Tracee Bentley is the President and CEO of the Permian Strategic Partnership, a collaboration between local communities, twenty-six oil and gas companies and two university systems operating in the Permian Basin. With extensive experience and leadership within the energy industry, Bentley is a tremendous asset to this first-of-its-kind partnership that aims to strengthen and improve the quality of life for Permian residents.
Before joining PSP as its first President and CEO, Bentley was the Executive Director of the Colorado Petroleum Council, a division of the American Petroleum Institute, focusing on state and local policy and supporting the development of Colorado’s energy resources.
Before joining the Colorado Petroleum Council in March 2015, Bentley served in several key policy positions, including Legislative Director & Senior Advisor on Energy and Agriculture and Deputy Director of the Colorado Energy Office, for Governor John Hickenlooper. Before Bentley’s tenure with the Hickenlooper administration, she was a founding Principal of a bi-partisan lobbying firm that focused on energy, natural resources, and agriculture interests. Bentley also served as the Director of National Affairs for the Colorado Farm Bureau, where her portfolio included energy, immigration, farm policy, and international trade. She was appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court Nominating Commission in 2015 and served until 2019, when she moved to the Permian Basin.
She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Colorado State University, and prior to receiving her bachelor’s, Bentley worked in Washington, DC, for U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell.
Bentley is a firm believer in community building community. She was appointed to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ El Paso Branch board of directors and also serves on the board of directors for The Permian Basin Literacy Coalition, The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, The Beacon Alliance, and Texas 2036. She is also a member of the 2025 Presidential Leadership Scholars’ (PLS) class.
Bentley and her husband, Mike, are proud parents of their three grown children, two daughters and a son.
