International Women's Day
Mar 08, 2021
At Certarus, our progressive approach to business has helped us to successfully grow into the largest provider of low carbon energy solutions in North America.
As an energy transition company, we operate a fully integrated compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen platform. We know the world is changing and we are leading the way forward by delivering cleaner forms of energy and building stronger more diverse and inclusive teams. Our Winning Team is full of talented women that are critical to our continued success.
We’re committed to breaking down barriers for women in the workplace and providing all our employees with opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the careers and accomplishments of women around the world. We are pleased to profile five of our many talented women that are helping to grow our business and lead the transition to a clean energy future.
We celebrate our female colleagues today, and we value them every day for their incredible contributions.
We’re always looking for more talented women to join our growing team, visit our careers page to find an opportunity that’s right for you.
Natasha Cherednichenko
Chief Operating OfficerBorn and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Natasha brings 18 years of energy experience to Certarus. She has worked in most of the major Oil & Gas basins across the US as well as Australia, Latin America and the United Kingdom. At work, she is passionate about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), Diversity & Inclusion, and the Energy Transition.
As the Chief Operating Officer, Natasha is responsible for leading the day-to-day engineering, logistics & HSE teams for Certarus. Her focus on Health & Safety and operational excellence ensures our teams safely and reliably deliver low carbon energy solutions to our customers across North America.
Education:
- Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and Bachelor of Commerce (Management) from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia
- Masters in Oil & Gas Management from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Career Highlights:
"Taking on a mix of operational leadership and functional roles to broaden my experience and develop knowledge across different parts of the business. These opportunities have allowed me to explore different passions and made me a much more well-rounded leader."
Favorite part of working at Certarus:
"The passionate, energetic people that comprise Certarus. It is amazing to work as part of a team where everyone is aligned and highly motivated to make Certarus the first choice for our customers, and our employees."
"As someone with an operations background and responsibility, I appreciate our authentic commitment, focus and investment in HSE, particularly around driving. Being part of a company that is prepared to acknowledge where it has room to improve, and make changes and investments to become an industry leader, supports our core value that “Safety is No Accident".
Advice for young women entering the workforce:
"Be bold! “Choose to Challenge” yourself by taking on tough opportunities that will build your strengths and skills. Get involved with projects that align with your passions. Find people both inside and out of your networks who can provide support and mentorship along the way."
Kellie Johnston
VP Sustainability & General CounselKellie grew up on an acreage outside of St. Albert, AB, and followed an unconventional path that took her from English Literature to International Law, before joining the team at Certarus. She is passionate about sustainability, and a champion for Diversity & Inclusion at work, in the community, and around the world.
As the VP of Sustainability & General Counsel, Kellie is leading the development of our first Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) report that will be published later this year. She is leading the charge to establish verifiable emissions data to show customers exactly how much they can improve their environmental performance and reduce carbon emissions by switching to compressed natural gas, renewable natural gas, or hydrogen.
Education:
- Bachelor of Arts in English literature from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta
- Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Master of Law in International Law, focused on business and human rights, from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
Career Highlights:
"I have taken advantage of many opportunities and new experiences throughout my career. After receiving my undergraduate degree, I taught English in South Korea for a year. I interned at the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre in London, England, then had the opportunity to join the United Nations in Geneva, working on the Global Compact. After working at the UN, I traveled in the Middle East and Africa and came back to Canada where I worked for two international energy companies."
"I founded my own consulting firm, joined an international law firm, and was a member of the Canadian Bar Associations’ Supporting Inclusive Resource Development project in East Africa - where I trained and mentored members of East Africa law societies, as well as regulators, legislators, and community group leaders."
Favorite part of working at Certarus:
"I joined Certarus because it was an opportunity to work on ESG issues every day and implement a long-term ESG strategy in a company that I believe is in the right business at the right time to lead the transition to a low carbon economy. Through CNG, RNG and hydrogen, we can provide solutions for many sustainability issues. I love that I get to work on all these issues every day. Whether I am reviewing an RNG or CNG agreement, discussing potential opportunities related to climate change, or being involved in our D&I strategy and initiatives – every day I get to help shape and strengthen our ESG credentials."
Advice for young women entering the workforce:
Three pieces of advice that resonate for me and helped me to advance in my career and led me to unique experiences: Establish credibility early in your career, Don't underestimate your capabilities, Do the things that scare you - raise your hand and get involved where you think you can add value."
Cristina Sabo
Technical Services EngineerRaised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Cristina followed her passions for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) to build a successful career as an engineer. Her ingenuity and drive help to keep our customers happy and our business growing by finding cost-effective solutions that produce results.
