Katie Soroye is LevelTen Energy’s VP of Granular Procurement Solutions. She joined LevelTen in September of 2023. In honor of Women’s History Month, and celebrating the amazing women of LevelTen, Katie shared her career journey, her thoughts on supporting women in the workplace, her best advice, and more!
Can you share a brief overview of your career journey and how you arrived at your current role?
The first part of my career was in technology - specifically in software. I learned a ton. And, I kept looking for the "why" underlying what I was doing. Suffice it to say that enterprise integration wasn't exactly my passion. A business trip to India helped me to find a new direction. All around, there were massive billboards touting CNG school buses that were contributing to pollution-free Delhi. It was a reminder that there is a far more fundamental question than information and communication technologies for development: how can you sustainably power the world's energy needs? I went back to business school and made a career switch into energy. It's been a terrific change!
What inspired you to pursue a career in your field?
My parents! They were public school teachers in NJ who loved what they did. In fact, because my dad was the only physics teacher at our high school, my sister and I both were in his class. Not only did my parents love teaching, they were lifelong learners who fostered positive environments for growth and change. I am inspired by my parents' example to find a career of meaningful service by focusing on climate action and the implications for the next generation.
What accomplishments are you most proud of in your career?
1. Being "mentored up" by colleagues who took the chance of trusting me to share concerns/issues about organizational culture and how to make things better. When you know better, you can do better.
2. Turning around a team that was viewed as under-performing and with low engagement scores into a powerhouse with some of the highest levels of engagement at the company.
3. Working with the awesome LevelTen Energy team (and Alliance members) on the public launch of the GC Trading Alliance in December!
Can you share a challenge you faced professionally and how you overcame it?
Your greatest strength can be your greatest weakness. Early on in my career, I showed my uncanny ability to get things done. Quickly, I got labeled as an excellent tactician and was tagged with project manager responsibilities. On one hand, it was a compliment. On the other hand, I noticed that I wasn't receiving the same accolades as colleagues who threw out a big idea (and then did nothing to execute on it). So post-business school, I sought out job opportunities that had "strategy" in them. Suddenly, I was viewed as a strategic thinker by colleagues as well as praised for my drive for results. It's a reminder to build from your strengths and to make deliberate choices for how/where you continue to grow your career.
How do you approach mentorship or supporting other women in the workplace?
I am deeply grateful to all the people who took the time to mentor me -- whether informally or formally. And I hope that in my own way, I can pay it forward. A decade ago after my first parental leave, one senior leader at PG&E made a point to ensure I had an office (instead of a cubicle) when I returned to work so I would have privacy to pump. She recalled her own experience being stuck in a bathroom stall at work. What struck me is that she'd experienced a lousy situation and sought to make things better for others because of it. While I may not have the power to grant people offices, I hope that I'm able to use whatever platforms for change I do have to make things better for colleagues.
Looking back on your career, what advice do you wish you had received earlier?
1. Wear sunscreen. Seriously. Lifeguarding without it was a deeply, deeply questionable choice. 2. Time is a precious, finite resource. Spend it thoughtfully with the parent(s)/adult figure(s) who have played a meaningful role in your life and tell them what they mean to you.
3. Opposing ideas can co-exist and both be true (aka dialectical thinking). I saw an example of it on a bulletin board at an elementary school in Seattle. I stopped to take a picture.
How do you think companies can best celebrate and support women in the workplace during Women’s History Month and beyond?
Three ways that companies can support women (and all employees) are:
- Structural support: Creating work policies that support employees and provide flexibility as well as assessing processes (e.g. hiring, promotions, pay) on a regular basis for equity.
- Continual learning: Investing in training and development for employees at all levels of the organization to establish a shared foundation to support workplace culture aspirations.
- Asking, listening, and acting – Our recent Allyship training highlighted the important role every employee has to play in fostering a more inclusive culture – including identifying if/when there are issues, elevating these concerns, and promoting change.
