Jackson School of Geosciences Welcomes New FANs Board Members

November 11, 2024

The Jackson School of Geosciences Friends and Alumni Network is excited to announce the addition of five new board members. Their leadership will help advance our mission of fostering lifelong partnerships with alumni and supporting the school’s growth.

Our mission includes:

• Developing programs and events to enrich alumni careers and lives.
• Celebrating the accomplishments of alumni, students and faculty.
• Promoting growth, innovation and advancement in geosciences education and research.

The new board members are:

Thomas Etzel, Ph.D. ’20 | ExxonMobil Thomas earned his Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences, focusing on the tectono-metamorphic history of western Turkey. He is now a basin and petroleum systems analyst at ExxonMobil. Thomas also holds a B.S. and M.S. in Geology from the University of Utah, where he gained experience in mineral exploration and geothermal energy.

Katherine Garcia, M.S. ’23 | ExxonMobil Katherine became a geoscientist at ExxonMobil in 2023 after earning her M.S. in Energy and Earth Resources from The University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences. She completed her undergraduate studies in Geosciences at Franklin & Marshall College and is a proud GeoFORCE alumna, advocating for initiatives that empower future geoscientists.

Alessandra Millican, B.A. ’11 | LandGate Alessandra graduated from The University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences with a B.A. in Geology in 2011 and has over 10 years of experience in the energy industry. She began her career as a geologist in the Eagle Ford Shale and is now an executive at LandGate, managing client relations and a global support team. Previously, she led the renewable energy strategy for Esri, a GIS software company, and has been recognized as a thought leader in the field.

Patricia Ascanio-Pellon, M.S. ’23 | ExxonMobil Patricia joined ExxonMobil in 2023 as an exploration geoscientist in the West Africa Established Areas team. She developed an interest in the oil and gas industry through mudlogging and internships. Patricia earned her M.S. from the Jackson School, focusing on Cuban detrital zircon geochronology and Caribbean tectonics.

Keelan Umbarger, B.S. ’15 | EOG Resources Keelan graduated from The University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences with a B.S. in Geology in 2015 and later earned an M.S. from the University of Kansas. He has been with EOG Resources for over six years, working in various roles. Since May 2024, he has been a development geologist in the Eagle Ford play in South Texas.

We welcome these outstanding professionals and look forward to their contributions in keeping our community engaged and inspired.

Learn more about Friends and Alumni Network Leadership here.