As a Technical Services Engineer at Certarus, Cristina provides technical assistance to the operations group, training, working on technical projects to improve equipment reliability. She also assists with customer fuel conversions of industrial customers to low-carbon natural gas and helps our sales team accurately define a project scope and costs. She provides detailed designs of major customer projects and coordinates and manages construction of onsite infrastructure. Her technical abilities support a variety of projects that improve operations and enhance service delivery.
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Career / Education Highlights:
"I am proud to be the first person in my family to graduate from university. We immigrated to Canada when I was young, and my parents worked very hard and made big sacrifices to be able to provide a better life for me. I am proud of my accomplishments because they are a direct reflection of my family’s strong work ethic and ability to overcome adversity."
Favorite part of working at Certarus:
"I love our winning team at Certarus. The people I work with make a demanding job feel easy because they are hard-working, helpful, and dedicated to making Certarus a successful company."
Advice for young women entering the workforce:
"Our industry has been historically male dominated, so I’m proud that I have been able to thrive as a female engineer. It has been a rewarding career so far and I hope that my success in this industry helps to pave the way for other young women who are interested in pursuing careers in STEM. I want to encourage young women to be bold and fearless in their pursuit for what they want. Seek out new opportunities and don’t wait for them to come to you. Women often feel intimidated or apprehensive to ask for what they want when compared to their male colleagues. We are often over-looked for promotions, raises, or leading interesting new projects, so I feel that it’s important to actively pursue these new opportunities rather than waiting for someone to present them to you."
Erika Mourits
Logistics CoordinatorGrowing up outside Calgary, Erika always excelled in planning. Her focus and energy help to keep our fleet on the road day and night, seven days a week. She brings more than 10 years of experience in logistics, supply chain management and contracts to our team at Certarus.
As a Logistics Coordinator, Erika is part of our centralized dispatch team that services terminals across North America. She is responsible for monitoring customer sites to ensure they have a safe and consistent supply of CNG to keep their operations running smoothly. By identifying our customers’ needs, and dispatching drivers to provide an uninterrupted supply, Erika helps us to deliver reliable low carbon energy solutions so our customers can focus on their operations.
Education:
- Bachelor’s in Kinesiology from the University of Lethbridge in Lethbridge, Alberta
- SCMA Diploma from the Supply Chain Management Association Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta
Career Highlights:
"I’ve worked on a number of very interesting projects for several different companies, but completing my degree and diploma are the accomplishments I’m most proud of to-date."
Favorite part of working at Certarus:
"I love working for such a driven company that is continuously expanding and looking into resources we can be a part of."
Advice for young women entering the workforce:
"Being a professional woman in the energy industry is important to me. I have been fortunate to work with, next to, or be led by some incredibly strong and talented women. Equality has improved vastly over the last 10 years and we are starting to see more and more women in leadership and managerial roles."
"Do not stress if you are unsure of what you want to do as a profession, if you are looking to pursue secondary education pick a major that sparks interest, you can always change your major. Sometimes it takes attending your first year to find something you are passionate about. Your degree/diploma or certificate does not define you; it’s proof you can start and complete something, but it does not have to be what you focus your career on."
Crystal Martinez
Regional Lead TechnicianBorn and raised in Midland, TX, Crystal moved to San Antonio for school before returning home to work in the oilfield. She brings her strong work ethic and can-do attitude to work each day to keep our teams running and our equipment moving. Now in her fifth year as a Technician, she has gained considerable experience by accepting challenges and she’s established a reputation for delivering results.
As a Lead Technician, Crystal communicates with clients and employees about upcoming and current jobs, delegates daily tasks to appropriate team members, mobilizes equipment and manages deadlines and progress across the team to ensure the project is delivered on time and on budget.
Education:
- Associate of Arts from San Antonio College in San Antonio, Texas
Career Highlights:
"Making the move to join the Wining Team at Certarus has been my biggest career accomplishment to-date. To be able to make a meaningful contribution to the business is a great feeling. I hold myself accountable to drive results every day, and seeing our company succeed makes me so proud."
Favorite part of working at Certarus:
"I like the fact that we work hard as a team. We work together hand by hand to safely make every job happen. The teamwork is outstanding."
Advice for young women entering the workforce:
"As a woman, I have seen the struggles of making it in this industry in the few years I have worked in the oilfield. At home I currently have 2 teenage girls, and I love to show them that the impossible is possible in any industry. I strive to be the best at what I do and be the primary example for them in their future."
"The advice I would give young aspiring women, would be to be persistent and keep moving forward."
"Obstacles will try to wear you down, but as long as you stay focused on the prize and keep pushing forward towards your goal the future is endless. Walk with your chin up high and conquer!"
