# Beth McDonald

> Beth McDonald is president and chief executive officer of SM Energy and a member of its board. A Texas A&M-trained petroleum engineer, she spent nearly two decades at Pioneer Natural Resources before joining SM as COO in September 2024. She became CEO at the January 2026 Civitas merger closing. Her public record connects operational and financial responsibilities with engineering education, mentoring and community volunteering.

- **Role:** President and Chief Executive Officer at SM Energy Company
- **Organizations:** SM Energy Company, Pioneer Natural Resources Company, Hess Corporation, Total E&P USA, Texas A&M University Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering industry board, Advanced Women Executives in Energy, True Inspiration Service Organization
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering, Texas A&M University
- **Known for:** Included among Hart Energy’s 25 Influential Women in Energy in 2018., Registered professional engineer in Texas., Helped influence Pioneer’s support of nine Texas A&M engineering funds across five departments, reported in May 2023.

## Career timeline

- **2001** — Texas A&M petroleum engineering class of 2001; subsequently held engineering roles at Total and Hess.
- **2005** — Joined Pioneer Natural Resources as a reservoir engineer.
- **2007** — Business analyst for Pioneer worldwide operations.
- **2017-03** — Named vice president of Pioneer’s South Texas asset team.
- **2019** — Became vice president of strategic planning and field development at Pioneer.
- **2021-01** — Became a Pioneer senior vice president.
- **2023-06** — Became Pioneer executive vice president of strategic planning, field development and marketing; held role until June 2024.
- **2024-09** — Joined SM Energy as executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective September 9.
- **2025-09** — Appointed president of SM Energy while remaining COO.
- **2026-01** — Became president and CEO and joined the board at the January 30 Civitas merger closing.

## Achievements

- Included among Hart Energy’s 25 Influential Women in Energy in 2018.
- Registered professional engineer in Texas.
- Helped influence Pioneer’s support of nine Texas A&M engineering funds across five departments, reported in May 2023.
- Appointed CEO of the combined SM Energy and Civitas business in January 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — SM scheduled third-quarter results for November 3 and a November 4 conference call; announced October 5.
- **2026-08** — SM reported Q2 adjusted free cash flow of $467 million (non-GAAP), $137 million returned to stockholders, and 95% of targeted run-rate synergies actioned.
- **2026-06** — Featured in Oilfield 360 episode 99 on disciplined growth and strategic M&A, released June 2.
- **2026-04** — SM closed a $950 million sale of certain South Texas assets and announced redemption plans for $819 million of 2026 senior notes.
- **2026-01** — Became SM Energy president and CEO on January 30 when the Civitas merger closed.

## Links

- Website: https://www.sm-energy.com/about-us/leadership/officers/35373/beth-mcdonald
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-mcdonald-energy-leader

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/beth-mcdonald
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22