In the debut episode of the WGLC Podcast Series: Empowered to Lead, Conference Director Rachel McGhie sits down with Lauren Levicki Courville, President of Dress for Success Houston, to explore what empowerment looks like for women navigating economic independence, career growth, and leadership.

Lauren shares the incredible work of DFS Houston—an organisation that has impacted close to 50,000 women and 65,000 children through professional development, mentorship, and community support. From the first suit to sustained career advancement, she paints a vivid picture of how confidence and community are transformative forces.

Tune in for insights on:

• Why empowerment starts with being seen and supported
• How community engagement builds long-term impact
• The shared mission of DFS Houston and WGLC in advancing women’s leadership in energy and beyond

This episode is a reminder that leadership doesn’t start in the boardroom—it starts when a woman realises she deserves a seat at the table.

Learn more and register for WGLC 2025, taking place in Houston on October 28–29, at wglconference.com

Discover the mission of DFS Houston at dfshouston.org

In this episode, Petroleum Economist sister title Hydrocarbon Processing spoke with Nav Sharma, Director of Product Management, Cybersecurity, Honeywell, on safeguarding assets from cyber attacks. This includes behavioural analytics and deception technologies, and what a truly proactive cyber defense system looks like in OT environments to protect vital infrastructure

The energy transition is a false narrative that has caused vast sums of government money to be wasted warns Mark Mills, executive director of the National Center for Energy Analytics. The US energy thinktank leader talks to Paul Hickin, chief economist of Petroleum Economist, about how Jevons paradox is a pivotal energy paradigm and the crucial role of hydrocarbons in meeting electrification needs.