McMath joined Fenstermaker in early 1997, right out of college after earning her bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette). She worked for the survey team under the mentorship of John Fenstermaker, PLS, who ran the division at that time.
McMath felt a strong affinity to survey work right away, pointing to her fascination with the history of an area and each project’s unique challenges as the chief reasoning for her passion. Over the years, McMath took on increasingly managerial roles, growing from Team Leader to Associate Director, and into her current position as Director of Exploration & Production based out of the Lafayette office.
“Fenstermaker has always treated me like family," McMath said. "Even as we grow, there’s a push to keep that family feeling intact. I’ve never had any desire to go elsewhere.”
She took steps to earn a license to survey as early as 2006. However, after completing the required course work, she ran into a roadblock with the number of field experience hours that was required at the time to proceed. McMath then shifted her focus to her work at hand and her family. With her youngest daughter recently beginning college, McMath recognized that it was now the time to revisit her efforts to earn PLS licensure, and reached out to the board to begin again.
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With a path to success charted, McMath doubled down on studying while simultaneously maintaining her work ethic.
“At 48 years old, it’s not easy to sit down and start studying again," McMath said. "The hardest part was dusting off these old brain cells, and getting back into the mode of studying. I had a bit of role reversal with my daughter, who’s in college, but I got it done and I’m excited.”
After completing the requisite steps remaining, McMath successfully passed both the state and national survey exams, earning her PLS in the state of Louisiana.
“Danielle has been a tremendous asset to the company over the years and has worked hard to accomplish her goals," said Travis Bodin, MBA, PLS, PMP, Vice President, Survey & Mapping. "This achievement is another testament to her determination and dedication to our profession.“
“Danielle has been a resilient leader, and we have sincere admiration for her dedication to achieving licensure," said Michael Marine, PMP, Survey Office Operations Leader. "In my short time here, I’ve clearly noticed the impact she’s made on our clients and employees, and we look forward to the many more years of high-quality service she’ll continue to perform as a Professional.”
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McMath's mentor, John Fenstermaker, was instrumental in providing guidance, mentorship, and encouragement throughout McMath's career — a mentoring relationship that she said she is deeply grateful for and seeks to emulate with new professionals joining the team, “I’m hoping that I can do the same for the younger technicians that are coming up," she said. "I learned so much from John, and he was the first person I reached out to when I got my results.”
“The sky has never been the limit for Danielle. We’ve had several conversations about her future and I’ve encouraged her every step of the way toward her goal of licensure," Fenstermaker said. "There are not many women in Louisiana who have accomplished this feat."
