Team Members

Jill R. Haizlip – President

Principal Geochemist

Ms. Haizlip has over 30 years of professional experience in the fields of geothermal resource evaluation, geology and hydrogeochemistry applied to a variety of geothermal exploration; resource assessment, testing and characterization; and development projects. After 15 years as a successful Principal Partner of Geologica, Inc, Ms. Haizlip founded Geologica Geothermal Group in late 2014 in order to continue and expand on the success and capabilities of the Geologica Geothermal Team. Her expertise in chemistry of geothermal fluids is applied to geothermal resource development in: reservoir characterization and temperatures, non-condensable gases, scaling and corrosion, hydrogen sulfide abatement, steam treatment and other geochemical considerations. She has worked extensively with multi-disciplinary teams to develop conceptual and numerical models of geothermal systems as a basis for geothermal development planning and decision making and has managed comprehensive geothermal resource development projects. Ms. Haizlip has extensive experience working on development of geothermal systems worldwide including Djibouti, Indonesia, Kenya, Zambia, Turkey, Caribbean; as well as The Geysers, the Salton Sea, Nevada and other geothermal resources in the Western US.

Amanda Fishbin

Project Geoscientist – GIS/Geology

Ms. Fishbin joined Geologica Geothermal Group in 2016 after receiving a Bachelor’s Degree from Middlebury College in Geology and a minor in Environmental Studies.  She has provided resource analysis on a wide variety of geothermal systems, primarily through computer-based GIS mapping, the analysis of geothermal geochemistry, and geologic interpretation.  She has also provided assistance with reservoir data collection and well testing.

Gabe Matson

Project Geoscientist – Geophysics/GIS

Gabriel Matson has been with Geologica Geothermal Group since September 2018 and has been working in the geoscience field for the past seven years. With his background in geology, geophysics, and mathematics, Mr. Matson specializes in support for geothermal exploration and resource assessment projects including developing site conceptual models, geophysical data processing and analysis, well testing and analysis, and computer-based mapping. Additionally, Mr. Matson has field experience in potential field (gravity and magnetics) mapping, magnetotellurics, geologic mapping, and sampling.

Leland Davis – Vice President, Operations

Senior Geoscientist

Mr. Davis is the Vice President of Operations and a Senior Project Manager and Geoscientist with more than 13 years’ experience in the geothermal and environmental remediation industries. Mr. Davis first joined Geologica, Inc as a Staff Geoscientist in early 2008 after receiving his Bachelor’s Degree from Middlebury College in Environmental Studies and a minor in Geology. In late 2014, Mr. Davis joined Ms. Haizlip in forming Geologica Geothermal Group, first as Operations Manager and then Vice President of Operations. Since joining the Geologica team he has focused his professional time working on the exploration and development of geothermal resources, and occasionally, environmental remediation activities. His primary expertise is in well test planning, implementation, and evaluation. He specializes in reservoir data collection and resource analysis including computer-based GIS mapping and conceptual modelling. He is experienced in both ArcGIS and Rockworks software packages. He has provided key technical support on geothermal resource assessments, feasibility studies, and wellfield management, as well as planning and execution related to well testing, resource data collection, and environmental compliance. His broad work experience across multiple disciplines in 10+ years with Geologica provides a practical understanding of all facets of geothermal development including geology, geophysics, geochemistry, conceptual modeling, well targeting and design, reservoir engineering, and power plant design. Mr. Davis recently completed his Master’s degree in Business Administration in early 2020.

Nicholas Hinz – Vice President, Geoscience

Principal Geologist

Mr. Hinz is the Vice President of Geoscience and a Principal Geologist with more than 20 years of field-based experience with structural geology and geothermal projects located throughout North America, East Africa, Turkey, Asia, and the Caribbean. Mr. Hinz joined the Geologica Team in 2018 after more than 10 years as a Research Associate at University of Nevada, Reno and the Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy. His past industry experiences have included broad regional assessments and evaluations of individual resources, including both volcano-hosted and fault-hosted resources. He specializes in detailed geologic mapping and stress calculations for the purpose of characterizing fracture permeability, refining conceptual models, and well targeting. Mr. Hinz has completed projects in a variety of environments and geologic settings including volcanic arcs, rifts, and along continental strike-slip fault zones. He has published extensively on geologic and geothermal topics, frequently leads field trips for professional organizations and assists with geothermal training workshops.

Jesse Turk

Project Geoscientist – Geology

Mr. Turk has over seven years of experience as a geologist working in the geothermal and energy industries throughout the country. Mr. Turk holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geology from the University of Pittsburgh and joins the Geologica Team after receiving a Post Graduate Certificate from the University of Auckland in Geothermal Energy Technology. During his post graduate studies, he received a First in Course Award for his Geothermal Project paper. He has experience in well targeting, field mapping, conceptual modeling, resource capacity estimation, wellsite geology, site management, well testing, geophysical surveying, GIS mapping, fluid sampling, and geochemical evaluations. He has published in geothermal conferences and taught wellsite personnel geothermal topics.

Janice Lopeman

Project Geologist

Ms. Lopeman is a Project Geologist with more than 10 years of geothermal experience. Her interest in geothermal energy began as a student at the University of Nevada, Reno working at the Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy collecting spring and well samples throughout Northern Nevada. After graduating with her Bachelor’s Degree in Geology, Ms. Lopeman began her professional career assessing and developing geothermal reservoirs filling multiple roles from project geologist, to public liaison, to drilling engineer. She also has experience in performing well tests, project management, and contract management. Throughout her career she has encouraged accurate data collection and retention, implementing a well site information system (RIMBase) for both active and historic drilling records. Even though she has worn multiple hats, her primary focus is in geologic assessment and drilling engineering, combining the two areas of expertise to safely design and target observation, slim, and full-size wells.

