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AGI Welcomes 2026 Board of Directors

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) welcomes new members to the AGI Board of Directors and congratulates Claudia Mora as she takes office as AGI President. New and outgoing members of the Board of Directors are being recognized during the Friends of AGI Reception on October 20 at the Geological Society of America’s GSA Connects 2025 meeting.

AGI welcomes the following members to their new roles on the Board of Directors:

  • Doug Bartlett (Scottsdale, Arizona) - President Elect, 2023-2025 Treasurer
  • Matthew Rhoades (Overland Park, Kansas) - Treasurer
  • Emily B. Cahoon (Charlotte, North Carolina) - Member at Large

The new President, Claudia Mora, serves as Dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin. Previously, she held positions as Deputy Division Leader (Chemistry) and Group Leader (Earth and Environmental Sciences) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (2007-2020) and as faculty and Department Head (Earth and Planetary Sciences) at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Mora has served in many leadership roles, as past president of the Geological Society of America (GSA), councilor for the International Union of Geological Sciences, member of two U.S. National Committees, the National Science Foundation GEO Advisory Board, National Academy of Sciences Boards (BESR and DELS), and on the Governance Advisory Committee of the Science Foundation of Ireland Research Centre in Applied Geosciences. Mora is a member of GSA, the American Geophysical Union, and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). She earned geology degrees from the University of New Mexico (BS), Rice University (MS) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Ph.D., Distinguished Alumnus).

The new President Elect, Doug Bartlett is principal hydrogeologist and co-founder of Clear Creek Associates, a subsidiary of Geo-Logic Associates. Bartlett has more than 45 years of experience as a geologist and hydrogeologist with diverse experience in groundwater computer modeling, hydrogeologic investigations, and mining-related hydrogeologic services. He was a contributing author to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Environmental and Water Resources Institute (ASCE/EWRI) recent publication, “Standard Guidelines for Managed Aquifer Recharge.” He is also former National President and Treasurer of the American Institute of Professional Geologists.

The new Treasurer, Matthew Rhoades, CPG, RG, is an economic geologist and Lead Geologist at WSP, bringing decades of experience across industry, government, and consulting. His work spans geologic, hydrogeologic, permitting, and exploration program management in mineral and resource development. He previously served as State Geologist of New Mexico and Director of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources. He is a former President (2022) and Treasurer (2019–2020) of the American Institute of Professional Geologists, as well as a member of the Society of Exploration Geologists. Holding an M.Sc. in Structural Geology and an MBA, Rhoades blends technical and business expertise to manage complex projects, mentor emerging geoscientists, and promote professional growth in the geosciences.

Member at Large, Emily B. Cahoon, is a geochemist, petrologist, mineralogist, and volcanologist specializing in the geochemistry of volcanic terranes and magmatic processes through time. She holds advanced degrees in geology with an MS from Washington State University and a PhD from Portland State University, as well as a professional license as a Registered Geologist in Oregon. Cahoon has 15 years of geological research and work experience in mineral resources, geoanalytical techniques and instrumentation, and environmental consulting. Her research interests are motivated by innovative topics that consider global societal needs and energy transitions/solutions, including a variety of ore deposit types and carbon removal methodologies. She is also passionate about science communication and increasing representation of historically excluded individuals in decision making spaces.

Continuing on the AGI Board of Directors are Past President Anna C. Shaughnessy, Secretary Maria Angela Capello, Member at Large Shirley Jackson, and Member at Large Dawn Garcia.

Finally, AGI deeply thanks its outgoing Board of Directors members for their dedication and service to AGI:

  • Keri A. Nutter, (DOWL, Anchorage, Alaska) - retiring Past President
  • Sandra Carlson, (University of California, Davis) - retiring Member at Large

Learn more about the 2024-25 Board of Directors on the AGI website.

About AGI

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI), a federation of scientific and professional organizations representing over a quarter-million geoscientists, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to serving the geoscience community and addressing the geoscience needs of society. AGI headquarters are in Alexandria, Virginia.

Contact: Geoff Camphire, AGI Communications gac@americangeosciences.org