Our Team

The ESfS organizing committee members are all geoscience volunteers.

Are you a passionate and energetic geoscience volunteer and would like to increase your involvement in a fun and rewarding initiative? The ESfS team is working on organizing a successful ESfS event and we are looking for volunteers to deliver the program. The next Earth Science for Society Exhibition in Calgary is March 15-17, 2026.

If you are interested or would like more details, contact us at esfscanada@gmail.com or click on the button below to sign up with the ESfS 2026 Organizing Committee:

Organizing Committee Sign-up Form

 

ESfS 2026 Organizing Committee

Organizing Committee Chair – Julia Davison

Julia Davison is a professional geologist working as an energy analyst with NRG and consulting in geoscience. She has a M.B.A. and M.Sc. in geology from the University of Calgary and her B.Sc. in geology is from UBC, Vancouver. Julia has studied and worked on a range of interesting onshore and offshore Canadian and global petroleum basins, carbon capture, geothermal potential and renewable natural gas. After volunteering as an ESfS guide in 2016, Julia acted as the Sponsorship Chair (2017-2019 and 2022) and chaired the inaugural ESfS-in-Motion Science Odyssey event in 2018. She has been ESfS Chair since 2023. She is looking forward to working with a great team and building another fantastic, educational ESfS exhibition in 2026.

The Chair is responsible for the overall coordination of ESfS, including project management, meetings and minutes and status reports to the team and to the CSEG Foundation. She keeps things organized and on-track to ensure the success of ESfS.

Subcommittees

Venue & Logistics Chair – Melissa Sawyer

Melissa is a professional geologist who is currently working at a natural gas company as an area geologist. She has seven years of experience in the industry. She has an M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Calgary in micropaleontology and biostratigraphy. Melissa first volunteered with ESfS as a university student back in 2014 where she was one of the guides and helped with the trilobite booth. Seeing the curiosity and enjoyment of the attendees first hand prompted Melissa to join the planning committee. The following year she was a part of the sponsorship committee and later went on to work with Exhibits and eventually was the Exhibits Chair for several years. Melissa is proud to be part of such a dedicated and hard working team bringing this very important educational event to children and families each year!

The Venue & Logistics committee coordinates our venue and logistics needs. The team is responsible for booking the facility and on-site goods and services, coordinating the ESfS on-site space, security, and emergency response requirements, and establishing designated staging areas for schools and buses.

Venue & Logistics committee: Melissa Sawyer

Past Chair: Jeff Allison (Advisor)

Sponsorship Chair – Natasha Morris and Vice-Chair – Melissa Sawyer

Kimberlites, volcanics, carbonates, siliciclastics… You can’t find a rock Natasha doesn’t want to know more about! Natasha is a U of C graduate and has worked on a wide range of deposits- economic to hydrocarbon plays, that span largely across North America from the Arctic Circle to the Permian Basin. She currently works as a Geoscientist for E3 Lithium, proving up one of the largest lithium brine plays globally, here in Alberta. Natasha first volunteered with ESfS in 2014 with the Burgess Shale Foundation booth, and in 2022 joined the sponsorship committee. Being able to connect with the public and knowledge share is fundamental for all types of growth, Natasha says. When Natasha isn’t working, she’s a ‘stay outside mum’ trying her best to imprint her love of rocks onto her two kids and Border Collie.

Melissa is a professional geologist who is currently working at a natural gas company as an area geologist. She has seven years of experience in the industry. She has an M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Calgary in micropaleontology and biostratigraphy. Melissa first volunteered with ESfS as a university student back in 2014 where she was one of the guides and helped with the trilobite booth. Seeing the curiosity and enjoyment of the attendees first hand prompted Melissa to join the planning committee. The following year she was a part of the sponsorship committee and later went on to work with Exhibits and eventually was the Exhibits Chair for several years. Melissa is proud to be part of such a dedicated and hard working team bringing this very important educational event to children and families each year!

The Sponsorship committee is responsible for leading the team to solicit funds from organizations – donations which allow ESfS to remain financially accessible to the targeted school and youth group audiences. Along with soliciting sponsorship funds, the team helps prepare the sponsorship brochure, tracks sponsorship and exhibitor progress, applies for grants, ensures sponsor recognition before and during the event, and helps coordinate the post-event Thank-you mail out.

