Allison Allie Kennedy Thurmond

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT ALLISON ALLIE KENNEDY THURMOND

I am an experienced leader who has worked in challenging roles in both the public and private sectors. But more importantly, I am a wife, a mother of two, the oldest of six sisters, a close friend to some, and an ally to all (except bullies - that\'s where I draw my line). My non-traditional career path gave me early exposure to empathetic leadership and drove my passion to lead. I began my office career straight out of high school working for the US Dept. of Commerce. While working full time during the day and going to university at night, I had an opportunity to become a leader at 21 and worked as a Senior Supervisory Statistician while completing my degrees. Those years were filled with supportive role models who taught me humility, grace, and the importance of a sense of humor. Graduate field work abroad forever influenced my perspective on the world. I have a B.Sc, M.Sc. & Ph.D. in Geosciences from the University of Texas at Dallas. My primary fields of graduate research were structural geology/tectonics, remote sensing, radar interferometry and field work in Egypt/Sudan & Ethiopia. My field seasons were tough but rewarding. As Mark Twain said,\"travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.\" True \'dat.(Oh, and I\'m from Louisiana and that means \"I agree.\")My years working internationally as a leader broadened me culturally and professionally. In Norway, I worked for Equinor - an international energy company where I held numerous leadership roles in Research and Development. There I learned the true power of diverse teams - diverse in gender, ethnicity, thought & approach. I also learned that a well-developed sense of humor was necessary if you are working full time while finishing a PhD with two kids under two in a foreign country. and having an amazing spouse helps.After moving back to the US, I recognized the need for diversity in business operations, so I pivoted. I have held roles such as Exploration Manager for Mexico, Vice President and Asset Manager for US Exploration, Board Member for Equinor’s US Holdings, and I am currently Vice President for North America Lithium. I have learned how important it is to have diverse approaches and minds not just supporting decisions, but also in making decisions.I greatly enjoy building, leading and contributing to high-performing teams and realizing the immense impact they can deliver. I am a forever learner with a passion for leadership, the energy industry, strategy execution, mentorship, technology and innovation. I look forward to what the future brings.