executive committee
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AACC PRESIDENT
Christina Staib is a Global Finance Sector Lead for the Global CCS Institute, an international non-profit climate change think tank. Ms. Staib previously spent time in energy finance as well as more than 20 years at a major environmental, engineering, and construction consulting firm, most recently as Vice President, Unconventional Oil & Gas. She has held global strategic, business development, and client management roles in oil & gas and other business sectors in the US and Australia. Christina is a graduate of the Florida State University (B.S. Civil Engineering), a Professional Engineer – Civil (Florida), and has a Certificate in Sustainable Business from Presidio Graduate School (BGI Seattle). She has lived in Adelaide and Perth. Christina serves as President for the Australian American Chamber of Commerce - Houston Texas. |
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AACC VICE PRESIDENT
Paul Habelko is the Manager Opportunity Shaping at Chevron. Paul graduated from the Australian National University, Canberra in 1981 with a B.Sc. (with Honours) in Geology. He also holds an MBA from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia and INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France. Upon graduation Paul joined Exxon as a Geophysicist. After completing his MBA at INSEAD in 1991 he worked for Gaffney, Cline and Associates, London, as Senior Consultant in the international energy arena and was engaged on numerous assignments globally including projects for the World Bank and major financial institutions. He joined Statoil (now Equinor) in Stavanger, Norway in 1993 as the Manager of Strategic Planning for the company’s International Exploration and Production division. Later he was the International New Ventures Manager and then Commercial Manager for Eastern Europe. Paul joined Chevron Corporation in 2002 as Commercial Manager for the North West Shelf LNG Project in Perth, Australia. He has since been Manager of Strategy and Planning, Global Gas, in San Ramon, California; and the Manager of the Clair and Jade Fields, Aberdeen, Scotland. He took up his current position in 2015 in which capacity he oversees the company’s non-operated Major Capital Projects in the Gulf of Mexico, including the Mad Dog and Whale field developments. Paul is a long standing member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). Although they “still call Australia home”, Paul and his wife Joanne and their two sons Frederick and Theo, reside in Houston, Texas. |
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AACC TREASURER
Sean Kelleher is the Chief Financial Officer - Clean Energy & Infrastructure at Maste. Prior to MasTec Sean was the the Senior Group Director of Finance for Worley in the America’s. In this role Sean was the Operational CFO responsible for providing finance and commercial services as well as business partnering support to operational leaders for Worley’s businesses throughout the USA, Canada, Central and South America. Prior to this, Sean was responsible for the Major Projects and Integrated Solutions businesses globally and held numerous senior finance positions with GrainCorp in Australia. He has over 15 Years’ experience across a multitude of energy sectors including Oil and Gas, Minerals and Metals, Power and New Energy and has experience with consulting efforts through to major capital projects. Sean holds a Bachelor of Business degree (Accounting) from the University of New England and is a member of CPA Australia. |
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AACC SECRETARY
Richard Gibbs was born in Australia and graduated from Melbourne University in 1986 in Genetics and Radiation Biology. He moved to the USA to Baylor College of Medicine, where he performed key work on the molecular characterization of human genetic disease and provided an early leadership role for the Human Genome Project (HGP). In 1997 he founded the BCM Human Genome Sequencing Center (HGSC), one of five main groups to complete the HGP. The HGSC then led many genome projects for model species and contributed to the Mammalian Gene Collection, the Hapmap Project, the 1000 Genomes Project and the Cancer Genome Atlas. Since 2005, the group pioneered Personal Genomics, beginning with the personal genome sequences of James Watson and James Lupski and then developing the now ubiquitously used DNA exome capture technologies to create the first Genetics Diagnostics Laboratory to be based on whole gene sequencing. The group has made innumerable Mendelian disease gene discoveries and is now focused on accelerating clinical translation of genomics in adult care, via cardiovascular disease risk testing. Gibbs was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2011 and was recognized as one of the 400 most influential biomedical scientists in the world in 2013 (Eur J. Clin. Invest. 2014). |
board of directors
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Stacy L. Feltham is the VP Ethics & Compliance, Chief Compliance Officer for Woodside Energy.
