Projeo Team

Our team is rich with subject matter experts building the subsurface energy industry’s body of knowledge and enhancing stakeholder understanding of our work in a larger context. Projeo team members’ publications can be found in their individual bio.

Nick Malkewicz

President

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Nick Malkewicz

Working on CO2 geologic storage projects for more than 15 years, Nick has international and domestic management and technical expertise. Prior to founding Projeo, Nick was at Schlumberger for over a decade. He started as a wireline field engineer and led efforts to acquire technical data in oil and gas wells for operating companies. He continued on to serve roles in sales, quality engineering, project management, and business development for Carbon Services at Schlumberger.

Nick has been very involved in managing the field work components of projects, including the only operating Class VI well in the U.S. He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, an MS in Project Management from University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and PMP Certification from the Project Management Institute.

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Manzoor Khan

Senior Petroleum Engineer

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Manzoor Khan

Manzoor is a petroleum engineer with six years of wellsite oil and gas operations experience. He served as a fracturing and stimulation engineer at BJ Services, a reservoir navigation and optimization specialist at Halliburton, a data engineer in drilling & surface well logging at GEOLOG International, and as a well services engineer at National Petroleum Services. Manzoor is also a programmer and data analytics specialist versed in Python, C++, VBA, Power Shell, SQL, and Power BI.

He earned a BS in Petroleum Engineering from Colorado School of Mines, along with a minor in Business and Economics. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE), and the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS).

Kathleen Davis

Sub-surface Technical Manager

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Kathleen Davis

Kathleen recently joined Projeo Corporation as a Sub-surface Technical Manager. She is an energy and management professional who has experience leading global technical teams. Using her deep energy industry background and broad professional experience, Kathleen is adept at developing and implementing tailored strategy solutions to drive business efficiency and technical excellence.

Kathleen began her career with Shell as a geoscientist and served in various technical roles of increasing responsibility. At Noble Energy, she was a subsurface program manager and coring subject matter expert. She also served in a diverse variety of project management and technical roles with Exxon Mobil, RiverCap Holdings, and NationsBenefits as well as several start-up companies.

Kathleen has a Ph.D. in Geology from University of Michigan, and a B.S. in Geology from Georgia State University. She is a Licensed Project Management Professional (PMP)®.

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Dave Maity

Senior Data Engineer

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Dave Maity

Debotyam (Dave) Maity is a Senior Data Engineer with Projeo corporation. He has a Petroleum and Geoscience background with strong focus on technical research and development work.

Before joining Projeo, he worked with GTI Energy as a Senior Engineer in the Subsurface Technology Group for eight years. At GTI Energy, his work revolved around data analytics and machine learning, reservoir characterization, geophysical techniques, geomechanics, hydraulic fracture completions, as well as fracture diagnostics. He has been involved with various DOE-funded research projects in the hydraulic fracturing and geothermal space.

He has authored more than 30 technical papers and holds four patents in the field of hydraulic fracturing completion techniques and diagnostics.

Dr. Maity holds a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from University of Southern California and is a member of Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

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Elizabeth Gergurich

Senior Geomodeler

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Elizabeth Gergurich

Elizabeth is a Geoscientist with 7 years of Oil & Gas Industry experience. She has a strong background in reservoir characterization and geomodelling. Her time with Noble Energy was spent as a development geologist, geomodeler, and basin modeler; along with roles in project management, hazard identification, and risk analysis. At Chevron, she was the geomodeler and development geologist for the Tamar Field in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Elizabeth has a BS in Geology from the University of Arizona and an MS in Geology from the University of Oklahoma.

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Sam Kazarian

GIS and Data Technician

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Sam Kazarian

Sam is geologist filling the role of GIS and Data Technician for Projeo. They have a background in ore control at the Stillwater Mine, a world class platinum/palladium deposit in Montana. Sam's experience in critical minerals and active field sites brings important technical diversity to the Projeo team. Sam applies their experience in creative problem solving to working with complex teams to find nuanced solutions.

Sam has a Bachelors in Geological Engineering with a focus on mineral and petroleum exploration from Colorado School of Mines.