Sponsorship committee: Natasha Morris, Melissa Sawyer, Pam Pribilovic, Marielle Hopf

Exhibits Chair – John Duhault and Vice-Chair – Greg Edwards

John is an exploration geophysicist with over 44 years of energy industry experience, including over 50,000 hours as a geoscience interpreter in Canada and internationally. He is passionate about teaching the value of integrated geophysics through the storytelling of case histories. He has presented technical papers in North America, Europe, and New Zealand. He has discovered significant oil and gas reserves for senior exploration companies and numerous junior independents. He founded and led two private junior oil and gas companies. Mr. Duhault is the President of Starbird Enterprises, an interpretation and training company. He is Vice Chair of the SEG and a past President of the CSEG. He graduated from the University of Manitoba with a BSc in Geological Engineering. He loves rocks and the stories they can tell!

Greg is a professional geologist who graduated from the University of Calgary with a petroleum geoscience specialization. He has worked as a geologist in the energy industry for over 10 years, specializing in reservoir characterization and geological modeling and has had the opportunity to apply his skills across several basins globally. He now works at Entropy Inc. where his focus is on the safe and feasible sequestration of CO2 in North America. He has previously volunteered with ESfS on the exhibits committee.

The Exhibits committee is responsible for inviting exhibitors to ESfS to ensure a fun and dynamic exhibition. The team helps prepare the Exhibitor brochure content, solicits for ESfS exhibitors, develops the pavilion and exhibitor floor plan, compiles exhibitor requirements for venue and logistics, prepares the exhibitor kit, coordinates the exhibitor summary, coordinates on-site assistance, compiles the exhibitor feedback surveys, and contributes to the post-event Thank-you booklet.

Exhibits committee: John Duhault, Greg Edwards

Marketing Chair – Hunter Brett

Hunter is a Professional Geologist with 7 years of experience in critical minerals mining, energy advisory, and carbon management fields. He graduated from the University of Calgary in 2017 with a degree in Geology. During his career, he has worked at the Brucejack Mine in the ‘Golden Triangle’, situated in NW British Columbia. In 2024, has graduated from the University of Calgary with a Masters in Sustainable Energy Development. Currently, he works with Sproule ERCE in their Low Carbon Solutions team, helping advise clients on strategic decarbonization pathways, specializing in Carbon, Capture, Utilization and Storage projects. Hunter is a returning member of the ESfS team, taking on the Marketing Chair role, and is excited to be involved with this team and organization.

The Marketing committee develops the marketing and communication plan, works with the marketing team and other committees to prepare all collateral material and advertising, coordinates with other technical societies, connects with external youth groups, coordinates all branded material, ensures consistent ESfS branding and communication, manages social media accounts and communication, prepares newsletters, coordinates on-site signage, develops and compiles feedback surveys, manages photography requirements, prepares materials for the days-of-event welcoming committee, and coordinates the post-event Thank-you mailout.

Marketing committee: Hunter Brett, Ariana Pumo, Annette Milbradt

Past Co-Chair: Renu Sahota (Advisor)

Volunteers Chair – David Karran

David is a professional Geophysicist with 8 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He graduated from the University of Calgary with a degree in Geophysics. Throughout his career, he has provided technical support, training services, and consulting to Geoscience organizations around the world. After taking time away from the industry to pursue an education in Brewery Operations Management, he has recently taken an account management role at a Geoscience Information Management company in the mining industry. He is excited to be a part of the ESfS team for the 2026 exhibition and looks forward to working with such a great group of volunteers.

The Volunteer committee is responsible for coordinating event volunteers, which includes preparing and managing the volunteer schedule, preparing volunteer reference documents, coordinating volunteer on-site requirements, providing on-site briefing, recognizing volunteer efforts, and reporting volunteer statistics.

Volunteers committee: David Karran

Program Delivery Chair – Helen Isaac

Helen has a Ph.D in Geophysics and worked in the oil industry and at the University of Calgary, specializing in seismic data processing and interpretation with integration of geologic data. Helen has been a very active volunteer with the CSEG for many years, serving as a Director for the CSEG Foundation, on the CSEG Executive, and on the Recorder and Outreach committees. In 2023 she was awarded the CSEG’s Roy O. Lindseth Medal for outstanding contributions to the science of exploration geophysics. She has been deeply committed to ESfS since its inception in 2010.

The Program Delivery committee is responsible for coordinating all aspects of student and youth group visits, including group sign-ups and communications, rotation schedules and volunteer guide requirements, buses and school packages. The team creates the Scavenger Hunt Booklets and compiles educational resources for teachers and youth group leaders.

