Women’s History Month: Five Questions With Refining General Manager Holly Jackson

In celebration of Women’s History Month, meet MPC Refining General Manager Holly Jackson.

Holly Jackson is the Refining General Manager at our St. Paul Park refinery and recently celebrated her 25th service anniversary with the company.

How did you get started in the energy industry?

“As a South Louisiana native, I grew up near refineries and always recognized the positive impacts the energy industry had on my community, through the products we make that people rely on, career opportunities and general community support,” she shared.

This experience, along with her desire to pursue an exciting career and earn a great living, inspired Holly to earn her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Louisiana State University (LSU).

“Our industry plays a very important role in our society. There are a lot of wonderful products that our company makes that people enjoy and even rely on, and this gives me a sense of pride. We help enrich lives, which is something to be excited about.”

What inspires you to continue to grow your career at MPC?

Holly shares that during her interview with MPC, what stood out to her the most was the great company culture.

“Everyone was very approachable, down-to-earth and respectful. The entire interview room radiated a sense of community,” she shared. “After 25 years with the company, I continue to have this positive experience at MPC.” 

Holly shares that focusing on the employee experience is important to her.

“When you can come to work knowing that what you’re doing is important to our community members, elevating their quality of life, and you get to do it with people you enjoy and can truly rely on, it makes work fun,” she shared. “The best part of my role is getting to celebrate my team’s accomplishments and understanding the opportunities for us to come together to reach our goals and continue to achieve safe, efficient and reliable operations at our facility.”

What advice can you share on overcoming adversity?

Holly shared a time in her career when she rose to a challenge.

“Early in my career, I was serving in a role that I was very passionate about before I was assigned to a completely different role,” she shared. “At first, I felt disappointed but soon saw it as an opportunity to gain new skillsets and expand my knowledge,” she added. “Looking back on the experience, the role that I initially didn’t want, ended up being the launch pad for everything that I was trying to accomplish in my career.”

When it comes to navigating adversity, Holly shares her advice to others.

“It’s normal to experience disappointment at times, but I’d encourage others to not let that feeling consume them or their drive to overcome adversity,” she shared. “We must always strive to seek out the sunshine in any situation and find ways to take lemons and make lemonade.”

What is your leadership style?

“When it comes to leadership, authenticity and clear communication are important to me. I also strive to lead with integrity and know that the things that I do and the decisions that I make impact others. Lastly, as leader in the organization, I challenge myself to be adaptable to change and challenge the status quo.”

What is your perspective on self-advocating and advocating for others in the workplace?

“I’ve learned that self-advocating goes beyond asking for the job. It’s also about building a success record to confidently self-advocate,” she shared.

When it comes to building confidence, Holly shares advice she gleaned from a mentor.

“I had a supervisor who taught me that confidence comes from preparation. I observed the knowledge that she had and how people looked to her as an amazing resource, and I aspired to be like her,” she added. “As a leader, I also think it’s important to advocate for others, including women who are early in their career, by helping them find their voice and understand that they have a platform to share their knowledge.”