The AAPL Awards Committee is honored to announce Le'Ann Callihan as the recipient of the 2023-24 Pioneer Award! This special award, which is not necessarily awarded yearly, is presented to an individual or group who has significantly impacted the industry with a fundamentally distinct contribution.
Le’Ann Pembroke Callihan is VP of AAPL & NAPE Expo LP. Although not a landman, Le’Ann changed the energy industry as a leader of AAPL, steering its strategic and innovative initiatives as well as overseeing NAPE — the largest energy prospect expo in the world. Starting with AAPL as an intern in 1989, she served on the first NAPE Advisory Committee, assisted with the inaugural North American Prospect Expo in 1993 and has been at the helm of innovation for NAPE, launching the NAPE — The Magazine for Dealmakers, adding Prospect Presentation Theaters, establishing the Renewable Energy, Bitcoin and Minerals & NonOp Hubs, instituting the NAPE Job Fair and NAPE Sweepstakes and developing the NAPE/TCU Energy Innovation Case Competition. She also has helped raise more than $6 million for the NAPE Charities Fund.
Under her leadership, her team has won numerous awards for their creative and innovative work. She initiated the first AAPL Horizon Breakfast and spearheaded rebrands for both AAPL & NAPE. Additionally, she was a finalist for D CEO magazine’s 2021 Energy Awards and was a 2023 Hart Energy 25 Influential Women in Energy honoree. Le’Ann was inducted into the NAPE Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2023, and the Dallas Association of Petroleum Landmen (DAPL) honored her with its Impact Award in 2024.
It’s not just the impact she has made on the energy industry, it’s also her consistent presence which is being recognizing and celebrated by this award. Anyone who has served on a committee has heard the phrase, “I don’t know, let me check with Le’Ann,” and it’s because of her incredible institutional knowledge that she has acquired for nearly 35 years. In the words of people that work with her daily, “she is a trendsetter, innovator, experience architect, champion and gamechanger.” Simply put, she is a pioneer.
Le’Ann earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism, cum laude, from Texas Christian University as well as completed a study abroad program at University of Oxford. She serves on the advisory board for the TCU Ralph Lowe Energy Institute at the Texas Christian University - M.J. Neeley School of Business and is a founder and vice chair of the Valley View Education Foundation. She has served on the board of directors for the Women's Energy Network North Texas where she currently leads a mentor/mentee group. She is also a member of the American Society of Association Executives.
Le’Ann is a member of Family Life Church, where she volunteers as a Kids Zone teacher. She and husband Mark live in Gainesville, Texas. They have two adult sons: Reece & River — her pride and joy.
We look forward to honoring Le’Ann at AAPL's Annual Meeting next week.
