Claudia J. Hackbarth, a Houston-based geologist who has held a variety of management and leadership positions for the Royal Dutch Shell Group, assumed the presidency of AAPG on July 1.

She begins her one-year role as president after serving as president-elect on the AAPG Executive Committee.

An AAPG/DPA-Certified Petroleum Geologist, Hackbarth received her bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Sciences and Chemistry (double major) from the University of Virginia, and her master’s degree and doctorate in Geological Sciences from Harvard University.

She started her geoscience career as a project manager with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, then enjoyed a 35-year career with Royal Dutch Shell, based in Houston but involved in international projects. Since 2017 she has chaired the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology Advisory Council.

Joining her on the AAPG Executive Committee is Deborah Sacrey, owner of Auburn Energy in Weimar, Texas, who recently was voted president-elect and will serve as AAPG president in 2024-25.

Others recently elected to the AAPG Executive Committee and who began their two-year terms of office on July 1 are:

• Vice President-Regions (2023-25) – Sa’id Al-Hajri, manager of geological operations for Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
• Secretary (2023-25) – Sarah Spencer Barnes, exploration geologist, Global Exploration New Ventures, Chevron, Houston.

Also new to the committee is Robert Archer, senior reservoir engineering advisor at Hess Corporation, Houston, who has assumed the chair of the AAPG House of Delegates.

Others on the 2023-24 committee who will be serving the final year of their two-year terms are vice president-Sections Rebecca Dodge, Emeritus and adjunct associate professor, Midwestern State University, Midland, Texas; and treasurer J. Alexandra “Ali” Sloan, senior development geologist, Core Geologic, Denver. Continuing in the second year of a three-year term is AAPG editor Matthew Pranter, the Victor E. Monnett Endowed Chair in Energy Resources and professor of geosciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.