Before joining Woodside Energy, Stacy worked 10 years with ExxonMobil and before that a regional law firm in Canada. Stacy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, a Law degree from the University of Alberta in Canada, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Long Island University in New York. She has been a member of Boards and Committees for various legal associations such as the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators and the Canadian Petroleum Law Foundation, and charitable organizations such as Stages Repertory Theatre and the American Heart Association. |
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Sean Hanrahan is the founder and Managing Partner of Platypus Brewing, a craft brewery and brewpub established in 2016 and located in Houston Texas. Prior to the establishment of the brewery Sean spent 18 years with BHP and independent management consulting working in both Australia and USA in the capacity as a commercial executive and Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestments. Sean has over 27 years’ experience across a multitude of natural resource commodities including oil and gas, copper, uranium, gold, silver and metallurgical coal.
Prior to BHP Sean worked in Chartered Accounting in Brisbane, Australia. Sean graduated from QUT, Brisbane Australia, with a Bachelor of Business degree (Distinction), subsequently completed a Masters of Business Administration with a major in international finance, and is a member of CPA Australia. |
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Nicholas Gole is Head of Energy Principal Investments for Macquarie Capital’s Infrastructure and Energy Group in the Americas. In this role Nicholas is responsible for balance sheet investments by Macquarie Capital in the energy sector across the Americas.
Nicholas has participated in numerous transactions as both principal investor and financial advisor, these transactions have included both development and operating assets across a broad range of sectors. Most recently Nicholas was lead on the Gulf Coast Ammonia project where Macquarie Capital was both the developer and financial advisor in a first of kind petrochemical transaction. Further Nicholas was a lead advisor to Freeport LNG on their development of three liquefaction trains on Quintana Island Texas, which closed in late 2014 and represents one of the largest non-recourse project financing in recent years.” |
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Melissa Langley is an expert at connecting organizations, building networks, and bringing key stakeholders & businesses together to ensure long term, mutually beneficial outcomes are achieved. She has over two decades of experience in the professional & client services sectors and is currently with K&L Gates, a global law firm, where she leads a client services business unit. Skilled at providing strategic advice specific to a business unit; coaching senior partners and business leaders in the development and winning of business; building longstanding outside networks with senior executives and leading teams across industries and markets, Melissa has developed a loyal following and a reputation for delivering on expectations and aligning her customer’s needs to the best possible outcomes.
Prior to K&L Gates, Melissa spent over 15 years with the Chartered Accountancy firm Grant Thornton where she worked in the Taxation and Forensic accountancy departments, which led her to develop the client & professional services framework that she is known for today. Melissa is a Chartered Accountant, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and the holder of a Bachelor of Business (International Business) QUT, and a Master’s of Professional Accounting, QUT. Originally from Noosa, Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Melissa, her husband Philip and their two sons Harrison and Sebastian now live in Dallas, TX. |
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Colin McHattie is Director of Technical Assessment for Halliburton's Integrated Asset Management group, based in Houston Texas. He is responsible for evaluating and developing worldwide oil and gas projects for which Halliburton can provide consulting, project management, oilfield services, and funding. These projects include mature and underdeveloped conventional oil & gas fields as well as new unconventional plays.
Colin graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Geology) from the University of Western Australia and has 37 years of petroleum industry experience in technical and commercial functions, business development, large-scale oil, gas, and LNG project development, emerging technologies, prospect generation, reservoir characterization, field development, and asset management in over 30 countries. Colin served on the AACC Energy Conference committee 2011-15 (Co-chairman 2012-14), and on the AACC Board of Directors since 2013. |
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Eric Schmauch is the new Regional Sales Director for United Airlines based in Houston, Texas. In this role, Mr. Schmauch will oversee the corporate sales & strategy for the company’s long-time hometown hub in Houston as well as expanding geography including Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Although growing up in Missouri City, TX, Mr. Schmauch has spent most of his United career in the Midwest in various leadership positions. Most recently leading the Rocky Mountain Sales effort as well as their worldwide Specialty Sales area including Meeting and Incentive, Government and Military, University Sales, as well as developing a brand-new industry leading Acquisition sales team focused solely on new business development. Prior to that he was the Director of Sales in Chicago as well as 23 years in various other leadership positions for Continental Airlines. Schmauch has been on the Board of Directors of the Houston First Corporation for several years, has been married to his wife Mary for 29 years, and they have two wonderful children, Veronica and EJ who both live in Dallas. |
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Geeta Thakorlal is a FIChemE, Fellow of Engineers, Australia, Affiliate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Business Growth & Transformation Leader. She is an adaptable C-suite global energy executive. Driven by creativity and innovation, she is business outcomes focussed, passionate about developing high performing teams and fascinated about the role of technology in improving business performance and creating competitive advantage. Her three decades of experience in the global energy sector has spanned across five continents, working in senior and executive leadership roles in technical consulting, project delivery, operations management with P&L responsibilities and business transformation, with public listed companies and small and mid-cap companies.