Lisa Foster

Treasurer

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Lisa Foster

Lisa serves as Treasurer for Projeo Corporation. In her role, she provides accounting and finance management and is also involved in commercial transactions.

Lisa received a BS in Accountancy from Roosevelt University and an MBA from Northern Illinois University. Lisa is on the steering committee of GTI Energy’s Women’s Professional Network (WPN) and is an active member of Women’s Energy Network—Chicago Chapter (WEN).

Jung S. Lee, JD, MBA, MA

Secretary and General Counsel

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Jung S. Lee, JD, MBA, MA

Jung serves as Secretary and General Counsel for Projeo Corporation. In his role, he advises the company on various corporate and commercial matters.

Jung received graduate degrees from the University of Chicago (A.M.) and the University of Illinois (J.D./M.B.A).

Brenda Spratling

Office Administrator

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Brenda Spratling

Brenda serves as the Office Administrator for Projeo Corporation and comes with over 30 years of comprehensive experience in both the profit and nonprofit industries. She is committed to serve Projeo’s team and their clients in a courteous and professional manner.

Brenda holds an associate degree in Computer Science and Accounting from Davenport University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Rishabh Pandey

Petroleum Engineer

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Rishabh Pandey

Rishabh is a Petroleum Engineer with Projeo Corporation. Previously he worked as a Research Assistant at the Integrated Core Characterization Center Lab for 2 years. His work focused on experimental investigation of CO₂ sequestration on geochemical properties and seal competency for CCUS and UHS. He specializes in core characterization, petrophysical measurement and interpretation. He has handled multiple industrial sponsored research projects on Huff n Puff EOR and surfactant recovery. Additionally, he also has 1.5 years’ experience as a Wireline Field Engineer with Halliburton and as a Subsurface Data Analyst with Larsen & Toubro Infotech.

Rishabh has a Master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, India. He is an active member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and Society of Petrophysics and Well Log Analysts (SPWLA).

Scott Reeves

Vice President of Corporate Development

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Scott Reeves

Scott Reeves is Vice President of Corporate Development at Projeo Corporation, where he is responsible for expanding the business in areas that include CO₂ storage, enhanced geothermal systems, hydrogen production and storage, unconventional resource development, and enhanced recovery.

His experience includes 40 years in various technical and leadership roles including with an entrepreneurial consulting firm, government and institutional research organizations, domestic operating companies, a multi-national production corporation, and a global integrated oilfield service company. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from Duke University. He is a former SPE Distinguished Lecturer on the topic of enhanced coalbed methane recovery, a recipient of the SPE Gulf Coast Section Reservoir Engineering Award, and was a United Nations Special Advisor to China on Coalbed Methane Technology.

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Patrick Brennan

Regional Geologist

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Patrick Brennan

Patrick is a regional geologist with ten years of experience in the Oil and Gas Industry. He is experienced in exploration geology with an extensive background in structural geology and basin analysis.

He began his career at Chevron Energy Technology Company as a subject matter expert in structural geology with an emphasis on seismic interpretation in structurally complex regions. At Chevron, he worked a diverse number of offshore and onshore basins across the globe. He later transitioned to the Chevron Midcontinent Business Unit where he was a regional geologist and project manager for new and emerging technologies in unconventional exploration and appraisal.

Patrick has a Ph.D. in Geology from Purdue University, and a B.S. in the Science of Earth Systems from Cornell University.

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Tyson Foutz

Senior Operations Manager

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Luz Gonzalez

Contracts Administrator

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Kellen Gunderson

Project Manager

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Tyson Foutz

Tyson assumed the role of Sr. Operations Manager at Projeo to optimize implementation of engineered solutions in the field. He has held a variety of roles in the upstream oil and gas industry and also has experience with gas processing and helium recovery. He has consulted for a wide variety of clients including major integrated producers, national oil companies, and small independent oil and gas operators. Tyson has also developed and implemented business processes for M&A transitions and startup companies.

