These energizing moms remind
us to cherish every moment
GET TO KNOW US
Happy
Mother’s
Day!
We’re delighted to introduce you to three of our New Fortress Energy moms who work every day to embrace the empowerment of being successful moms. Not only are they moms, but they are also successful professionals who are powering the world with positive energy.
Meet Aline
“Life has limitless possibilities and many ways to fulfillment and happiness.” – Aline Pai, Legal Portuguese Translator, New York City
Aline Pai’s career has taken many paths: journalist, lawyer, contracted translator for the U.S. government, and, for the past two years, translator and legal assistant here at New Fortress Energy. But she affirms that her most difficult job – and the one she’s proudest to have held – was being a full-time mom to her two children for more than 12 years.
She treasures Mother’s Day as a chance to soak up the perks of being a mom.
“Mother’s Day is a day of expressed love and gratitude,” Aline says. “It’s a time that your family reflects on your role in their lives, and you celebrate the joys (and forget the tough moments!) of motherhood. It’s a day of multicolored homemade cards, extra kisses, little footsteps running into my room with a breakfast that ‘I had no idea was coming,’ picking a restaurant without anyone daring to complain about it and spoken appreciation to the women who nurtured and loved you.”
For Aline, two of those women are her mother and mother-in-law.
“Growing up in a small town in Brazil, my mother was the strongest and most confident woman I knew,” she says. “A daughter of Spanish immigrants, she was a first-generation Brazilian, and she had to find her own way in a culture that wasn’t of her parents. She taught her daughters independence, a strong work ethic, self-reliance, and perseverance. She inspired me to be strong and believe that no matter what I was going through, there would be many better days ahead – and until those better days materialized, books could always be my best refuge.”
Aline values companies that are understanding and flexible with moms.
“Companies need to assure the mom that she can stay home when a child is sick or the school or day care is closed, without any negative impact on how she is perceived as a team member and as an employee, or without worrying about how it might impact her career and financial well-being,” she says. “When you feel supported and appreciated, you want to reciprocate by working harder and being more productive. That feeling of inclusion and appreciation is priceless.”
Aline strives to pass that strong work ethic on to her children.
“I encourage them to demonstrate kindness, hard work, and perseverance,” she says. “No matter how smart you are, or you think you are, you should wake up every day with the objective to improve, to be and do better than the day before. Life is not perfect, and happiness is neither a right nor a guarantee. Grievances, regrets, and hard feelings are a waste of emotions. Forgive yourself and others for mistakes and move past them as fast as you can. See the big picture, and don’t lose perspective.”
Motherhood has given Aline a new perspective, and new ways to strive to keep improving.
“Motherhood expands your understanding of life and forces you to view the world from your child’s eyes,” she says. “Motherhood made me a much better person. As I was confronted with the responsibilities to shape, guide, and influence other lives, it made me face and reflect on my own flaws and find ways to improve myself. I feel empowered knowing that I am raising kids who, I hope, will be a force for good in our community.”
Meet Jennifer
“The unlimited love I feel for my children and the love they give me empower me.” – Jennifer Witeczek, Vice President & Human Resources Business Partner, Miami
Jennifer Witeczek had more than two decades of human resources leadership experience before she joined us in November 2022 to support our operations function. She is grateful that her mom has been relentlessly supportive of her.
“My mother is a strong woman,” Jennifer says. “She always told me I can do anything I focus myself on. She helped me feel unstoppable and ready for any challenge feeling certain I could overcome and achieve my biggest dreams. She is my rock, my cheerleader, my supporter, and the column I lean on.”
For Mother’s Day, Jennifer is looking forward to celebrating with her mother and her four children, who usually spend the whole day with them and treat them to breakfast or lunch.
“Mother’s Day is a special day dedicated to honor those who gave us life,” she says. “It’s a reminder that we should honor and care for our mothers.”
She urges companies to respect women and the job they do outside the work environment.
“Employers need to understand we can be given opportunities and achieve,” she says, “while keeping in mind we are in command of building lives within our families, which is our most loving and important role.”
That commitment to family is a core message Jennifer strives to ensure her children always feel.
“I want them to know they are loved and supported no matter what,” she says. “I encourage them to be honest and genuine, especially within their family, where they will be hugged, sheltered, and understood. I urge them to speak up their minds, their feelings, and their emotions, while being respectful of others. It’s important to me that they know that their soul and spirit are their treasure – the one aspect of their being that they must tend to.”
In return, Jennifer gratefully embraces her relationships with them.
“The unlimited love I feel for my children and the love they give me empower me,” she says. “It’s the best feeling in the world for me. Nothing beats it.”
Meet Rebecca
“You do not have to be perfect – just do your best.” – Rebecca McCalmon, Technology Project Management Office Manager, Houston
Rebecca McCalmon spent 17 years in finance and accounting with high-tech, pharmaceutical, and energy industries before joining New Fortress Energy in June 2022. She is improving processes, expanding the use of our support tools, and rolling up her sleeves to help wherever she can.
These are key skills she has honed, not only in her professional career, but also as a mom.
“Being a mom, especially a single mom, is tough,” Rebecca says. “I probably fake empowerment as a mom most of the time! I am continually learning as my daughter grows and changes. What keeps me grounded are my values and being consistent. One thing I learned from observing other moms is to follow through. If you give a boundary or consequence, you have to stick with it. So you have to be careful what you threaten. I have often been grounded myself because of a consequence I gave my daughter – like cancelling a movie night.”
It's a small price to pay compared to the losses that nearly deprived her of the opportunity to be a mother at all.
“I suffered the loss of eight pregnancies and lost my daughter’s twin early on in the pregnancy, so she is truly a miracle,” Rebecca says. “Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate all mothers, and a day I celebrate with great joy to have the honor of being a mother.”
She also sees Mother’s Day as a time when it’s important for mothers, who joyfully give to their families year-round, to allow themselves to be pampered.
“It is a fun day when the kiddos get a chance to show Mommy how much she is loved,” she says. “Mother’s Day will likely include an interesting breakfast from my now 10-year-old daughter, followed by church and my favorite chicken wings, and most likely she will give me a spa treatment that evening. It’s not always easy bearing the full load, but it is certainly rewarding during moments like this!”
After so many years of waiting for her daughter, Rebecca now has a lifetime of advice to share.
“I feel like I am always giving my daughter advice,” she says. “Here are the key pieces I consistently give her: You do not have to be perfect – just do your best. Prepare ahead of time so you do not have to rush. You are beautiful – everyone is just different: like flowers. They come in every size, shape, color, and scent. If all flowers were the same, it would be a boring world. Follow the beat of your own drum and you will always be in time. And focus on school, fun, and friendship now, and leave the romance stuff for college.”
Through it all, Rebecca has relied on her own mother’s love and care.
“My mom is all heart,” she says. “She always makes me feel loved and ingrained into me that I could accomplish anything when I tried my best. Even to this day, my mom thinks I am one of the most amazing people she knows. I will let her keep thinking that!”
