Katie Howes is driven by a conviction that complex systems can be improved. Shaped by her father’s resilience as he rebuilt his life after a turbulent childhood, she learned early that meaningful progress is built through discipline, integrity, and steady action. That belief now anchors her work in Canada’s energy sector, where she focuses on aligning operational performance with responsible development at enterprise scale.

At Canadian Natural, Katie operates at the intersection of regulation, technical analysis, and organizational culture. With experience spanning field production, facilities engineering, regulatory compliance, and innovation, she brings a systems perspective to asset retirement. Known for distilling complexity into clear direction, she works across the organization from frontline teams to senior executives, ensuring regulatory commitments are not only met, but embedded in daily decisions and long-term planning.

Katie demonstrates a rare ability to bridge detailed technical analysis with practical, large-scale strategy. She has developed prioritization methods that align closure timelines with Indigenous priorities and regulatory outcomes, informing policy and long-range planning for thousands of sites. A skilled communicator, she translates land-use and wildlife policy objectives into actionable plans that strengthen approaches to closure and habitat recovery.

Her leadership extends beyond her organization. Through committee roles within industry associations, she contributes to cross-sector efforts advancing responsible land management. Contributing to Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA), she leads the development of a remote sensing pipeline revegetation model to inform caribou habitat restoration—driving modernization and enabling restoration compliance at scale. As Land Chair of the Clean Resource Innovation Network (CRIN), she designs funding calls that foster Canadian innovation and unlock millions in support of projects accelerating reclamation and sustainable development.

Katie is equally committed to developing people, energized by helping others see how their skills and passions can shape the future of the energy sector. She regularly mentors early-career professionals on regulatory files, equipping them to present confidently to senior executives within months. She believes durable change begins with individuals and spreads across the organization as capability grows.

She brings that same discipline and purpose to her community. Guided by her deeply held values and faith, Katie views leadership as a responsibility to leave the communities she serves stronger than she found them. As part of Canadian Natural’s United Way campaigns, she leads the Executive Engagement team, coordinating the many ways dozens of executives champion the campaign and helping support initiatives that have raised more than $10 million over four years. She is also an active volunteer with Cantaré Children’s Choir and Girls Hockey Calgary, where she enjoys supporting her children and helping create environments where confidence and belonging take root for the next generation.

Looking ahead, Katie is focused on expanding her leadership in an industry where economic strength and responsible development move forward together through aligned policy, innovation, and disciplined execution.

Congratulations Katie!

Read aLl the 2025 YWE Award Winner Profiles:

• Alise Vandersalm, Engagement Manager, McKinsey & Company

• Amanda Calleberg, Commercial Advisor, Inter Pipeline

• Ashley Marshall, Piping General Superintendent, Kiewit Construction Services ULC

• Karen Ngo, Project Engineer, Cenovus Energy

• Katie Howes, Project Engineer, Corporate Liability, Canadian Natural

• Keltey Heathcott, Director, Investments – Major Projects Office, Government of Canada (secondment from ATCO Group)

• Lindsay Campbell, Manager, Sustainability, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP)

• Nathalie Carson, Operations Lead, Imperial Oil

• Neneh Thapar, Senior Manager, Strategy & Business Design, Deloitte

• Summer Okibe, Policy Analyst, Government of Alberta