Our 2026 Winter Meeting Speakers
Professor Samuel Ameri , Chair of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Department, has made significant contributions to both the petroleum and natural gas industry and academia over the past four decades. Ameri is a leading expert in oil and gas production with a distinguished record of high-quality research, publications, and service. He maintains his professional engineering license and continues to be a highly-sought-after presence in industry. Ameri has led numerous academic and professional initiatives, including, most recently, the creation of a groundbreaking Master of Science program in Midstream Engineering; the first of its kind in the country. He is an active member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), and has served on various SPE committees, and has contributed to higher education quality through his service on the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), where he is currently a Board member. His leadership can be felt across the WVU Campus, where he has served on multiple governance and advisory committees, including on the WVU Faculty Senate, Governance & Welfare Committee. Ameri’s contributions have earned him numerous awards, including recognition as WVU Outstanding Professor, a Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum Engineering Faculty from SPE and the West Virginia Oil and Gas Man of the Year.
Kashy Aminian, Distinguished Professor of Petroleum & Natural Gas Engineering at West Virginia University, has over 40 years of exemplary service in both industry and academia during which he has developed significant expertise in many facets of petroleum and natural gas research, development, and application. More specifically, he has engaged in research related to unconventional natural gas resource characterization and development, natural gas production and storage, reservoir characterization and modeling, and coalbed methane development. He has published over 150 technical papers and reports including many journal articles. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1982. He worked as a reservoir engineer for Michigan Consolidated Gas Company for several years prior to joining WVU. His teaching interests include natural gas engineering and gas storage. He is a member of Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and serves on the North American Coalbed Methane Forum board of directors. He served on the Engineering Accreditation Commission and was the recipient of the Society of Petroleum Engineers “Eastern Region Service” and West Virginia University “Outstanding Teaching” awards.
Maribeth Anderson is the Director of Government Relations for Antero Resources. She came to Antero at the end of 2017, after serving in similar roles for Southwestern Energy and Chesapeake Energy since 2007. Prior to entering the energy sector, Maribeth was the news director for WSAZ Television. Maribeth has served in industry leadership roles across four states, as the former board President for the WV Oil and Natural Gas Association, the former President of the Gas and Oil Association of WV (GO-WV), and a board member of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association and the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program. In former roles, she was elected to the boards of the Oil and Gas Associations in Kentucky and Virginia. She is currently on the executive committee of the WV Chamber of Commerce. A graduate of Marshall University, Maribeth lives in Huntington with her husband and has two children in college.
Zack Arnold was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of Infinity Natural Resources, LLC in June 2017, when he also was appointed to Infinity Natural Resources Board of Managers. From 2014 to 2017, Mr. Arnold acted as the General Manager of Operations at Northeast Natural Energy. Prior to joining NNE, Mr. Arnold held various roles at Chesapeake Energy including Drilling Engineer, Completions Superintendent, and Operations Manager. Zack began his career as a Production Engineer with Chevron in Bakersfield, CA. Mr. Arnold is a graduate of Marietta College where he holds a degree in Petroleum Engineering.
John Bane is the Director of Government Affairs at EQT Corporation, the largest producer of natural gas in the United States. In this capacity he oversees EQT’s government affairs functions in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Prior to joining EQT in 2016 John worked as a contract lobbyist where he represented numerous clients across the energy value chain. Before moving to the private sector John worked in the Executive Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania and for a Member of the United States Congress. Currently John is a Board Member Ex Officio of the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia (GO-WV), Board Chairman of the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) and a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association (OOGA).
Conrad Baston has extensive work experience in various roles and companies. Conrad began his career in 2000 as a Design Engineer at Whitney Bailey Cox & Magnani, LLC, and then worked as a Project Manager at R.D. Zande & Associates from 2001 to 2002. He later joined Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas as a Staff Civil Engineer from 2002 to 2005. Baston then became the Owner of Bluerock Engineering from 2005 to 2010. In 2006, he joined WVDEP as a Dam Safety Engineer and stayed with the company until 2011. He then worked at CONSOL Energy as a Water Supply Systems Engineer from 2011 to 2013. Conrad is currently employed at Antero Resources, where he has held several roles since 2013, including General Manager Civil Engineering, Director -Water Business Unit, Director Water Operations, and currently, Director Local Sand Operations. Baston pursued his education at West Virginia University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from 1994 to 1998. He further enhanced his academic qualifications by pursuing a Master of Science (MS) degree in the same field from 1998 to 2000 at the same university.
