Working together for our

Greg Wessel, Founder and President

Dr. Wessel holds degrees in Geology from Colorado School of Mines (PhD) and the University of Missouri-Rolla (BSc and MSc; now called the Missouri University of Science and Technology). He is also licensed in the State of Washington as an Engineering Geologist. Dr. Wessel has over 40 years of experience in metals and industrial minerals exploration, geologic hazard abatement and environmental restoration, geotechnical applications and mapping of geologic hazards, the development of agricultural minerals (sulfur and potash) in Texas, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia, and the recovery of magnesium salts (for metal production) in Russia. He has specialized in geologic mapping and structural geology and has mapped large areas of the southwestern United States and the Altiplano of Bolivia using aerial photography and extensive field work. Dr. Wessel has authored or co-authored over 25 articles and abstracts, including maps available from the Washington Geological Survey, the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, and a widely used educational chart available from the Geological Society of America entitled The Geology of Plate Tectonics. He is a tireless advocate for sustainability using full-cost accounting, especially as applied to the exploitation of natural resources.

Jeffrey K. Greenberg, Vice President

Dr. Greenberg recently retired as Professor of Geology from Wheaton College (Illinois), where from 1986 to 2018 he taught classes in physical, historical, environmental, structural and field geology, petrology, geochemistry, and geophysics.  Dr. Greenberg received his PhD in Geology in 1978 from the University of North Carolina and his MS in 1975 from the University of Kentucky. He received his BS in Geology from Florida State University in 1973. Jeff has authored numerous publications, including geologic and geophysical maps of parts of Kentucky and Wisconsin, field trip guidebooks, and articles on Precambrian geology, igneous petrology, and most recently religious faith as a motivation in using geosciences to develop a sustainable future.  He is a respected authority on geophilanthropy, both in general and as applied by him and his students in a variety of service projects in Europe and Africa. Dr. Greenberg has organized student missions projects (typically applying geoscience and engineering to service the public good) in South Africa, Tanzania, Kosovo, and Haiti, and served as the Human Needs and Global Resources advisor at Wheaton for a number of nations in the developing world. His research interests range from the application of appropriate technology in community development in impoverished areas to the tectonics of the southern Appalachians.

J. Erik Tilman, Board Chairman

Mr. Tilman holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla (now called the Missouri University of Science and Technology). He has 30 years of experience with design and manufacturing in the electronics industry, including a long record with Hewlett Packard Corporation in Loveland, Colorado and Lake Stevens, Washington, and he recently retired from a position as a mechanical engineer for The Boeing Company where he designed components of commercial aircraft. Mr. Tilman is also on the Board of Directors of the Centennial Trail Coalition of Snohomish County, a non-profit organization that assists Snohomish County Parks by advocating for and promoting long distance recreation trails for pedestrians, bicyclists, and equestrians.

Ernesto O. Cordero

Prof. Ernesto O. Cordero, PhD, has more than a decade of experience in research, specifically in the fields of Business Administration, Interdisciplinary Research on Contemporary Social Issues (Environment, Migration, Marginalized Sectors, and Sustainability) with academic specialization on Applied Economics and Business, Market and Consumer Research, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, and Good Governance and Interdisciplinarity. Currently, he is the project leader of the organizational development of “Global Sustainable Futures- Progress through Partnership Network in the United Kingdom” and the Country Coordinator for Canada.

Prof. Cordero has extensive Senior Corporate Executive Management experience (Chartered Manager/Fellow in Canada, USA, UK) for more than 20 years while teaching and working as a Management Consultant. Later in his career, he received a Meritorious Honor Award from the US Department of State for his work as the Operations Head of the Consular Section of the Immigrant Visas Bureau.

Arthur Reis

Mr. Reis holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Applied Geophysics from the University of California – Berkeley and is a licensed Geophysicist in the State of Texas.  He is a Systems Engineering Program Manager at Aeva in Mountain View, California and develops Lidar and perception sensors with applications in autonomous vehicles, industrial metrology, and robotics.  Prior to this, he worked in hardware development for consumer electronics and before that developed and modernized renewable generation with electric power producers such as Xcel Energy, PG&E, SoCal Edison, PacifiCorp, and technology partners such as ABB, Rockwell, Siemens, Alstom, Honeywell, Toshiba, and GE.  He also worked for 3 years as a geophysical engineer supporting the development of instrumentation and structures for military customers in the USA and overseas.  He is passionate about environmental preservation and development that is respectful of natural hazards.

Justin Samuel

Mr. Samuel is a Vermont-based licensed professional geologist and science communication professional with a background in environmental consulting, regulatory compliance, and natural hazard mitigation. He holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of Arkansas Little Rock. Following eight years of environmental consulting work across a variety of industry sectors, Mr. Samuel joined the staff at the Geological Society of America where he has worked as a communications manager for the last decade. As a member of the GPI Board of Directors his goal is to help inspire and enhance public recognition of the critical importance of our science to societal needs and Earth stewardship. Mr. Samuel is also excited to propel GPI’s diversity, equity, inclusion efforts, and continue to honor social and cultural contexts as the organization works to advance global resilience and sustainability.

Ted Smith

Dr. Ted Smith has 30 years of experience in State government as a scientist, administrator, and manager, mostly with the California Geological Survey (CGS). Following 14 years of scientific work, Ted served CGS by overseeing personnel, contracts, and its $14 million budget as well as advising on geology-related legislation. He led the creation of the California’s Division of Mine Reclamation and outreach efforts of California’s Seismic Hazards Mapping Program. Later he was promoted to supervise CGS’s publishing and outreach unit. He is a licensed Professional Geologist and Certified Engineering Geologist in California. After “retiring” from California State service, Ted earned a Ph.D. in education, specializing in online education. For the past 18 years, Ted has been teaching environmental science and geography courses for Baker College (located in Michigan) and other schools. He has authored more than 130 published works, mostly about California’s geology and geologic hazards.