Ana Villarreal

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Ana Villarreal, Co-Chair – Sponsorship & Advisor Engagement

When you’re flying, are you all about the window seat or the aisle seat?

Window all the way. I’ve been on planes since I was a kid and looking out of the window is one of the things I used to love the most about flying back then and still do today!

How would you spend an afternoon in a new city?  

I’d grab a bike and go touring around the city. You can cover a lot more ground cycling so if you don’t have a lot of time, it’s the perfect way to get around.

Outside of Young Pipeliners, I’m passionate about…

Spending time in the mountains! In the summer I usually go on at least one or two multi-day camping trip with friends and in the winter a lot of my weekends are spent skiing. There’s no better way to disconnect, get some exercise, push your limits, spend time with friends and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

Why did you join Young Pipeliners?

I wanted to be part of a group of ambitious, forward-thinking young professionals that want to make a positive impact in our industry. As a young professional, I think it is really important to build a network of people around you that will challenge and inspire you and Young Pipeliners has provided a platform to be able to do just that. I’ve already met many inspiring individuals and look forward to continue making more connections and help build the next generation of leaders.

What new or rediscovered hobbies are you doing while practicing social distancing?

A few things: the first one is, I’ve been putting more time into learning German. If anyone has ever tried to learn it you’ll know that you need a lot of time to process and practice all of the grammar rules. The second thing is sourdough bread baking. It’s a fairly time consuming process, but I find it reminds me of doing a science experiment where you have to control temperatures, time and weights very precisely, except at the end you have a delicious loaf of bread to eat!

From who or from where do you draw inspiration?

Several years ago, my family took in a refugee family from Syria. I was and am still inspired by their resilience and resolve navigating such a difficult, life-altering situation; it’s also amazing to see the strength of a community coming together to help. It’s made me reflect on the opportunities I’ve had in my life and reminds me of the responsibility I have to use my talents and time in a way that will leave the world a better place than I’ve found it.