Christian T. Beam, Vice President, Generation Project Development, leads the FirstEnergy strategy, planning and execution of large-scale, new power generation projects, including development of renewable and conventional energy projects to expand Mon Power and Potomac Edison’s generation portfolio, and help meet future needs for reliable, cost-effective and sustainable power generation. Chris joined the company April 21, 2025. Chris joined FirstEnergy from American Electric Power (AEP) where, as Executive Vice President and Senior Advisor, he oversaw generation, transmission and supply chain among other responsibilities. Serving in various executive roles throughout his 34-year tenure there, including Executive Vice President of Energy Service and President and Chief Operating Officer of Appalachian Power, Chris has extensive experience leading generation, distribution and transmission operations. As Managing Director of Projects & Construction, a role held from Nov. 2010 to Jan. 2013, he was responsible for project management of AEP’s western fleet, all new generating projects and the commissioning and construction of generation activities. Notably, Chris was instrumental in bringing the John W. Turk Jr. Coal Plant online. Chris earned a bachelor’s degree in technical management from DeVry University. He has also completed the Executive Program at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, the AEP Management Development Program at The Ohio State University and the AEP Leadership Program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Derek Cutright was named Vice President – Southwest Appalachia in October 2024. He leads multi-disciplinary teams, developing and executing strategies that cultivate a culture of safety and continuous improvement in the development and production of oil and gas. Cutright previously served as Senior Vice President of Southwest Appalachia at Southwestern Energy Company, where he joined in 2008 and held various operational leadership positions contributing to the development of the Fayetteville, Haynesville, Utica and Marcellus Shale plays. He has over 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, having worked in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. onshore and international projects with Mobil, ExxonMobil and East Resources. Cutright holds a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Marietta College and is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Marcellus Shale Coalition.
Before founding Icon Midstream in 2012, Darren Espey had already built a career working in natural gas, NGL, and condensate trading, marketing, and logistics across all regions of the US and Canada. His experience is varied and broad ranging across the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors. Darren led the commercial effort at multiple midstream companies, developing pipeline assets for producers, commercials & industrials, power generation facilities, and utilities. His experience across the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors provides him the unique knowledge to provide superior services to his clients. Icon marries natural gas commodity price economics with midstream development to provide the most economic solutions for its customers and clients. With 30 years of experience, his formidable knowledge base includes building and monetizing upstream and midstream assets, fundraising, M&A advisory, minerals management, marketing, and trading, as well as green energy asset development. His extensive industry experience also includes work with Dynegy, El Paso, Enron, UBS Warburg, Duke Energy, Constellation, National Energy & Trade, Hornet Midstream, and Eureka Midstream. Darren is a graduate of West Virginia University, with a degree in International Finance.
.
Randy Gillespie serves as Chief Commercial Officer of Mountain State Energy Holdings and Longview Power, where he leads commercial strategy, market engagement, and optimization of generation assets across competitive wholesale power markets. He was promoted to CCO in September 2020 after joining the company in 2015 as Vice President of Energy Marketing. He brings more than 25 years of experience in the power and energy sector, with deep expertise in capacity and energy markets, fuel procurement, transportation logistics, and structured commercial transactions. His experience spans early-stage development through market-facing execution, with a practical understanding of the regulatory, commercial, and market risks that influence project viability. Prior to his current role, Gillespie held senior commercial and trading positions at EquiPower Resources, Kelson Energy, Allegheny Energy Supply, Orion Power and the Energy Authority, where he developed a strong track record of delivering durable commercial outcomes in volatile market environments. Gillespie holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Clemson University and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from the University of Pittsburgh.
Chris Hall is the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at Orion Strategies, where he manages the firm’s financial and administrative operations. He has extensive experience in governmental affairs, having worked with legislators and executive branch departments across multiple administrations. Before joining Orion Strategies, he was a founding member and managing partner at TSG Consulting, a Charleston-based public relations and government affairs agency. His expertise includes writing legislation, managing professional associations, and grassroots advocacy to influence state and federal law. Chris graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in journalism, specializing in public relations, with minors in political science >and business administration.
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw is an Attorney and native of Charleston. He and his wife, Kirsten, are parents to Kathryn and Rebecca. He was educated at West Virginia University, B.S.; West Virginia University College of Law, J.D. and University of Notre Dame, Ph.D. in Chemistry. He is a member of: West Virginia State Bar; West Virginia Bar Association; West Virginia Farm Bureau; American Chemical Society; and National Association of Parliamentarians. Elected to the House from 2014 to 2020, he has served as: Speaker of the House, 83rd and 84th Legislatures; Chair, Committee on Enrolled Bills, 83rd Legislature; Vice Chair, Committee on the Judiciary, 83rd Legislature.