Tyson began his oilfield career at the age of 10 helping to install cathodic protection systems with his father in the San Juan Basin. He began working on small drilling rigs at the age of 14 and spent the majority of summer and school breaks engaged in various oilfield operations through graduation from The Colorado School of Mines with a B.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering. He has worked extensively in pressure control and well control response on deep HPHT wells and legacy assets. Tyson is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Texas.

Luz Gonzalez

Luz serves as Contracts Administrator for Projeo and comes with ten years of oil and gas industry experience in contracts negotiation, strategic sourcing, procurement, and supply chain management. Prior to joining Projeo, Luz developed her career at global companies including Occidental Petroleum and SLB, where she managed negotiations for upstream operations.

Luz holds a BS in Business Administration from ICESI University, Colombia and an Advanced Management Certificate in International Purchasing and Procurement Management from Los Andes University, Colombia.

Kellen Gunderson

Kellen serves as Project Manager for Projeo and comes with rich experience directing subsurface geoscience work, managing geothermal research and technology development programs, and serving as a structural geology subject matter expert on exploration, development, and research worldwide. Prior to joining Projeo, Kellen developed his career at Zanskar Geothermal and Chevron, deepening his expertise in the technical evaluation and management of subsurface energy projects.

Kellen holds a Ph.D. in Structural Geology from Lehigh University and has several subsurface technology patents. His primary technical interests are in machine learning applications to subsurface characterization, structural geology applied to energy transition problems, carbon storage, geothermal energy, and lithium brine resources.

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Katerina Yared

Project Manager

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Andrew Becker

Project Manager

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Emre Unal

GIS Technical Writer III

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Katerina Yared

Katerina is a dedicated energy and sustainability expert with a deep-rooted passion for advancing climate impact mitigation and energy future transformation. As a project manager at Projeo Corp, she leverages her extensive background to drive sustainable solutions. Beginning her career as an LWD field engineer at Baker Hughes, Katerina has progressed through key roles such as Geoscience Manager and Petrophysicist at leading companies including Baker Hughes inc., Apache Corp., QEP Resources, and SM Energy. Her expertise also extends to consulting on key geothermal and carbon capture development projects.

Holding an M.Sc. in Geology from RWTH Aachen University, Germany and an M.Sc. in Sustainable Management from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, Katerina's academic credentials underpin her professional endeavors. Her active participation in energy-related organizations further demonstrates her commitment to the field. Notably, she is the 63rd president of the Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysis (SPWLA) and currently a director-at-large for the Energy Leadership Institute (ELI), among others. Certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and licensed as a Professional Geoscientist (PG), Katerina's qualifications speak to her leadership and dedication to fostering sustainable energy solutions.

Andrew Becker

As a project manager at Projeo Corp, Andrew Becker leverages 12 years of experience in the oil and gas industry to further decarbonization projects and advocate for the energy transition. Throughout his career, Andrew has held various positions including subsurface technical manager, project manager and geologist, working numerous basins across the U.S. His expertise encompasses a diverse range of areas including well development optimization, data acquisition and trials, geomodelling and reservoir simulation, enhanced oil recovery, produced gas storage, CCUS, and acquisition & divestiture activities.

Andrew has a M.Sc. in Geology/Tectonophysics and a B.Sc. in Geology from Texas A&M University at College Station. He is also a licensed Project Management Professional (PMP)® with a passion for developing efficient and collaborative teams.

Emre Unal

Emre has a decade of hands-on experience in the oil and gas sector, specializing as a development geologist and field development planner. Upon wrapping up his doctoral studies in carbonate stratigraphy and paleontology, he began his professional journey with Chevron in Houston Texas. Within Chevron, he served as a development geologist in the Southern African Business Unit where he played a crucial role in supporting day-to-day drilling and reservoir management activities. And later transitioned to the role of reservoir modeler at the Energy Technology Company.

Moving on to Shell, Emre took on the mantle of production geologist, lending his expertise to field development initiatives in the Appalachia and Permian Business Units. Here, he meticulously evaluated and executed risk assessment studies for both injectors and producers. His tenure with Shell also saw him spending four significant years in Petroleum Development of Oman as an expatriate, where he made substantial contributions to oil and gas operations, particularly in fractured carbonate reservoirs. Emre actively participated in the design and execution of gas oil gravity drainage wells during this period.

