The Department established the ESS Advisory Board in Autumn 2024. Advisory Board members advise the Chair of ESS in efforts to strategically build and develop the Department for the challenges we face in the 21st century.

2024-2025 Board Members

Lee Fairchild, Board Chair, Retired Geologist, Consulting

PhD in Geology (UW 1988)

Lee earned his PhD at UW from the (then) Geology Department in 1985, specializing in mudflow hazards related to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. He began his career at Exxon’s Research Lab, working there for 15 years before consulting for various companies including Chevron Norge, Chevron AU, and PetroCanada/Suncor. Lee is now mostly retired and interested in contributing to the Department and UW College of the Environment, focusing on advisory roles, student mentoring, alumni engagement, and career development for graduates.

Scott Barboza, Retired Research Geologist (Exxon Mobil)

PhD in Geology (1998), advisor: George Bergantz

Scott spent six years in the US Navy before attending college, serving on a submarine in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and Bremerton, WA. He worked as a sonar technician and the ship’s diver. After the Navy, he became a commercial diver and worked for a small surveying company in the San Francisco Bay area. He attended UC Davis, where he received his BS in 1992. He then attended UW and researched lower crustal processes and metamorphic petrology with Emeritus Professor George Bergantz, receiving his PhD in 1998. Scott then started as a research geologist for Exxon Mobile in 1998 and retired in 2021 to Virginia. While serving on an advisory board is new to him, Scott believes that board members that led professional geological careers can provide a reservoir of experience in industry that can help the department prepare students who choose that career path.

Brian Butler, Licensed Geologist and Consultant

MS in Geological Sciences and Economic Geology (UW , advisor: Eric Cheney; and MS of Marine Affairs

Brian earned a Master of Science in Geological Sciences (Economic Geology) and a Master of Marine Affairs (Interdisciplinary) from the UW. Brian is a consultant with Butler Geoscience LLC, focusing on environmental hydrogeology and compliance services. He is a licensed geologist in WA, with hydrogeology and engineering geology specialties, and a registered professional geologist in OR and ID. His experience also includes Principal consultant at Landau Associates Inc., mineral exploration in the western US, and service as a US Navy surface line officer. He is a member of the Geological Society of America, and the NW Geological Society (past president). Brian previously served on the Oregon State University College of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Board of Advisors and appreciates the chance to contribute on the UW Department of Earth and Space Sciences Advisory Board.

Ginny Catania, Professor (University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences)

PhD in Geophysics (UW 2004)

Dr. Ginny Catania is a Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences and a Research Scientist at the Institute for Geophysics. Both units are located within the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas. Catania’s research centers on understanding the physics that govern ice sheets at their boundaries, primarily the ice-ocean and ice-bed interface. She has led over a dozen expeditions to Greenland and Antarctica to study these inaccessible parts of the ice sheets and her efforts have resulted in over 70 peer-reviewed publications. Her research approach relies heavily on the use of observations from both in-situ and remotely-sensed data. Catania also dedicates her time to improving the culture in the geosciences of through professional and personal development. Dr. Catania holds a PhD in Geophysics from the University of Washington (2004) and a MS in Geology from the University of Minnesota(1998). She hails from Canada and sometimes wonders how she ended up in a state with no glaciers at all. More information on her work is available at www.catania-ice.org.

Amy DeGeest, Asset Manager (Chevron)

BS in Geology & Oceanography (UW 2003)

Amy began her career at Chevron as an exploration geologist in Houston. She has progressed through various roles in development geology, planning, and management, working in the Permian Basin, deepwater Gulf of Mexico, and offshore Brazil and Angola. Currently, she serves as Asset Manager for a developing field in the western Gulf of Mexico. Her tenure at Chevron includes 15 years of recruiting, supporting technical development programs, and participating in leadership initiatives.

Tom Doe, Chair (Puget Sound Chapter of the AEEG), Affiliate Instructor (UW CEE)

Tom began his career at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, then spent 9 years consulting at Golder Associates in Redmond, WA, specializing in rock fractures and stress related to nuclear waste disposal, groundwater flow, and geothermal energy. Tom is a former president of the American Rock Mechanics Association and served on the National Academy’s Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering. He currently chairs the Puget Sound Chapter of the Association of Engineering and Environmental Geologists. Tom has held affiliate positions at UC-Berkeley, University of Utah, UW, and UW-Madison, teaching hydrogeology and geology courses, including Engineering Geology at UW.

Steve Evans, Senior Engineering Geologist (Pangeo)

BS in Geology (UW 1976)

Steve began his career as a Coal Exploration Geologist with Denison Mines from 1979-85. He was an Engineering Geologist, later head of geotechnical group, for Hong and Associates from 1986-1991; an Environmental Geologist with Enviros from 1991-1992; a Consulting Geologist with Celtic Earth Consulting from 1992-2001; and a Senior Engineering Geologist with Pangeo from 2001-present. He is a 30-year member of AEG and has served on the AEG Foundation Board of Directors for the last 5 years.

Tasya Gray, Principal Geologist (Dalton, Olmsted & Fuglevand)

B.S. in Geology (UW 1988) and UW MPA in Environmental Policy (UW 2006)

Tasya is a Principal Geologist with Dalton, Olmsted & Fuglevand (DOF) in Seattle. She has over 25 years’ experience as an environmental consultant combining technical and policy-based expertise and Licensed Geologist in Washington and Oregon. With a BS in Geology (UW 1998) and an MPA in Environmental Policy (UW 2006), her practice focuses on helping clients balance contaminated site investigation, cleanup, and regulatory compliance. She is on the Board of Directors within her firm and has served on multiple volunteer boards outside of work as well.

Mike McGroder, Consulting Structural Geologist, Adjunct Faculty Instructor (University of Nevada)

PhD in Geology (UW 1988), advisor: Jody Bourgeois

Mike got his PhD in Geology, focusing on structural and stratigraphic mapping in the Methow basin to enhance understanding of mid-Cretaceous terrane accretion and mountain building. Mike spent 27 years at Exxon (now ExxonMobil) as an exploration geologist and global technical advisor before retiring in 2015. Mike teaches/has taught UW ESS geology field camp in Dillon, Montana, and a Petroleum Geology class at the University of Nevada, Reno. Mike aims to provide industry insights for strategic planning and assist students in exploring diverse career paths.

Sanjoy Som, Research Scientist (Blue Marble Space Institute of Science)

PhD in ESS (UW 2010), advisors: Dave Montgomery, Roger Buick, David Catling

Dr. Som is a scientist, engineer, and social entrepreneur passionate about space exploration and astrobiology, and how these disciplines can increase STEM awareness and excitement among the public. To translate this passion into solutions, he founded and is the CEO of the 501c3 non-profit Blue Marble Space. His current research activities include quantifying the link between environmental geochemistry and bioenergetics in subsurface ecosystems.

A. Wesley (Wes) Ward, Retired Astrogeology Program Chief (USGS)

MS, PhD in Geology (UW 1978), advisors: Howard Cooms (MS), Steve Porter (PhD)

Wes worked at the USGS for 30 years as a geologic mapper and Mars investigator, eventually becoming Astrogeology Program Chief and then Western Regional Geologist, retiring in 2008. He has served on boards for various organizations, including the GSA Foundation, as well as several universities, government, and educational agencies. The training Wes received at UW was, in his words, exceptional, and the department was known for producing talented candidates for the USGS. Wes hopes the department continues to lead in adapting to our profession’s evolving needs. He is interested in how ESS fosters an inclusive student population, student outcomes post-graduation, and partnerships with academia, industry, and government to prepare for the future.