face new challenges and develop my problem-solving skills. They also helped broaden my knowledge base and, more importantly, enabled me to balance integration of new thought with disruption. It’s that balance that has driven my leadership forward. From redesigning refinery fuel gas systems to building an air compliance program to developing a sustainability strategy, my most memorable projects have been rooted in the teams I was fortunate to be a part of. I have wonderful memories of intense work and problem solving, leading not only to business results, but also to lasting professional relationships.”

Diversity is key

“As the race to net zero unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth, it will be critical for the industry to provide a solid platform for cognitive diversity in all aspects of the business. Success will have a foundation in creative abrasion, failing forward, calculated risk management and innovation. I firmly believe that the only way we will achieve the goals our companies, our investors and our employees have is for us all to embrace a more diverse workforce with a variety of ideas to achieve the innovation we need. We are working in an ever-changing landscape that has unlimited potential to shape our world’s energy and environmental future.”

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