Advancing Leadership in Energy Through a Specialized Executive MBA
September 3, 2026 2026-09-08 15:08Advancing Leadership in Energy Through a Specialized Executive MBA
A federal energy policy professional prepares for executive leadership through OU Online’s Hybrid Executive MBA in Energy.
- Catherine Kerley
“The potential in the program is huge.”
That’s how Kristen Granier describes the University of Oklahoma’s Executive MBA in Energy.
For Granier, whose career spans federal energy policy, energy infrastructure, and utility-focused initiatives, the program is more than another credential. It’s an opportunity to strengthen the business, financial, and leadership skills needed for executive leadership while building on a career that has long connected policy with the operational realities of the energy sector.
As the industry continues to evolve, Granier wanted an executive MBA that reflected the complexity of the work itself.
While multiple executive MBA programs offered hybrid formats, Granier said the deciding factor was finding one that aligned with both her long-term career goals and the energy industry.
“My main driver was hybrid and the program itself… I wanted to make it to a VP spot or higher, and I needed the additional training,” Granier said.
“The energy focus drew me in immediately, because the MBA alone seemed less exciting,” Granier said.
CAREER FOUNDATION IN ENERGY POLICY AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Granier’s professional background spans federal energy policy and utility-sector infrastructure initiatives, including work tied to grid resilience and community-focused energy programs.
Her experience has required navigating both regulatory priorities and operational implementation across energy systems, providing perspective across disciplines and reinforcing her interest in executive leadership.
LEARNING THROUGH A SMALL, CROSS-DISCIPLINARY COHORT
That interdisciplinary perspective has continued inside the classroom.
One of the program’s defining features is its small cohort of experienced professionals from a range of technical and industry backgrounds. While many of her classmates come from engineering disciplines, Granier contributes a policy-focused perspective that broadens classroom discussions and reflects the collaborative nature of today’s energy sector.
“I think broadening it from just technical engineers is good… I think if you only have a cohort of engineers you lose a bit of nuance and variety in perspective,” Granier said.
INDUSTRY-EXPERIENCED FACULTY AND APPLIED LEARNING
Those conversations extend beyond the cohort through faculty and guest speakers with experience across both the public and private sectors.
Drawing on backgrounds in industry leadership and energy policy, they bring real-world context into the classroom and connect coursework to the challenges professionals are navigating across today’s energy landscape.
IMMEDIATE APPLICATION IN THE WORKPLACE
Granier isn’t waiting until graduation to put the program to work.
She’s already applying what she’s learning to projects involving carbon capture and sequestration strategy, energy resilience, and infrastructure modernization.
“It’s already starting to give me a window into different parts of my own company that I hadn’t known or appreciated before,” Granier said.
LOOKING AHEAD
As she continues through the program, Granier views the Executive MBA in Energy as an investment in the next stage of her leadership journey, strengthening her ability to connect policy, engineering, and business strategy as the energy industry continues to evolve.