Geeta has served as a member of the Advisory Council of the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University, as well as an Executive Advisory Board Member for the Offshore Technology Committee in Houston. She is currently a board director of the Australian American Chamber of Commerce, in Houston. Geeta is recognized as a talented, experienced leader with a positive mindset, who strives to achieve outstanding results. She has been recognized for her commitment to champion women leaders in energy in the US and Australia. She leads with humility, passion, and confidence to drive change and transformation. |
ex officio board members
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HONORARY CONSUL EMERITUS OF AUSTRALIA
Nana Booker AM was Australia’s first Honorary Consul Emeritus, after having served as Honorary Consul of Australia for the State of Texas from December 1999 until 31 March 2015, and the opening of the Australian Consulate-General in Houston. She was named a Member of the Order of Australia in April 2005. Prior to her appointment as Honorary Consul, she had a lengthy career in public relations and marketing, as well as in government service and academia. Since 2002, she has owned Booker-Lowe Gallery, now the oldest and largest Aboriginal art gallery in the Americas. She is a Chancellor of the Consular Corps College, serves on the Board of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston’s Glassell School and Houston Grand Opera, and is an advisor to international and arts organizations. |
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AACC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Amy Conacher has been the Executive Director of the AACC since 2017, and has a strong personal connection with both Australia and the US having lived in both countries for 15+ years. Amy was born in Ohio, but spent 20 years overseas living in Jakarta and Perth before moving to Houston in 1997. Amy completed her Bachelor of Arts at Edith Cowan University in Perth and a Bachelor of Education (Honors) at Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle. Prior to the Chamber, Amy spent 20 years working in the education field as a teacher, trainer, consultant and business owner. Her US job experience at Heinemann Publishing, STEPS Professional Development and Dragonfly Educational Consulting prepared her well for her work with the Chamber as she has always worked with Australians (and is married to one!). |
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Adele Armstrong is the Deputy Consul General at the Australian Consulate in Houston.
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Gabrielle Hall is Australia’s Consul-General and Trade and Investment Commissioner to Houston, Texas. Her current sectors of focus include energy, health and space and consular remit covers the USA’s southern states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.
Prior to landing in Houston, Gabrielle most recently worked in Austrade’s Investment Division focused on attracting productive foreign direct investment from the Americas region to Australia. She has also previously been A/g Trade Commissioner in Santiago, Chile and completed short-term assignments with Austrade in Mexico (2019) and Colombia (2016). Gabrielle also has deep trade experience having supported a broad range of Australian exporters with their international strategies, through her time in Austrade’s Trade Division. Prior to joining Austrade, Gabrielle worked as a locally engaged staff member for the foreign governments of Uruguay and Chile in Australia. Gabrielle has an energetic toddler and speaks fluent Spanish. |
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Regina Johnson is Deputy Director, Americas, for the South Australia Department for Trade and Investment (DTI). Her role is to promote export opportunities for South Australian companies in the US and Canada for. In addition, she assists US and Canadian companies in navigating the logistics for setting up their international operations in South Australia. She works across all business sectors, including energy, space, defence, creative industries, health & medical, food, wine, and agribusiness.
Prior to joining SA DTI, Regina was Head of the Energy, Environment, and Infrastructure for the UK Department for International Trade. Regina holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Master of Business Administration. In addition, she is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). |
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