Allie Sadler

As an engineer, my favorite job task has always been solving complicated and unique problems – in fact, the more bizarre the problem, the more fun I have working out the solution. I started the first seven years of my career in the oil refining industry which turned out to be the perfect home as there is always an abundance of problems to be solved. I began my career in process engineering roles and was able to quickly work my way to the FCC unit which is typically reserved for the most senior engineer. As the FCC engineer, I was personally responsible for the single largest operating expense line item for the refinery – the FCC catalyst budget which would average $25 million annually. Two years after taking over the FCC engineer role, I was promoted to Operations Superintendent and, in that role, I quickly learned that I am a passionate leader. I constantly pushed myself and my 16-employee crew to excellence in the categories of safety and reliability. I believe in leading by example and am never afraid to get my hand dirty whether it be turning valves in the field or helping to teach and mentor new employees. Two years after moving into operations, I moved back into a Senior Process Engineering role in late 2023 due to refinery needs. In this assignment, I was tasked with double the process units compared to my peers. During this time, I became a strong multi-tasker and great at prioritization by focusing on what is a want versus what is a need for the refinery.
As my career progressed, I continually strived to improve myself and become a more impactful contributor – both at work and in the community. This goal led me back to school – this time to pursue a MBA at Mays Business School. After completing my MBA degree, I am targeting a return to the energy industry where I can leverage my previous industry experience, engineering skills, and newly acquired business acumen to be an immediate, high impact contributor.