2018 Hats Off Luncheon

Each year, Sophisticated Woman magazine hosts the Hats Off Luncheon. During this special event, we recognize all the Enterprising Women (and man) who graced the cover of our magazine the previous year. We also honor our readers’ favorite Enterprising Woman, as determined by online votes. 

This year, the event will be truly special. Our keynote speaker is an accomplished leader in the petrochemicals industry and will bring a unique perspective to the event. After working for 20 years as a leader in the oil and gas industry, Katie Walthall Mehnert founded Pink Petro™, a global community and career resource aimed at disrupting the gender gap in energy.

Pink Petro has grown exponentially since its launch in 2014, with members in 120 countries and at over 500 companies. Forbes recently named Pink Petro one of seven communities where you can connect with company insiders. And in 2017, Mehnert launched Experience Energy™, the only global careers platform for women in energy.

Mehnert spent 20 years in oil and gas and is an expert in driving cultural transformations through education and change management. She has held global leadership roles with BP and Shell during periods of financial crisis, spills, divestment and globalization. Prior to working in the oil industry, Katie consulted with Duke Energy, Waste Management, Entergy and Enron. Her chaotic, imperfect corporate path drove her to build Pink Petro and help companies prepare for the looming talent shortage, end the gender gap and mitigate energy’s reputational crisis.

Each year, Sophisticated Woman selects a nonprofit organization as the beneficiary of proceeds from the Hats Off silent auction. This year, James Storehouse Louisiana is the worthy recipient. 

Based in Covington, James Storehouse provides resources for foster families, familial caregivers and teens aging out of the foster care system. The agency fulfills emergency requests that ensure the safe placement of foster children, prevent caregiver burnout and assist teens who transition out of the system. 

The Hats Off Luncheon will be held on April 13 at the Greystone in Mandeville. To inquire about sponsorships and donations for the silent auction, please call 985-893-7350.