Program Delivery committee: Helen Isaac

Budget & Finance Chair – Annette Milbradt

Annette is a retired Geophysicist, interested in geoscience outreach. She served six years as a Director for the CSEG Foundation as Outreach Director, Treasurer, Secretary, and more. She has been involved with ESfS since it started in 2010. She finds working with fellow enthusiastic organizing committee volunteers and days-of-event volunteers on this amazing educational STEM event is fun and tremendously rewarding.

The Budget & Finance committee is responsible for preparing the budget, assisting with coding payables, and tracking revenues and expenses to ensure that ESfS stays on budget. The team coordinates with committees to manage financial processes and transactions.

Budget & Finance committee: Annette Milbradt

Past Vice-Chair: Cathy Martin (Advisor)

Speakers Chair – Marielle Hopf and Vice-Chair – Natasha Morris

Marielle is a geologist with 10 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Marielle has worked in a wide range of roles throughout the years from pipeline decommissioning and reclamation, to operations geology, both conventional and unconventional geological assets and even dipping her toes into the lithium brine space! Marielle is graduating from volunteering at the ESfS event to becoming a Vice-Chair on the Speakers committee. She is passionate about sharing geology and the multitude of important roles that geoscientists play in society, with the geoscientists of the future!

Kimberlites, volcanics, carbonates, siliciclastics… You can’t find a rock Natasha doesn’t want to know more about! Natasha is a U of C graduate and has worked on a wide range of deposits- economic to hydrocarbon plays, that span largely across North America from the Arctic Circle to the Permian Basin. She currently works as a Geoscientist for E3 Lithium, proving up one of the largest lithium brine plays globally, here in Alberta. Natasha first volunteered with ESfS in 2014 with the Burgess Shale Foundation booth, and in 2022 joined the sponsorship committee. Being able to connect with the public and knowledge share is fundamental for all types of growth, Natasha says. When Natasha isn’t working, she’s a ‘stay outside mum’ trying her best to imprint her love of rocks onto her two kids and Border Collie.

Speakers committee: Marielle Hopf, Natasha Morris

The Speakers committee is responsible for coordinating family-friendly geoscience presentations of general interest that take place in the Geo-Theatre on the Sunday of ESfS.

ESfS in Motion Chair – Lorraine Stratkotter

Lorraine Stratkotter obtained a Bachelor of Science degree specializing in Geology from the University of Alberta. Her work experience began in the oil and gas industry and focused predominantly in the evaluation of Western Canada’s conventional and unconventional plays. Currently, she is a consultant for the Geological Survey of Canada and in her spare time she is meandering her way towards a PhD in Geoarchaeology. Lorraine has been active over the years in sharing her love of the natural world with her three children, two grandchildren as well as as a Girl Guide Leader, Scout Leader, school parent volunteer, APEGA volunteer and member of the Archaeological Society of Alberta and the Alberta Paleontological Society. Lorraine volunteered at the ESfS November 2022 Exhibition and joined the ESfS organizing committee in 2023.

The ESfS in Motion committee organizes the Yukon Dan gold panning exhibit, the ESfS Fossil station, and the Geoscience Activity tables at ESfS every March.

ESfS developed travelling exhibits that we can take to science education and outreach events or add as a booth at ESfS. We participated in Science Odyssey in 2017, 2018, & 2019, Science Literacy Week in 2018 & 2019, the APEGA Rock & Fossil Clinic in 2022, Science Olympics in 2024, National Geographic Live in 2025, and the Calgary Rock and Lapidary Club Rock & Mineral Show in 2025.

The ESfS in Motion travelling exhibits showcase four fun and interactive stations: the Explore Space Station, the Trilobite Fossil Station, the Rock Cycle Station and the Our Changing World Station. Visitors investigate space travel and our solar system at the Explore Space Station. The Trilobite Fossil Station allows participants to touch, identify and classify trilobite fossils. The Rock Cycle Station has sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks and mineral samples to examine. The Our Changing World Station has activities related to plate tectonics and seismic methods.

ESfS in Motion committee: Lorraine Stratkotter, Enisha Bhangoo

ESfS Administrators – Alyssa Middleton and Annette Milbradt

The ESfS Administrators manage bookings, accounts & contracts (venue, suppliers, buses, marketing) on behalf of the CSEG Foundation, send invoices and records payments, track and manage receivables, ensure payment of expenses by credit card, and provide support for orders – venue, venue suppliers, buses, schools, exhibitors, sponsors, student and educator materials, volunteers and volunteer materials, printing, and media/marketing.