Scott Kjellberg serves as Director of State Government and Regulatory Affairs for Competitive Power Ventures (CPV). With over 15 years of energy policy experience in both the public and private sector, Kjellberg focuses on state and energy policy for CPV’s development and operational portfolio. Prior to joining CPV, Kjellberg was Director of Government Affairs with Algonquin Power & Utilities focused on U.S. and international electric, gas, and water utilities as well as supporting development efforts for Algonquin’s energy development subsidiary. His previous experience also includes being heavily involved in Massachusetts state energy policy serving as senior staff with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), as part of the Baker Administration, advising on issues including energy storage, alternative energy, and transportation electrification. He also worked in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Kjellberg graduated with a Politics degree from Oberlin College.
Ken Magyar has more than 40 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, with expertise in operating regulated and non-regulated energy assets, business development, acquisitions, and strategic planning. In his current role at DT Midstream, Ken is responsible for a full spectrum of business development activities in the energy arena. Specifically focusing on identifying and developing strategic commercial opportunities with natural gas supplies and industrial fuel projects with a stepped-up focus on ESG with hydrogen, carbon neutral projects, and CO2 sequestration activities. Ken has managed midstream projects from inception through construction and operations for regulated FERC & LDC pipelines, non-regulated gathering pipeline facilities and end-use fuel pipeline systems. Prior to DT Midstream, Ken served as Vice President, Project Development at DTE Energy and Vice President of Business Development at Superior Appalachian Pipeline. Ken received a Bachelor of Science in geology from Muskingum University. Ken also serves as a Board of Director with the Regional Growth Partnership of Northwest Ohio and the Shale Crescent USA team and is a member supporting many of the various energy and economic development associations in the eastern US.
Joe McGinn is the Vice President of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Energy Transfer. In his two years away from Energy Transfer, Joe was founder and principal of McGinn Public Strategies, where he worked to achieve solutions to complicated public affairs matters. Starting his career with Sunoco in 2004, he has been with the company for over a decade in various positions in the fields of community relations, communications, media relations, philanthropy, recruiting, labor relations, human resources and government affairs. His responsibilities now include public affairs, government relations, external communications, and media relations. Prior to Sunoco, Joe worked as a district representative for a US Congressman in Pennsylvania. He led outreach engagement with constituents and spoke on behalf of the congressman at public events. Joe earned a Masters Degree in Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, a BA in English from Columbia University in New York City, a Master of Government Administration certificate from Fels Institute of Government and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Joe resides in Aston, Penn. with his wife and children.
Patrick James Morrisey is the 37th governor of West Virginia. Morrisey took office on January 13, 2025. He campaigned across all 55 counties during his bid for governor, running to make West Virginia once again the shining state in the mountains. Before being elected governor, Morrisey served as West Virginia’s Attorney General since 2012. As Attorney General, Morrisey delivered some of the nation’s most significant legal victories to defend West Virginia. He prevailed in West Virginia v. EPA, which has been declared one of the most pivotal U.S. Supreme Court wins in decades. Morrisey championed major legal wins protecting West Virginians’ constitutional rights, delivering record-setting settlements against drug companies, and preserving the West Virginia way of life. Morrisey has also fought to protect the unborn, preserve Second Amendment rights, and defend girls’ sports. During his time in public service, Morrisey served as a former Chairman of the Republican Attorney Generals Association, a former Chief Counsel to the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, and an owner of his own law practice. Prior to public office, Morrisey had a distinguished legal career as a former Partner and Practice Chair at a major national law firm. Morrisey is also a former professional Tennis Umpire, and even worked the finals of the U.S. Open. Morrisey is the son of a World War II veteran and a VA registered nurse. He went on to put himself through Rutgers College and Rutgers School of Law by working multiple jobs while balancing academics and athletics. Morrisey is married to his wife and First Lady, Denise, and they have one daughter, Julia. He moved to Harpers Ferry in 2006.
