Chevron Phillips Chemical employees Crystal Cintra and Erica Stewart were honored this month by the Manufacturing Institute for breaking ground in traditionally male occupations and mentoring the next generation of female talent to pursue manufacturing careers.
Cintra, a projects procurement lead, and Stewart, an instrumentation reliability engineer, were among the 130 national recipients of the prestigious 2024 Women MAKE award by the National Association of Manufacturers’ Manufacturing Institute. Cintra earned an Honoree Award, and Erica Stewart won the Emerging Leader Award. Both were honored at an April 18 gala in Washington, D.C.
The Women MAKE Awards recognize women in science, technology, engineering and production careers who exemplify leadership within their companies. The Women MAKE Awards give women across the country a platform to showcase opportunities in the manufacturing industry. Criteria for the awards include demonstrating innovation and leadership as well as contributions to the greater community.
“This prestigious recognition is a testament to the leadership and commitment to excellence by both of these outstanding women,” said Justine Smith, executive vice president for commercial. “We are delighted to honor Crystal and Erica as part of this esteemed group, acknowledging the significant impact they have at CPChem and in the broader community.”
Crystal Cintra, Procurement Lead, Projects (Honoree)
A supply chain expert with more than 15 years of experience in contract negotiations, capital projects and relationship management, Cintra serves as the procurement lead for CPChem’s under-construction petrochemicals project in Ras Laffan, Qatar. Managing procurement from inception to closeout, she ensures efficient logistics and fosters
multidisciplinary collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, while creating an environment of trust and teamwork. Beyond her professional achievements, Cintra served as a Child Advocate volunteer, working with case workers, lawyers and judges to champion the rights of children in foster care.
“I am extremely honored to have been nominated by CPChem and chosen by the Manufacturing Institute, alongside many extraordinary women, as a MAKE Award Honoree,” Cintra said.
Cintra said she shares the award with other women in manufacturing, who “work tirelessly every day to exemplify and showcase the capabilities and contributions of women to the workplace and society, while simultaneously facing gender specific challenges and balancing work and life demands.”
“I remain committed to mentoring the next generation of women in the workplace,” she said, “and I am certain that with us all focused on this shared goal, a promising future where the gender gap is no longer a concern is near.”
Erica Stewart, Instrumentation Reliability Engineer (Emerging Leader)
Stewart, an instrumentation reliability engineer at CPChem’s Sweeny, Clemens & Old Ocean facility in Sweeny, Texas, strives for operational excellence through detail-oriented execution of projects and has received recognition for successfully completing several long-standing safety projects and initiatives.
Stewart helped develop CPChem’s BELIEVE Employee Resource Group and serves as the group’s co-leader. She is also a member of the STRIVE and PRIDE ERGs. Stewart is a mentor with the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative, known as FOSSI, an industrywide program with the goal of increasing the number of under-represented professionals in the STEM workforce. She continues to mentor female engineers in the company’s entry-level Graduate Rotation and Development Program as well as experienced hires new to CPChem. 
“Thank you to the Manufacturing Institute for recognizing me as a 2024 Women MAKE Awards Emerging Leader alongside other manufacturing women and thank you, CPChem, for the nomination,” Stewart said.
Stewart said she wants to have an impact in helping “to break down barriers and foster inclusion” in the workplace.
“Understanding the past struggles and existing struggles of my people, African Americans and women, is my reason to show up every day. My elders have paved the way for me to be where I am, and I must continue to do the same for future generations,” she said. “I look forward to celebrating our efforts to close the gender gap in manufacturing at the Women's MAKE Awards! I am honored to be recognized as a 2024 Women MAKE Awards Emerging Leader and to work alongside the Manufacturing Institute to increase the number of women in the industry to 35% by 2030.”