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Highlights from world’s largest ‘women in engineering’ event

Jaime Ihde, Phillips 66 Coordinator, Corporate Content

Phillips 66 leaders share insights on innovation, technology and leading through change at the Society of Women Engineers annual conference.

Phillips 66 joined more than 20,000 people across engineering and technology fields at WE25 in New Orleans, the annual Society of Women Engineers conference that brings together professionals from all stages of their careers to learn and connect with a global community of innovators.

Why it matters: Women make up almost 20% of the Phillips 66 engineering workforce, and events like this create meaningful opportunities for employees to:

  • Connect with a broad community of professionals.
  • Share insights on advanced technology in the workplace.
  • Support the advancement of women in engineering.
  • Strengthen talent pipelines.
  • Foster collaboration and inspire future leaders.

Phillips 66 participation

Presence and engagement

More than 40 Phillips 66 engineers took part in workshops, networking sessions and industry panels across specialties like operations, emerging technologies, optimization and digital leadership.

They also had the opportunity to connect with attendees and share more about the company’s culture, operations, digital transformation and technology innovation at the Phillips 66 sponsored networking lounge.

Photo courtesy of the Society of Women Engineers.

Thought leadership

Phillips 66 leaders headed a change leadership session, “The Robots Are Coming: Empowering Teams to Embrace Change,” discussing how technology is reshaping engineering roles and how leaders can guide teams through the transformation.

Panel participants (pictured left to right): Madison Spangler, Sr. Advisor, Innovation and Technology, Midstream Operations; Eileen Naski, Sr. Manager Regulated Scheduling and Optimization, Midstream Operations; Sarah Gall, Managing Director, Optimization and Remote Operations; Tandra Perkins, EVP, Chief Digital and Admin Officer; Moderated by Audrey Bonafede, Sr. Specialist, Remediation Management.

The conversation explored the impact of automation and AI, effective digital change management and how to cultivate a culture that embraces innovation.

Fueling innovation and future growth

Emerging technologies can supercharge productivity, but panel leaders stressed the importance of providing clear boundaries and context so teams can think differently while still maintaining safe, reliable and efficient operations.

Key takeaways 

  • Educate and collaborate: Help employees view automation as an opportunity versus a threat. Provide learning opportunities to understand how to safely put new technologies into practice and explore opportunities to innovate.
  • Lead by example: The more you use advanced AI technologies yourself and show others the ‘how,’ the more likely your team is to embrace it without feeling overwhelmed.
  • Stay connected to the ‘why’: Make sure the entire team is aligned and focused on the process first. What problem are you trying to solve and is it worth solving?

Looking ahead

Phillips 66 will continue to build on the connections and insights gained at the conference, expanding opportunities for employees to engage in professional development, advance digital and technological innovation and support initiatives that empower diverse talent.

By fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge and encouraging continuous improvement, the company aims to strengthen both internal teams and the broader engineering community, cultivating a high-performing culture that drives long-term success.