Moni Collins

One of the most profound events in Moni Collins’ energy career occurred outside of the energy space.

In 2008, she had been working in Washington, D.C., for four years both in government and in a role that interacted with the federal government. But the Houston native was homesick and also wanted to return to energy finance. Her announcement, however, stunned her colleagues, even though she had contemplated the move for some time.

“Their disappointment and confusion resulting from my lack of open communication about my career goals or lack of inspiration in my role taught me that I cannot expect those around me to know what I want or what I am missing,” Collins said. “I must tell them. I must advocate for my career, my goals and myself. Giving others an opportunity to provide feedback, support or guidance can open doors I did not even know existed, and it can show me where the closed doors are, and that I need to build my own.”

The challenges and the accompanying lessons never stop. The pandemic year of 2020 threw a lot at her and is what she describes as the toughest year of her professional life.

“Not only was the industry experiencing history-making volatility, creating extreme pressure for many clients, but my bank (IBERIABANK) merged with [First Horizon] in the middle of that year,” she said. “Introducing new colleagues, credit partners and executives who did not know me or my clients made an already challenging situation more challenging, because what I do is more than just banking—it is relationship banking.”

Another challenge is one faced by many influential women in energy: there are not many of them.

“Too many times, I have walked into a client meeting as the only woman or one of only a few. This was intimidating as a young associate and caused me to question my own relevancy in many situations,” Collins said. “I have been ignored, not looked at eye-to-eye (even when I asked the question), and dismissed.”

But while being a female in oil and gas and banking was and is still not the norm, “the environment has certainly improved,” she said. 

“I could say that experience alone has helped me overcome this challenge, but I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the men I have worked with and for who made me feel relevant, who included me in discussions, who supported me, not because I am a female but because I deserved to be there,” she said.

Collins values authenticity, accountability and transparency in herself, and uses these traits as her foundation for leadership. “A team is more than its results,” she said. “Leadership that highlights these values and develops each team member’s strengths, constructively supports areas of weakness and cultivates an environment of trust, can naturally produce results.

“If we are all rowing in the same direction, each of us trusting the other, we will go far, but when you need me to be the heavy, have the tough conversation, or ask the challenging question, I will do it because that is part of my job as a leader. You need to believe in me, and that I am your shield so that you can focus on your part of mission execution.”

Collins tells young professionals in energy to accept that no one has it all figured out. It’s best for an up-and-coming professional to surround herself with those willing to support and lift her up, even when she stumbles or does not have all the answers.

“Learn from every mistake—those are the teachable moments,” she advises. “If we were all perfect and knew every answer, how dull the world would be. And ask for help! Most people are happy to help; they need to know you want it.”

Check out the rest of Hart Energy's 2025 Women in Energy here.