Jennifer Hagerman began her midstream career as a chemist in 2007 and has been part of the industry ever since. She’s currently a Gathering and Processing Advanced Chemist with MPLX.
She attended the GPA Midstream School of Gas Chromatography in 2008 and again in 2019 to update her knowledge. Since 2020, she’s been a key volunteer, and she currently serves as Chair of the Technical Conference Planning Committee, and Vice Chair of the Analysis Committee.
With the Technical Conference coming next month, Hagerman sat down with Midstream News to discuss her career, why she’s involved with GPA Midstream, and the value of attending the event she’s in charge of planning.
What brought you into the midstream industry?
JENNIFER HAGERMAN: I graduated with a degree in chemistry and a minor in biology and found myself at a crossroads of where to start my career. I came very close to accepting a biological scientist position with the state of Oklahoma, but I am eternally grateful that a position in a midstream lab opened in my hometown at the perfect time. My family has deep roots in Elk City, Okla., and although I didn’t have kids at that time, I knew Elk City would be the perfect place to raise a family and be close to my family. It was really my love of chemistry, my hometown, and being close to my family that brought me to the midstream industry. I started as a contract lab technician/chemist in August 2007 with MarkWest and was hired full-time in October of the same year. I’ve maintained employment for the tenure of my career, including the acquisition by MPLX, which is Marathon Petroleum Corporation's midstream master limited partnership. I am currently a Gathering and Processing Advanced Chemist with MPLX.
What keeps you in the midstream industry?
JH: My co-workers and industry colleagues have seen me through 17-plus years of life changes and growth. We’re like family now. I love the science behind oil and gas, and the quality of life our industry provides. Truly, what’s kept me in the industry are the people. Our industry has some of the best people — innovative, intelligent, and helpful — passing along invaluable knowledge and experience to every generation in the workforce for a more sustainable future.
Do you have family in the industry?
JH: My husband worked wireline when we met and for several years until late 2022, when he changed careers, went back to college to pursue his Master’s in counseling, and became a therapist. I’m proud of him for following that calling. Ironically, he is a minority in his field, and I am a minority in my field, but I appreciate the diversity and perspectives we can respectively add to our workplaces and industries.
What is one of your memorable professional experiences?
JH: How do I choose one? I am honored to have had the opportunity to present on three occasions on impactful topics related to DE&I, sustainability, and leadership at GPA Midstream Technical Conferences and Annual Convention. The relationships, feedback, impact, and personal and professional growth gained from these presentations make these among my most memorable experiences. To be transparent, some may not know I used to be shy and would have rather crawled into a hole in the ground than present to a crowd or speak up in front of people. The amount of growth involved in allowing my voice to be heard and to get to the point of leading committees and presenting at the Annual Convention is tremendous, and for that, I’m proud and thankful to those who have helped support and empower me.
I love that I was able to help launch and shape the ARISE Women's Employee Network Remote Chapter at MPLX and serve as a co-lead of the Network. The experience has been invaluable in giving back by attracting, retaining, inspiring, supporting, and empowering others in the same way others have done for me.
I’m also proud to have been an integral part of establishing local Community Involvement and Giving Committees within MPLX, creating valuable, positive impact in my community and others. I love being able to make positive impacts by helping others, and I appreciate being fully supported in those efforts. I was humbled to have an employee spotlight written about my volunteerism with CASA of Western Oklahoma for children in foster care and to have had the most recorded employee volunteer hours out of all Marathon Petroleum and MPLX in 2023. There’s nothing more I would rather leave as a legacy or be remembered for than my faith and giving back and serving others through servant leadership.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing midstream?
JH: I worry that the majority of the founders of our industry standards are retiring from the workforce, and there are simply not enough actively involved emerging professionals and mid-career professionals learning the history and bridging the gap for the future. Sustainability is a passion of mine, and we must be intentional for our industry to thrive. It is our duty to educate ourselves, learn from others, and step up for the changes we want to see. If you truly want a voice in the industry, you must be actively involved in the workgroups creating and revising the standards and in advocacy efforts. We must be intentional about not only learning but also educating others. Let’s Clear the Air is an excellent resource.
