Not-for-Profit Thought Leadership Series — Criss Rennie White
Criss Rennie White, Vice President of Business Operations, EnerGeo Alliance
For our April and Earth Month interview, I had the pleasure of talking with Criss Rennie White. Criss is the Vice President of Business Operations of EnerGeo Alliance, a global trade association for the energy geoscience industry. Criss manages the department work of many important sectors that allow the association to stay connected globally. During this interview, I was able to get Criss' thoughts on the gravity of her work along with future goals of affecting positive change, insights into what it takes to successfully manage multi-department communication at a global scale, and props to her teammates in the industry.
Hi Criss, thanks so much for making the time for this interview. Can you give us a bit of background on your work and how it impacts the association space?
As the VP of Business Operations for the EnerGeo Alliance, I am responsible for managing the Alliance’s Financials & Reporting, Information Technology, Human Resources, Membership & Committees, Programs and Internal Processes. My department is the backbone of the organization and supports our external teams in their effort to communicate EnerGeo’s mission & vision around the world.
What are some of the qualities of the work you do/associations you work with that you admire the most and make your job rewarding?
Working for a trade association is a thankless job. If accolades, pats on the back, and a large salary is your motivation, association work is not for you. What is important to me is to love what I do, work alongside like-minded hardworking individuals, and know my opinion and voice is heard and of course, to have fun!
You have been working at Energeo Alliance and in the broader association space for more than 30 years. Who are some thought leaders or authors in the industry who you think other association executives should be paying attention to and learning from?
I am fortunate to work with a dynamic team including Nikki Martin, President, EnerGeo Alliance. Leadership can either make or break the organization. Nikki was hired in 2015 and since then has catapulted EnerGeo as the only organization in the space of advocating on behalf of the geoscience and energy industry. It is through our advocacy efforts that I met Scott W. Tinker, PhD. Scott is the Director, Bureau of Economic Geology, State Geologist of Texas, and Switch Energy Alliance Chairman. His dedication to educating policy makers, corporate leaders, the public, etc. on energy facts is nonpartisan, sensible, and tireless and, NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber; CEO, Centurion Law Group; author, Billions at Play. NJ passionately advocates for the millions in Africa without modern energy conveniences, which most of us take for granted.
Energeo is at the forefront of working with energy companies from many different sectors across the world. What are some exciting developments in the space that you think folks should be aware of?
I won’t go into the facts about how/what/where petroleum and natural gas products are essential, but I will note that the negative impact of the current narrative has created workforce sustainable challenges that could be catastrophic. It is time for a change. This year EnerGeo will be rolling out a campaign called Energy Starts with Me. Through fact-based science, reliable data and analysis and credible resources, we will proactively voice the critical and irreplaceable role our industry plays in driving energy evolution and enabling the delivery of affordable and reliable energy to all.
Many of Energeo’s members are companies, and certainly some large companies at that. When working with groups who have many points of contact, what advice would you give to other trade associations to really help showcase the value they provide?
This is a great question; communication is essential! Communicating the value is number one but frankly, we are all inundated with email. How do you communicate the value to a company with 1000 employees? In 2021 EnerGeo began offering an EnerGeo 101-member townhall. We either piggyback on the member company’s “all hands” meetings or we offer a standalone meeting. Many employees are unaware that company membership affords them Members Only access to EnerGeo’s website which contains a plethora of resources available to them free of charge. Understanding that we are business partners and here’s what we are doing to advocate for your freedom to operate is essential for both parties; it’s a win win!
In 2021, Energeo celebrated its 50th anniversary—a significant milestone for any organization, especially an association. We are firm believers that thorough planning and strategizing are key to any successful organization. How does Energeo go about goal setting and ensuring its meeting objectives and critical milestones?
The President and Board of Directors maintain a five-year plan complete with priority pillars. At the beginning of each year, department leads set goals based on the five-year plan and meet with their team throughout the year. We all play an active role in defining and refining processes, and having a good project management tool in place to hold everyone accountable is key. This is likely the most challenging aspect and therefore, is always evolving to accommodate the change in business practices and technologies.
Thanks so much for your time, Criss! Any final thoughts before we let you go?
Not that I can think of.





