Samantha Anne Nadolny: Accomplished, Driven Corporate Counsel & Compliance Expert

Samantha-Anne Nadolny is a highly accomplished and driven professional, currently serving as Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Select Water Solutions, NYSE: WTTR (formerly Select Energy Services). With a wealth of experience as a corporate lawyer, compliance professional, and business leader, Samantha-Anne has successfully navigated various industries, including construction, oil & gas, natural resources, and energy. Throughout her career, she has consistently demonstrated excellence in organizational leadership, corporate advisory, litigation and contract management, policy and process creation and implementation, team building and motivation, and corporate training.

Samantha-Anne’s expertise encompasses all aspects of corporate legal guidance, providing strategic business support, domestic and international regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation across diverse industries and sectors. She possesses a remarkable ability to adapt swiftly to evolving legislation and changes in the law, while also educating her colleagues and clients as a recognized subject matter expert.

With extensive experience working in both public and private corporations, Samantha-Anne combines her instinctive business acumen with a deep understanding of how to protect and support a company, its mission, and its employees. Her commitment to excellence and her unwavering dedication to delivering high-quality results make her a valuable asset to any organization she serves.

Navigating Change

Samantha-Anne’s move to her current position resulted from a merger and dissolution of her previous company. During that time, she guided the company through challenges, including aligning synergies with a sister entity located on the East Coast. This experience motivated Samantha-Anne to stay until the completion of the transaction, providing legal guidance throughout. Following the entity’s closure, Samantha-Anne joined Select, an American oilfield services company specializing in water and chemistry, attracted by its growth potential and hands-on executive role. Despite the common perception that executives only lead, Samantha-Anne recognized the need for both leadership and active involvement in a lean legal department. She saw this opportunity as a means to develop expertise in legal and industry matters, strategically supporting business operations through her legal expertise.

Perspective on Personal and Professional Growth

Samantha-Anne wholeheartedly embraces the belief that challenges are not merely obstacles to overcome, but valuable opportunities for personal and professional development. She sees challenges as transformative experiences that have the power to shape and refine one’s character, skills, and wisdom.

For Samantha-Anne, each challenge encountered is a chance to learn, adapt, and gain a deeper understanding of herself and the world around her. She views challenges as stepping stones on the path of self-improvement, allowing her to expand her knowledge, acquire new perspectives, and enhance her problem-solving abilities.

Innovative and Sustainable Water Management Solutions

Select Water Solutions is a leading provider of innovative, efficient, and sustainable water management solutions for the energy industry. They specialize in managing the entire water lifecycle, including sourcing, transfer, flowback, treatment, hauling, containment, and disposal.

Empowering Others

For Samantha-Anne, the defining moment of her career was when she was invited to share her industry experience. It was a powerful realization that her contributions were valued and respected, motivating her to extend her influence and support others. She aspired to be a mentor and a friend to individuals in similar positions, offering guidance and resources. Samantha-Anne actively speaks about her professional responsibilities, as well as the unique challenges faced by women in the legal and oil and gas sectors. Additionally, she prioritizes making time for aspiring industry professionals, paying forward the opportunities she received from exceptional leaders throughout her career. Samantha-Anne aims to be a source of support and inspiration for others, just as she was fortunate to have experienced herself.

A Leader’s Greatest Recognition

For Samantha-Anne, the ultimate recognition as a leader is when an employee expresses that she is the reason they find joy in their job or the reason they remain committed to the company. While awards and accolades as an attorney are significant, nothing compares to the profound appreciation she feels when her team genuinely enjoys working with her. This recognition from her team holds a special place in her heart and surpasses any other form of acknowledgment.

Curiosity led Samantha-Anne to inquire how others would describe her, and the word that emerged most frequently was “loyal.” She believes this description accurately captures her essence. Samantha-Anne’s loyalty extends to her work, her passion, her friendships, her marriage, her aspirations, and her personal values. Commitment holds great significance to her, and she believes that loyalty is a fundamental trait that influences every facet of her life.

Approach to Personal and Professional Life

Samantha-Anne rejects the idea of “balance” between personal and professional life, considering it unrealistic due to the misalignment of hours and days. Instead, she values integration, intertwining personal and professional aspects within her daily routines. While time allocation may not be equal, integration allows for a harmonious blend of priorities based on available schedules.

Samantha-Anne takes pride in successfully integrating her work and personal life. Actively involved in her community and philanthropic endeavors, she maintains a vibrant social life. Being an extrovert, she draws energy in social interactions. Hence, she prioritizes personal commitments while ensuring her presence and efficiency at work, seamlessly incorporating her personal priorities into her life.

Attending galas and events, participating in local philanthropies, sharing a glass of wine with friends, or cooking dinner with her husband are among the social activities Samantha-Anne prioritizes. By taking care of her personal life and remaining dedicated to her professional responsibilities, she achieves fulfillment and efficiency through intentional integration.

A Day in the Life

Samantha-Anne longs for a typical day to share, as her job is ever-changing and exciting and no two days look alike. Her mornings always start with ample coffee, although she often gets teased for bringing two Starbucks venti coffees to lengthy morning meetings. However, that’s where the similarities end.

Some days, Samantha-Anne is stationed in the office, focusing on agreements and emails. Other times, she travels to meet attorneys or handle litigation matters. There are also occasions when she immerses herself in the field, gaining insights into the company’s business operations.

Regardless of her location, a significant part of Samantha-Anne’s day involves collaborating with the business to address their transactional needs. This involves communication through calls, meetings, and emails, and the drafting of necessary documents. During visits to other offices, she takes the opportunity to connect with individuals from different departments, aiming to understand their needs better and enhance support.

Supporting the business is Samantha-Anne’s primary role, but the diverse nature of her tasks means that no two days are alike. Each day brings unique challenges and opportunities, showcasing the dynamic nature of her work.

Defining Success

Samantha-Anne believes success is relative, with various definitions. Success, for her, involves a happy and satisfied team. Creating a positive work environment is crucial for achieving success, as happy teams are motivated and dedicated. Progress is another aspect of success, encompassing improvements in processes, efficiency, and work quality. Constantly seeking better approaches is essential for success. Lastly, success is derived from productive partnerships with the business, where legal support is reliable and aligned with the company’s goals. By supporting and safeguarding the business while satisfying clients and generating revenue, success is attained.

Vision for Select Water Solutions

Samantha-Anne envisions a promising future for Select, especially as it undergoes a significant transition into its new identity as Select Water Solutions. This rebranding process involves numerous intricate components but ultimately unifies the company as a frontrunner in water management throughout the entire lifecycle. With a strong determination to excel and establish itself as a renowned name in the services industry, Select is focused on comprehensive growth in all aspects of its operations.

For herself, Samantha-Anne’s personal goals align with supporting these collective endeavors to the best of her abilities. As the company expands, it inevitably encounters challenges that legal expertise can help overcome. Having undergone several acquisitions in recent years, it is crucial for Select to step back and assess how legal support can enhance its overall business operations and better serve its objectives. By taking a holistic approach and examining the bigger picture, Samantha-Anne aims to contribute to the company’s success and facilitate its ongoing development.