Scott Potter brings over thirty years of experience in the oil & gas industry, including crude oil and natural gas trading, as well as providing consulting services on a wide array of North American and international projects. Scott began his career in the early 1980’s, working for UPG, Inc. (Northern Natural Gas’ crude oil and condensate subsidiary). From there, he co-founded Aquila Energy, which developed into one of the industry’s leading marketers of natural gas. In the mid – 1990s, Scott joined Rusty Braziel as Texaco’s Vice President of Natural Gas Trading. Scott also spent time working with Rusty Braziel at Altra Energy, leading a team responsible for delivering Altra software to international clients, including Pemex, Mexico’s state owned oil company. Scott’s love for travel is a central part of his life, as he finds great joy in exploring new places and experiencing different cultures. When he’s not planning his next adventure, Scott enjoys listening to Fleetwood Mac, with a special appreciation for Stevie Nicks’ music.
Nicholas S. Preservati is the Deputy Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Commerce, Director of the West Virginia Office of Energy, and Chairman of the West Virginia Public Energy Authority. With 30 years of experience in energy law, he has held senior legal roles at top law firms, American Electric Power, and other energy companies. Recognized by Chambers, USA and nominated for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, Nicholas has earned an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Nicholas holds a Master of Science in Energy Policy and Climate from John Hopkins University, a Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame. A respected leader in energy and regulatory affairs, Nicholas leverages his legal and industry expertise to drive innovation, business development, and strategic growth for West Virginia.
Senate President and Lieutenant Governor Randy Smith is a graduate of East Preston High School and was born in Oakland, Md., as the son of George and Iola Clem Smith. He grew up to be a coal miner in West Virginia. He and his wife, Patty, have a daughter and son-in-law, Amy J. and Tim Wotring, and a son and daughter-in-law, R. Scott Smith and Beth. He is a member of the National Rifle Association, Brookside Church of the Brethren, FFA Alumni Assoc., and CTE Advisory Board.
Dr. Jennifer Vieweg is Director of Strategic Initiatives and Corporate Citizenship at Greylock Energy, where she is responsible for developing and executing public and community relations strategies and outreach efforts; managing internal and external messaging and engagement; corporate sponsorships; leading professional and leadership development and spearheading the company’s ESG initiatives. Prior to joining Greylock, she served as Corporate Affairs Manager with Energy Corporation America. She also worked 12 years with Charles Ryan Associates, a Charleston, W.Va.-based strategic communications firm, where she served as Vice President of Client Service. During her tenure, Vieweg headed account teams for a wide variety of clients in energy, manufacturing, chemicals, insurance, banking, tourism, and many other industries. Vieweg holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications: Advertising from Florida State University, a Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies: Organizational Communication from Marshall University and a Doctorate of Executive Leadership from the University of Charleston. She is an adjunct professor with Wake Forest University and has also taught at the University of Charleston. Vieweg is past-president of the board for the YWCA-Charleston, where she led strategic planning efforts and the CEO Search Committee. She is also a member of the executive board for the Chemical Alliance Zone, is Investment Committee co-chair for the Gas and Oil Association of WV (GO-WV), a member of the board for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, a board member of Girl Scouts of the Black Diamond, and a long-time member of the Charleston Area Alliance’s Community Relations Team. She served as chapter
co-chair for Women for Economic and Leadership Development-Charleston and as a member of the board for the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA), the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk Executive Leadership Team, the Education Elevators board of directors, and is a graduate of Leadership West Virginia.
Chris Weikle was born in Charleston, West Virginia in 1981 to the wonderful parents of Phil Weikle and Debbie Phillips. Chris went on to grow up in Teays Valley where he lumbered through the Putnam County school system graduating from Winfield in 1999. Chris then spent eight great years in Morgantown attending West Virginia University. While eight years seems like a lot, he did go on to graduate in 2003 with a B.S. in Political Science and in 2007 with a J.D. from West Virginia University. After graduating law school Chris left West Virginia for a year to live in the coastal Charleston. He quickly realized the error of his ways and returned to West Virginia to work in the legislature for the Joint Committee on Government and Finance. After that Chris was proud to work on the campaign and then serve in Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s administration as Deputy Director of Public Policy. While in the governor’s office, Chris dedicated himself to education, energy and government efficiency. Chris reluctantly left the Governor’s office to join LGCR Government Solutions as the Deputy Director of Government Relations and Advocacy. At this firm he represented clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small non-profits. Chris is now Director of Government Affairs for Expand Energy Corporation. He formerly held a similar position with Southwestern Energy. He has served on the Board of Directors at WVONGA, IOGA-WV and GO-WV. He has been married to his wife Kelly Matheney Weikle for over a decade and their two magnificent kids, Ainsley Jane and Landon Arlo keep Kelly and Chris on their toes.
