Svetlana Stytsenko

September 23, 1975 to May 19, 2023

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Svetlana Stytsenko, 47, passed away from an unexpected illness on May 19, 2023, in Houston, Texas.

She was born, raised by Tatiana and Alexander Stytsenko in the town Okha on the northern tip of Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East. She was highly educated in Moscow, Russia. Eventually, Svetlana moved to Houston where she worked, continued her education, and earned US citizenship. But her heart was always with her family in her home country as a beloved daughter, sister, niece, aunt, and cousin.

In Russia, Svetlana earning a BS in engineering/industrial management, economics, and finance at the Higher School of Economics-Russia, and her master’s degree in petroleum engineering from Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, (National Research University).

Once in the United States, she attended the Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business, earning an Executive MBA in 2016. This is where Svetlana first joined the Women in Energy Network and the National Association of Women MBAs, always a strong supporter of women in the energy industry.

Svetlana worked in the energy industry for more than 20 years with oil and gas operators globally. She began as an engineer in Russia, continued for 14 years as a consultant with Deloitte, and most recently with Shell. Svetlana’s contributions are immeasurable. She was brilliant, dedicated, a true problem-solver; the industry is better because of Svetlana’s work.

She always gave 100% to her family, her education, her work.

The outdoors filled her with joy from fishing and sports to hiking and seeing nature’s wonders. She was passionate about animals, particularly her poodle Masha. Svetlana loved all pets, and whether lost or found they received her compassion, so much so that her wish was for anyone wanting to make a charitable donation to choose the SPCA.

But Svetlana was so much more to this world and to those whose lives she touched. She was generous with her time for others in need. Since 2012, Svetlana was a volunteer for the MD Anderson Social Services for alien families with children who received treatments at MD Anderson. She helped with fundraising, specialty food purchasing and delivery, and translation services. She gave energy to safety and training safely for fundraising events such as bike rides.

Family and friends were dear to Svetlana, and they sustained her in good times and difficult times. Family was her keystone, her center.

Svetlana was preceded in death by her mother, Tatiana, in 2022. She is survived by her father, Alexander, sister, Diana Potekhina, brother, Alexey, nieces, Ksenia and Nina, brother-in-law, Aleksander, sister-in-law, Ekaterina, aunts, Olga, Galina, Elena and Svetlana, many cousins, and great-aunts.

Memorials or donations may be made to the SPCA of Houston online at www.houstonspca.org or charity of your choice.