Alex Milton

Staff Geologist

Alex Milton is a Staff Geologist and joined Geologica in mid-2020 after four years of experience in the mineral exploration field. During this time, he worked on several epithermal systems throughout the U.S. He received a B.S. in Geology from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. He utilizes his experience to progress geothermal exploration via conceptual models, surface mapping, logging of cuttings, geochemical sampling, and well testing.

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Zach Brown

Staff Geoscientist

Zach Brown joined Geologica in May of 2020 as a Staff Geoscientist. He received a B.A. in Geology from the University of Colorado at Boulder where he focused on natural hazards and geomorphology. Before coming to Geologica Mr. Brown worked in the oil and gas sector as a well-site geologist and geo-steering consultant. He has experience in geochemical sampling, cuttings and core analysis, drill site operations and geologic field mapping.

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Carmen Winn, Ph.D.

Staff Geoscientist

Dr. Carmen Winn joined the Geologica Team in July, 2022 as a Staff Geoscientist after spending two years as a Postdoctoral Appointee in the Geothermal Research Program at Sandia National Laboratories. She holds a Ph.D. in Geoscience from the University of New Mexico, where her multidisciplinary research focused on large-scale landscape evolution models of the southwestern US and on geochemical analyses of thermal springs on the Tibetan Plateau. She also holds a B.S. in Geology from Northern Arizona University and has published on her doctoral research and geothermal research conducted at Sandia National Laboratories. Dr. Winn has a broad range of experience in the geosciences, including geothermal research, conceptual and inverse modeling, GIS and field mapping, geochemical sampling and analysis, and geophysical data collection and interpretation.

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Paul Fechko

Office Manager, Geoscience Technician

Paul Fechko joined Geologica in mid-2020 as an Assistant Office Manager and Geoscience Technician. With a B.S. in Geophysics and a minor in Physics from the University of Washington, he focused on igneous petrology, continuum mechanics, volcanism, and mapping fold-and-thrust belts. Previous experience across engineering, management, and operational roles sees him supporting day-to-day operations and helping with projects in varying capacities.

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Dr. Sabodh Garg – Vice President, Reservoir Engineering

Principal Reservoir Engineer

Dr. Sabodh Garg joined the Geologica Team in 2019 as Vice President ofReservoir Engineering and Principal Reservoir Engineer at Geologica. He has collaborated with Geologica on numerous projects over the last 10 years through his previous position as program manager of resource technology for Leidos and Science Applications International Corporation – SAIC. He has been an active participant in geothermal R&D since the mid-1970’s and specializes in geothermal reservoir engineering, geophysical survey interpretation, resource assessment, and development planning. He has carried out technical studies in geothermal reservoir mechanics, pressure transient analysis, multi-phase non-isothermal flow, rock mechanics, and the behavior of geopressured reservoirs. Dr. Garg has served on numerous geothermal and energy-related boards and panels, including Geothermics, Energy Sources, U.S. Academy of Sciences, and DOE review panels, and is recipient of the GRC Special Achievement Award (2001), the GRC 2003 Joseph W. Aidlin Award, and the GRC 2017 Hank Ramey Reservoir Engineering Award.

Michael Krahmer

Senior Geologist, Wellsite

Mr. Krahmer joined Geologica in 2019 with over 30 years’ experience as a well-site geologist in the US and around the world. Mr. Krahmer specializes in all facets of drill-site geology related to geothermal exploration and development. His expertise includes cuttings and coring analysis, mineral alteration interpretation, and drilling oversight.

Kunhwi Kim, Ph.D.

Reservoir Engineer

Dr. Kunhwi Kim joined Geologica Geothermal Group in November 2019. Prior to that, he was a
Postdoctoral Fellow and Project Scientist in Energy Geosciences Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He was involved in R&D projects with emphasis on development and application of computational tools and software for modeling multiphase fluid flow and heat transfer coupled with mechanical behavior in geological media and subsurface environments. He also has extensive experience in simulating fracture formations and flow enhancement within
rocks. Demonstrated and potential capabilities of his modeling works are towards a variety of energy-related geological problems.

Irene Wallis

Senior Geologist

Ms. Wallis joins the Geologica family as a Senior Geologist, offering geoscience services from her Auckland, New Zealand base of operations. She complements and expands Geologica’s expertise in conceptual model development, resource capacity evaluation, well targeting and resource decision processes at the exploration, development and operation phases. Since transitioning from mining to geothermal, Ms. Wallis has accumulated more than 10 years’ experience in the exploration, development and operation of high enthalpy resources in New Zealand, Chile, and Indonesia. She specializes in geoscience elements of resource analysis, with particular interest in image log interpretation and interdisciplinary data analysis. Ms. Wallis comes with a mix of research, teaching and commercial experience and is particularly interested in technology transfer. She maintains an open-source Python library for structural geology and borehole image analysis and recently collaborated with reservoir engineer Dr. Katie McLean to develop an open-source tutorial on geothermal well completion test analysis with Python. Ms. Wallis is undertaking part-time doctoral research on the geologic controls on geothermal fluid flux from the meter to 10s-of-kilometer-scale at The University of Auckland.