Emre holds a Ph.D. in Geology from Purdue University, backed by an M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Geosciences and Geological Engineering from Middle East Technical University, Turkey.

In his latest career move, Emre has joined Projeo Corporation as a GIS Technical Writer III. In this role, he aims to lend his expertise to a variety of projects, thereby contributing to the accomplishment of Projeo's low-carbon energy projects.

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Margie Gonzalez

Staff Accountant

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Brian Panetta

Principal Geologist

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Eric Robertson

Petroleum Reservoir Engineer

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Margie Gonzalez

Margie serves as a Staff Accountant for Projeo and comes with over 30 years of accounting experience in nonprofit industries. Before joining Projeo, Margie was part of the GTI Energy team serving in various accounting roles for 15 years. While at GTI Energy, Margie assisted Projeo with various accounting needs until she officially transferred over as a Projeo employee. She is committed to providing her team with her expertise and skills and is excited to be part of a growing company.

She is currently finishing her studies at Oakton College and will receive her Associates in Applied Science Accounting degree in Year 2025. She has plans to continue on and attain her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from University of Phoenix.

Brian Panetta

Dr. Panetta recently joined Projeo Corporation as a Principal Geologist. He is a petroleum geologist and subsurface expert with expertise in unconventional resources, reservoir characterization and 3D geologic modeling. Prior to coming to Projeo, Dr. Panetta was a Research Professor at West Virginia University where his primary research areas were geothermal energy, carbon sequestration and unconventional resources. He also focused on python application development for subsurface evaluation and visualization. In his 30 years of geologic experience, Dr. Panetta has worked in the petroleum industry, academia, and as a geologic consultant. He was Senior Geologist at Chesapeake Energy during the beginning of the Marcellus Shale boom. He also was a founding member of Eclipse Resources and served as Vice President of Geology. He played a major role in Eclipse’s growth from startup company to a publicly traded company on the NYSE and was responsible for the discovery of the core of the Point Pleasant shale play.

Dr. Panetta earned Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in geology from the University of Alabama, a M.S. degree in geology from the University of Kentucky, and a B.S. degree in geology from the University of South Carolina. He is a registered Professional Geologist (PG) in the states of Alabama and Pennsylvania. He is past President of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) eastern section and also served as Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. He was presented the Distinguished Service Award by the AAPG. Dr. Panetta also serves on the Advisory Board of the Department of Geosciences at the University of Alabama.

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Eric Robertson

Eric is a Petroleum Reservoir Engineer with more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry. His work with CO₂ sequestration and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) includes laboratory research, field development, and operations. His past work experience includes R&D and techno-economic evaluations at Idaho National Laboratory, reservoir simulation engineer at Shell and Baker Hughes, and designing/managing field pilots for improved recovery at the Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute.

As a licensed engineer, Eric has worked on, and approved Class VI well permit applications for sequestration of CO₂ in saline aquifers. He led the CO₂-sequestration-in-coal technical team for the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership. At the Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute, he managed the State’s CO₂-EOR involvement with CO₂ transportation and underground injection for storage and beneficial use.

Eric has a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering and Business Economics from Colorado School of Mines, and M.S. and B.S. degrees in Petroleum Engineering from University of Wyoming. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE).

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Hilary Petrizzo

Manager of Environmental, Social, Government, and Risk

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Jamiel Shelton

Engineering Technician

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Eliana Botero

Senior Engineer

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Hilary Petrizzo

Hilary Petrizzo is the Manager of Environmental, Social, Government, and Risk for Projeo Corporation. Hilary leverages her foundation as a petroleum geologist, utility project successes, and exceptional communication skills to develop well-researched, collaborative, and creative solutions.

