An energy regulations "fixer"

The Chronicle ran a Sunday profile of a woman who has made a career of advising oil companies on how to navigate the federal regulatory process. She's a fixer, someone who has a good understanding of hwo a specific institutional arrangement works and offers that knowledge to clients. Worth a look to see how policies regarding the personal relationships that can determine how public policies are actually implemented.

"Jodie is legendary in my mind," said Frank Paskewich, a Coast Guard veteran who was captain of the port in New Orleans and now is executive director of the spill oil response cooperative Clean Gulf Associates. "Everyone knows her. She has single-handedly done more for the exploration and production industry than anyone I have come across in the last 20 years. She is very, very knowledgeable and very up-to-date on keeping track of the pending and existing regulations, interpreting them and getting the industry to comply with the regulations."


That knowledge also draws admiration from captains of industry.

"She has a pulse on everything and anything working with the government - it gives you great confidence," said Tom Young, vice president of business development for Deep Gulf Energy. "All our operations are on federal lands and you have to have a firm understanding and great relation with the agencies; they can make or break you. She keeps up with the rules and has the relationships to get beyond the black and white to understand what makes regulators tick."