Speakers
Adam Reeves
Julie Ingram
Margaret Kidd
Rachel Zhou
Panel Discussion
With over 15 years of experience in the maritime industry, I am passionate about sharing my knowledge and skills with the next generation of marine engineers and professionals. I have a strong background in hydrocarbon measurement, marine transportation, and shipboard systems, and I hold multiple certifications from the US Coast Guard. As an Engineering Training Officer at Texas A&M University Galveston Campus, I create and deliver engaging lecture and lab material for 2nd and 4th year cadets on various topics, such as oily water separators, steering gear, marine sanitation devices, and refrigeration. I also collaborate with other instructors and staff to ensure a safe and effective learning environment for the cadets.
Additionally, I have extensive experience as a Hydrocarbon Measurement Analyst at ExxonMobil, where I performed global marine transportation loss analysis, provided technical guidance to the oil loss claims group, and served as a voting member and chairman of the API Committee on Measurement Accountability. I have also received the New Member Impact Award from the API for my significant contributions to the petroleum measurement standards and practices.
Julie Ingram has worked in the offshore oil and gas industry for over 20 years. She started her career at Technip (now TechnipFMC) where she served in various technical, commercial and management roles, gaining experience in both shallow and deepwater before moving into a consulting role for Alpha Petroleum providing support for Operators for subsea tiebacks and new field developments. Julie then spent 4 years at Texas A&M University where she served as the Director of the Subsea Engineering Program in the College of Engineering and taught Subsea Project Implementation, Subsea Riser Design and Subsea Pipeline Design to graduate students. Julie also served as the Subsea Tieback Advisory Board academic member in her last year at TAMU. In her current role, Julie is the Director of Engineering for Subsea and Floating Facilities, with a global focus. She also serves as McDermott’s Technical Authority for Flexible Pipe. Julie received her BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and her MS in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Houston.
Margaret A. Kidd serves as Department Chair of Logistics & Supply Chain Management at San Jacinto College and as Special Advisor to the President and Board of Trustees for the Houston Maritime Center and Museum. With more than fifteen years of experience in higher education, she leads workforce-aligned program development designed to meet the evolving demands of Houston’s globally connected economy. She is spearheading the launch of the Bachelor of Applied Technology in Logistics & Supply Chain Management—the first four-year degree offered by a Texas community college—creating an accessible, industry-driven pathway for students seeking upward mobility in a high-demand field critical to regional and national supply chains.
Prior to joining San Jacinto College, Margaret served as Program Director and Instructional Associate Professor for the Supply Chain & Logistics Technology program in the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department at the University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering. There, she built and chaired a globally recognized industry advisory board composed of importers, exporters, EPC firms, third-party logistics providers, manufacturers, port authorities, and maritime stakeholders—ensuring curriculum alignment with real-time workforce needs. Her work has consistently focused on closing the skills gap through employer engagement, applied learning, and stackable credentials that support both entry-level employment and incumbent worker upskilling.
Margaret brings significant grant leadership experience in workforce development and credential acceleration. She has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on multiple state, federal, industry, and foundation-funded initiatives, including a U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) sub-award totaling $469,000 as part of a $25 million consortium, through which she delivered approximately 30% of the nearly 11,000 credentials awarded during the grant period. Additional grants include workforce development awards from Port Houston and KBR Government Solutions, and a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board planning grant focused on accelerating credentials of value, along with a Shell-funded circular supply chain initiative and most recently a case study which she conducted in Mumbai on Larsen and Toubro’s digitization of all logistics and supply chain functions across their 14 verticals. Across these efforts, she has advanced industry-recognized credentials, strengthened career pathways, and expanded access to high-quality training aligned with regional economic priorities.
Margaret holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Cross-Cultural Studies and has completed 60 doctoral credit hours in Urban Planning and Environmental Policy, with a focus on port-city interface, sustainability, and economic development—areas that directly inform her commitment to building inclusive, future-ready workforce pipelines.