Why did you begin volunteering with GPA/GPSA?
JH: I first attended the GPA Midstream School of Gas Chromatography in 2008, and knew that someday I would want to be more involved. When I saw Susan Brandon giving the Natural Gas Chemistry lecture, I lightheartedly thought about how I wanted to be like her when I grew up. I wore my periodic table shoes to some industry events and got so many compliments that I knew I'd found my people. After again attending Chromatography School in 2019 to see what had changed and the value it can add to onboarded employees, it reignited the passion in me to want to be an instructor for the school and become more involved with the GPA Midstream technical committees. I love continually learning and having a voice in the standards that we use. The people in this industry are the best, and I truly look forward to the GPA Midstream events to be around my industry friends.
What year did you begin volunteering with GPA Midstream?
JH: I joined in 2020 when the world shut down. There wasn’t a Chromatography School that year due to the pandemic, but I did join the Technical Conference Planning Committee, which ended up being virtual. I helped select papers and moderate virtual forums for the Analysis Committee that year as a baby step into association volunteerism. I have continued on the Technical Conference Planning Committee since then, eventually becoming chair for 2024 and 2025 conferences. I’m proud of the committee’s work, along with all involved, producing such an amazing product. I am also actively involved in the Analysis, Measurement, and Emissions committees, in various capacities. I‘m Vice Chair for the Analysis Committee and have also been an instructor at the Chromatography School since 2021, also serving as one of the coordinators the past two years.
If a new member asked you to describe what your committee does for the midstream industry, what would you say?
JH: The Technical Conference Planning Committee is unique, because it combines representatives from every technical committee including Analysis, Measurement, Emissions, Facility, Pipeline, and Integrity. The cross-pollination from the entire technical community helps each member become more educated, gain outside perspective, and network beyond our usual committee members. The Technical Conference is a valuable experience because collaborating in person for workgroup and committee meetings provide enhanced progress. Additionally, the forums provide valuable learning opportunities. The location in Plano is a beautiful waterside property with everything you need within walking distance. Last year, we had the distinct privilege of viewing the eclipse during the conference, which was a fun bonus. If you are a new member, I would also encourage you to participate in the New Attendee Enhanced Conference Experience Program, which will pair you with a mentor to enhance your experience. I participated as a mentor the past two years, because I believe in the value it provides. I know I would have benefitted from something like this when I was trying to step into involvement, so I try to be what I needed at that point in my career for somebody else.
Why should people attend Technical Conference this year?
JH: Technical expertise is in the GPA Midstream DNA, and the Technical Conference is a unique opportunity to engage with all the industry’s technical specialties in a smaller, more intimate setting than the annual convention. At Technical Conference, you can experience other professionals that you might not normally interact with, and it's a great way to be introduced into committee work or to get involved with a work group. Additionally, in person, collaboration is always the best. The networking is unmatched, the property where we meet is the perfect venue for the event, and the committee planning the event worked hard to make sure the educational content will be first-rate.
How has your involvement with GPA Midstream enhanced your career and life?
JH: I have gained considerable knowledge from volunteering on committees and workgroups. Reading and implementing standards are not the same as being a part of the group that produces them and knowing the rationale and details that went into creating and revising them. I feel community is particularly underestimated. If we keep our circle small and live on a proverbial island, we cannot know what we are missing and how efficiencies can be gained in our work experience. The knowledge, resources, experience — not to mention networking — I have gained from GPA Midstream have immensely enhanced my career and life.
What's something you wish people outside the industry knew about the midstream industry?
Everything on Letscleartheairnow.org. Such valuable information and well-presented. I don’t think I could say it better. It just needs to be circulated to more people outside the midstream industry.
Final question: What's a fun fact about you that people would never guess?
JH: I have been working on my Doctor of Strategic Leadership degree with a concentration in change management for the past year at Oral Roberts University. I love continuous learning and earned my MBA in Leadership in 2020, so I know continuing education as a busy, working parent is possible. Another fun fact — my husband and I have a blended family with six kids (so if I can successfully continue my education, I feel anyone can). I have always felt a calling to complete my doctorate and finally took the leap last year. Effective leadership is exceptionally important, so I am motivated to grow more in this space.
