Nancy Beckvar received her MS (86) in Stratigraphy and Paleontology from the Department of Geosciences in 1986. As an Environmental Scientist for NOAA's Assessment and Restoration Division in Seattle, WA, she works on a variety of coastal hazardous waste site projects around the United States.

Nancy has served on the Geosciences Advisory Board since 2008.

Dr. Regina M. Capuano
University of Houston
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
312 Science and Research 1
Houston, TX 77204-5007

Phone: 713-893-1402
capuanouh.edu

Regina Capuano

Regina has served on the Geosciences Advisory Board since 1999.

Carlotta Chernoff received her PhD from the University of Arizona in 2002 (Metamorphic Petrology/Economic Geology, Mark Barton, advisor); prior to that she had received geoscience MS and BS degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.

Carlotta currently works in Houston for ConocoPhillips in their Northern Gulf of Mexico Exploration group, where she is Exploration Manager.

Carlotta has served on the Geosciences Advisory Board since 2003.

Tim Demko received his PhD in Geosciences from the University of Arizona in 1995, MS in Geology from Auburn University in 1990, and BS in Geoscience from Penn State in 1983.

Tim currently is a Senior Research Associate at ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company in Houston, TX and serves as theTechnical Team Lead for the Sediment Evolution group in the New Play Concepts project. He has worked as a mining geologist for P&N Coal Company, and as an exploration and research geologist for ExxonMobil. He also was a postdoctoral fellow at Colorado State University, and an assistant professor in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Tim has served on the Department of Geosciences Advisory Board since 2008.

Dr. John Dreier
Private Consultant
Golden, CO 80401

Phone: 303-619-9410
jedreiergeo@comcast.net

John Dreier

John has served on the Department of Geosciences Advisory Board since 2010.

Ray Leonard received his BS with Honors in Geosciences (75) from the University of Arizona, and MA in Geology (77) from the University of Texas-Austin.

He is President and CEO of Hyperdynamics, a NYSE-Amex listed company exploring for Oil and Gas in West Africa. His 33-year career in International Oil and Gas Exploration includes Executive Positions with Amoco, the Russian Oil Major YUKOS, and the Kuwait Energy Company. He has been active in the debate on world oil reserves, presenting at national and international forums.

Kit Marrs received both his BS (1975) and MS (1979) in Geosciences from the University of Arizona.

Kit has over 25 yearsof experience as an exploration geologist and project manager in Alaska and Mexico. He specializes in volcanogenic massive sulfide, porphyry copper and precious metal vein deposits. He has managed mining exploration projects in remote locations that includes technical and contract personnel, geologists, surveyors, pilots, drilling crews, and laborers. He also has experience in formulating, financing, permitting, and implementing real estate development projects.

Kit has served on the Department of Geosciences Advisory Board since 2005.

Steve Naruk received his MS (81) and PhD (87) in Structural Geology and Tectonics from the Department of Geosciences.

Steve worked as a mineralogist for Amax Exploration R&D prior to attending the UA. Since graduating from the UA, he has held multiple exploration and production assignments with Shell. He is currently the Principal Structural Geologist for Shell International Exploration and Production Research and Development in Bellaire, Texas.

Steve is also the current chair of the Department of Geosciences Alumni Advisory Board. He has served on the Geosciences Advisory Board since 1999.

Mr. John M. Pekala
ENVIRON International Corporation
1702 E. Highland Ave #412
Phoenix, AZ 85016

Phone: 602-734-7710
Fax: 602-734-7701
jpekalaenvironcorp.com

John Pekala received his BS in Geosciences from the University of Arizona in 1993 and his MS in Geology (Coastal Sedimentology and Stratigraphy) in 1996.

John is currently a Senior Manager at ENVIRON in Phoenix, AZ and a registered Professional Geologist in Arizona and California, with more than 15 years of experience in environmental consulting.  His work has included implementing sediment, soil, and water quality investigations, management of water quality monitoring programs, performing environmental due diligence and compliance reviews, evaluating environmental issues for Brownfield redevelopment project sites, evaluation and selection of remedial alternatives, conducting site remediation activities, and providing consulting support for environmental litigation cases. 

John joined the Department of Geosciences Advisory Board in 2011.

Amanda Reynolds received her PhD in Geosciences from the University of Arizona in 2009 (Jay Quade: advisor), MS in Geology from the University of Pittsburgh (2002), and BA in Geology & Anthropology from Indiana University, Bloomington (1998).

Amanda is currently working for ExxonMobil as a petrophysicist and reservoir quality specialist. This is her first year on the advisory board.

Dr. Marc L. Sbar
Private Consultant

Phone: 281-804-8912
marc-sbar@comcast.net

Marc Sbar received his PhD in earthquake seismology from Columbia University in 1972. He served on the faculty of the University of Arizona Department of Geosciences from 1977 - 1983. In 1983, he changed gears and became an exploration seismologist working for BP and ConocoPhillips. Marc currently works as a consultant in geophysical analysis solving interesting and challenging problems in predicting reservoir properties.

Marc has served on the Department of Geosciences Advisory Board since 2008.

Dr. Elena Shoshitaishvili
BP Gulf of Mexico Exploration
200 Westlake Park Blvd.
Houston, TX 77079

Phone: 281-366-6478
Fax: 281-366-5006
shoshie@bp.com

Elena Shoshitaishvili received her PhD in reflection seismology and tectonics from the University of Arizona in 2002. Dr. Roy Johnson was her advisor. Elena got most of her undergraduate education from the Moscow Geological Prospecting Academy. She finished the last year of her BS degrees in geophysics and mathematics at University of Arizona in 1997.

Elena currently works in BP's Gulf of Mexico Exploration. Prior to that, she worked in production with the Thunder Horse team and technology with the Subsurface Imaging team.

William Wilkinson received his BS and MS degrees in geology from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, with a three-year break for service in the US Army.  He received his PhD (81) from the Department of Geosciences at the UA.

Will is currently Vice President, Africa, for Freeport-McMoRan Exploration Corp. in Phoenix, AZ.  He is responsible for project direction, reconnaissance and acquisitions throughout the continent.  He has nearly 35 years of experience in mineral exploration and has worked in base and precious metal exploration in 25 countries on five continents. Will has worked in the southwestern United States for Anacoda, Duval Corporation, Westmont Mining and Phelps Dodge.

Will has served on the Department of Geosciences Advisory Board since 1995.

Mark Zoback is the Benjamin M. Page Professor of Earth Sciences and Professor of Geophysics at Stanford University. His principal research interests are related to the forces that act within the earth's crust and their influence on processes related to plate tectonics, earthquakes and oil and gas reservoirs. He is the author/co-author of approximately 250 scientific research papers and one book, Reservoir Geomechanics, published in 2007 by Cambridge University Press.

Mark has served on the Department of Geosciences Advisory Board since 2008.