
A blend of saying “Yes” and embracing the roller coaster.I’m grateful for the many experiences that have shaped me into who I am today. My life has been a blend of saying “Yes” to opportunities and embracing the roller coaster of risks, learning, and growth. This has brought me a wealth of experiences and life lessons that I enjoy sharing while supporting people’s own growth journeys.
My professional career spans over thirty years in the energy industry where I have earned a respected reputation for my leadership and contributions in the industry. I have taken risks in my career by taking jobs outside my expertise at times, which required household moves with my husband and two children. Having lived in Louisiana, France, and Malaysia, each move brought with it invaluable lessons in adaptability. Navigating unfamiliar territories alongside my family broadened my perspective and strengthened our bonds. These experiences taught me the importance of embracing diversity and being a globally-minded leader.
Raised in a lower-middle-class family, I learned the value of resilience and resourcefulness from an early age. Witnessing financial struggle, mainly when my father lost different jobs, left a profound impact on me, and shaped my understanding of the importance of ambition and financial independence. Setting aspirational goals and believing you can achieve them has been one of the key motivators in my life. This means putting in the effort, learning new things and getting out of your comfort zone. Financial independence is a core element I have put focus on which has supported positive career changes, speaking up, and advocating for others, notably when it requires professional courage.
Through my upbringing and having worked with many different leaders during my career, I have formed a strong set of leadership values centered around authenticity, empathy, and creating an environment of psychological safety where every individual feels valued and heard. I have had the privilege of leading global multibillion dollar businesses and as the CHRO supporting over 140,000 employees. Utilizing these experiences, I now serve as a Board Director on public and private companies’ boards.
With Blue Sky Ambition, I believe everyone has potential to set their ambitions high and achieve more in both their personal and professional lives. I’m driven by a passionate commitment to support people in coaching and helping them attain their desired goals, and I enjoy sharing lessons through the College Intern Playbook, articles, and podcasts.
Together, let’s aim high and achieve more.
Stephanie Cox
CAREER & CREDENTIALS
Three decades of executive leadership.
Stephanie began her career at SLB, where she spent 28 years in a progression of executive operational and functional roles, including leading North American operations from Houston, Asia Pacific operations from Kuala Lumpur, and serving as CHRO from Paris and Houston. She then joined Wood Group as Executive President of Global Operations and CEO of Americas, leading diverse, high-performing teams across multi-billion-dollar operations with a people-first approach.
She now serves as a board director on public and private company boards, including Alliant Energy, Technip Energies, Terra CO₂, and Xplorobot, bringing expertise in executive transitions, operations, strategy, transformations, and talent. She is an NACD.DC-certified director and holds the Certified High Performance Coach (CHPC) designation from the High Performance Institute, adding a research-backed coaching methodology to the judgment and credibility she built across a global operating career.
LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY
A unique, inspirational leadership style.
Through my upbringing and working with many different leaders, I formed my own inspirational leadership style, one that emphasizes authenticity, empathy, and psychological safety. Authenticity is about leading as your full self, real and not performed. Empathy means listening intently and actively to truly understand. And psychological safety is creating environments where every individual feels valued and heard.
RECOGNITION
Honored among the most influential in energy.
25 Most Influential Women in Energy
Recognized as one of Hart Energy Oil & Gas Investor’s 25 Influential Women In Energy
50 Most Powerful Women in Oil & Gas
Recognized by the National Diversity Council as on of the top 50 most powerful women in Oil & Gas.
Client Testimonials
WORK WITH STEPHANIE
Set your ambitions high, and achieve more.
Whether through coaching, speaking, or the Take AIM program, Stephanie is ready to help you reach your next level.