Hilary began her career as a petroleum geologist with ExxonMobil in Houston, followed by Occidental Petroleum in California. She joined SoCalGas in 2015 as Senior Storage Field Geologist. Hilary played a key role in several critical SoCalGas efforts - the geologist for the Aliso Canyon relief well, regulatory witness for the first proposed SoCalGas hydrogen blending demonstration program, and leading SoCalGas to its’ first Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act selection via the Department of Energy's Regional Direct Air Capture Hubs program.

Hilary has a B.S. in Geology from UCLA and an M.S. in Geology from UT Austin. She is an active volunteer in her community as a Girl Scout Troop Leader, Director of the La Canada Flintridge Educational Foundation, and is on the Board of Advisors to the Chair of the UCLA Department of Earth, Space, and Planetary Sciences.

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Jamiel Shelton

Jamiel is an Engineering Technician at Projeo with 8 years of experience as a technician in different industries from local government to manufacturing. Jamiel has an Associates degree in Business and is now working on obtaining his associates applied science to transfer to a four year college.

Eliana Botero

Eliana Botero is a senior petroleum engineer with extensive experience in onshore and offshore drilling operations across South and North America. She spent six years as a Field Engineer in South America, specializing in Logging While Drilling (LWD) and Directional Drilling. Eliana brings additional expertise in the rig contractor industry from years working offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. She has also served as a Drilling Consultant for Chevron, monitoring drilling operations in real-time for the Midland Basin and the Vaca Muerta Basin in Argentina.

Eliana earned her degree from The National University of Colombia. She is now applying her wealth of oil and gas industry knowledge to advance the subsurface energy transition at Projeo.

Marielle S. Langseth

Operations Engineer

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Danielle Sontag

Senior Project Coordinator

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Ramy Saleh

Program Manager

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Marielle S. Langseth

Marielle S. Langseth has joined Projeo as an Operations Engineer.

In the last five years, Marielle has gained valuable experience as a Wireline Field Engineer in deepwater offshore Gulf of Mexico. She has collaborated closely with diverse clients, managing complex operations while prioritizing safety and efficiency in demanding environments.

Marielle earned M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

Danielle Sontag

Danielle Sontag is a project coordinator at Projeo and has a deep appreciation for green energies. She has five years of experience in the oil, gas, and utility industry and eleven years of experience in project management. Throughout her career, she’s held various roles within supply chain such as project management, change management, process/continuous improvement, planner, buyer, and subcontract administrator. She has a passion for helping others and developing and streamlining efficiencies and decreasing bottlenecks.

Danielle has a M.Sc. in Project Management from Drexel University and a B.Sc. in Supply Chain Management, Marketing Management, and Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises from Syracuse University. She also obtained a Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma.

Ramy Saleh

Ramy Saleh is a seasoned Program Manager with over 17 years of experience leading scaled projects in the public sector’s NASA Space Human Flight Program and in the private sector Fortune 500 companies including Amazon and Schlumberger (SLB). With expertise spanning the energy, space, manufacturing, and technology industries, Ramy has a proven track record of leading project management and quality organizations, managing new product development, field services engineering operations, enterprise digital transformations, and large-scale robotics & automation. Known for his strategic leadership, he has successfully introduced agile methodologies, mentored cross-functional teams, and executed complex programs with budgets exceeding millions of dollars. Ramy has also contributed to organizational growth through process improvements, cost optimizations, and stakeholder engagement.

Ramy holds an MBA from the University of Houston, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University, and a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from the Institute of Aviation Engineering and Technology. His certifications include PMP, P.E., CSSBB, CCMP, and PSM, highlighting his commitment to continuous learning and professional excellence. These qualifications, coupled with his hands-on experience, position him as a versatile leader adept at navigating technical and business challenges in dynamic environments.

Jeffrey Kaufman

Controller

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Jeffrey Kaufman

Jeffrey Kaufman is the Controller for Projeo Corporation, based in Washington, DC. He oversees the organization’s financial operations to support its overall activities and mission.

Jeffrey brings over 25 years of experience as a program manager and financial controller, including roles with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and international non-profit organizations. His work has taken him to multiple countries, including West Bank and Gaza, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Haiti.

Jeffrey is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in Virginia, USA. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from East Carolina University and a Master’s in Accounting and Taxation from George Mason University.