Meet Courtney

My story is one that is simply complex. I am a native Houstonian who matriculated through the Houston Independent School District. I fell in love with numbers and education at an early age. My initial plan was to become a principal, but after becoming a mother to a beautiful baby girl at the age of 18, I did not attend college right after high school. Although higher education was not part of my immediate journey, I was determined to fight through stereotypes often associated with single motherhood. It was my daughter who motivated me to pursue greatness in the face of life’s detours.

After taking a gap year for motherhood, I enrolled in college and began working in the healthcare industry. Before long, I realized that I wanted a job with more transferrable skills, which landed me in the oil and gas industry. It wasn’t until I arrived at Wood, however, that I became aware of project controls. My proclivity for numbers and desire to learn made project controls the perfect career path in my eyes.

As a Project Controls Lead, I have the privilege of supporting multiple projects that vary in scope and classification, and cross energy markets that include hydrogen, carbon capture, decarbonization, waste-to-energy, renewables, and upstream oil and gas. It’s exciting to have the opportunity to learn how similar many of the projects are in their initiatives, yet how different they are in their approaches and technologies. What excites me most, however, is being able to help influence the efficiency, profitability, and overall success of projects. A bonus is making a small contribution in meaningful initiatives with tangible impacts that can be seen in our communities and the entire world. I take pride in working for a company that cares about positive change, an attribute that resonates with me.

After my relentless pursuit of education, I graduated with a doctorate in 2021 and founded a non-profit organization, Dr. Courtney Gatlin Keener Foundation, Inc. In our short existence, Dr. CGK Foundation has awarded $20,000 in academic scholarships to low-to-median-income single mothers through our Queen Scholarship. Nearly 80% of our scholarship recipients are pursuing a STEM-related degree, which is a statistic we are proud of given the vast under-representation of women in STEM fields. Additionally, we have logged over 500 volunteer hours (and counting), and donated nearly 3,000 pairs of men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes during our Give From Your Sole^TM shoe drive. Thanks to the Wood teammates who had a hand in making this happen!

I am very proud of my team and their tenacity to reach our 2024 goals to award an additional $15,000 in scholarships, log 1,000 volunteer hours, and donate 4,000 pairs of shoes. We are excited about our new J.E.W.E.L.S. program that encompasses our Queen Scholarship and focuses on five strategic areas of advancement for women: Endowment (Queen Scholarship), Etiquette (social & workplace), Empowerment (professional development), Education (financial literacy), and Elevation (homeownership & entrepreneurship). This program not only provides resources, but also serves as a reminder that single moms, like all women, are jewels (Just Everyday Women Exceeding Life’s Stereotypes^TM).

Establishing and running Dr. CGK Foundation has been a challenging, yet profoundly enriching experience, which has taught me invaluable lessons that I bring to work at Wood. As a self-classified “behind the scenes” person, I’ve learned the importance of stepping outside my comfort zone to collaborate and network with others. Building strong partnerships and having collective strengths to achieve common goals have been key successes at Wood and with Dr. CGK Foundation. Additionally, I’m embracing adaptability. Being goal oriented is a quality I am proud of; however, adaptability and the ability to pivot strategically are crucial and transferable skills that I am pleased to have adopted.

Balancing corporate America, the non-profit sector, and my personal life forces me to give a lot of thought to the future. For me, Wood’s mission to design the future means having the forethought to employ innovative tools that create solutions to forthcoming challenges. By doing this, we will continue to cement our place as an industry leader. I find this very inspiring and look forward to operating in the essence of such a mission with my non-profit organization.