August 13 - 14, 2025 | Des Plaines, Illinois
Speaker Information
Keynote Speakers
Eric Gakstatter is Principal GNSS Consultant, Discovery Management Group and has been involved in the high-accuracy GNSS industry for 35 years. He has helped hundreds of organizations implement high-accuracy GNSS receivers and workflows. For more than ten years, Eric was a contributing editor to GPS World magazine.
Dr. Steven Liang is a researcher, teacher and entrepreneur. He currently holds the Rogers Internet of Things Research Chair Professor at the University of Calgary and is the founder and CTO of SensorUp. He is a global influencer on the Internet of Things and the author of several international sensor web standards for the United Nations' ITU-T and the Open Geospatial Consortium. In 2014, Dr. Liang founded SensorUp with the goal to interconnect the world's disparate sensing systems into a coherent sensor web for the betterment of humanity. Over the years, SensorUp works with the US Department of Homeland Security to protect first responders, with rail companies to improve logistics efficiency, with construction companies to improve field worker safety, and now SensorUp is focusing on combating global warming by minimizing methane emissions with sensor web. Dr. Liang serves as an expert panelist on numerous esteemed panels for the Council of Canadian Academies, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and more. Steve received numerous awards, including Calgary's Top 40 Under 40, Open Geospatial Consortium's Gardels Award, UCalgary's Peak Scholar, and more.
Monique Roberts, Executive Director of the PODS Association, brings almost 20 years of expertise in energy operations, integrity management, regulatory compliance, and pipeline maintenance. Her career is dedicated to pipeline safety via asset knowledge and technology, focusing on integrity, compliance, data management, and GIS. Under her leadership, PODS membership has doubled since January 2022, with 200+ pipeline operators and service companies across 39 countries, with more than 3 million miles of pipeline and energy systems housed in the PODS Data Standard. Monique advocates for pipeline infrastructure and the digital twin as a foundation for a clean energy future and has been a leader in multiple non-profit and trade organizations. She holds a Bachelor's in Public Relations and an MBA from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Monique is a fourth generation pipeliner from Lafayette, LA and resides in Houston, TX, with her husband Michael and their dog Lucky.
Speakers
Jeff Allen is the Global Pipeline Practice Lead at Esri Inc. and for the past 31 years, he has been helping operators in the pipeline industry utilize location enablement technology to manage the overall life cycle of their assets. In his role, Jeff helps shape the vision for pipeline solutions globally for the Natural Resources sector and offer strategic guidance to pipeline companies to help them leverage Esri core technology to streamline asset management workflows and increase operational efficiencies.
Lamathrick Bynum currently serves as the Manager of Operations Data Reporting at Atmos Energy, where his team leverages data to support enterprise Operations strategies. He is a licensed Professional Engineer with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and has served for over 12 years. Prior to this role, he led the Texas-based Engineering team overseeing the Asset Integrity Risk Program as well as previous work in distribution/transmission technical services roles, bringing a strong foundation in both data and field operations.
With a PhD in statistical astrophysics, David Corliss is a Senior Data Scientist at DTE Energy where he develops machine learning and AI applications to drive business value. He is active in the American Statistical Association, serving on their board as the representative for local chapters in the Midwest region. His research focuses on industry applications in time series analysis and physics-informed AI, building bridges between academic and industry, and ethical best practices in data and statistical practice. Dr. Corliss is the founder of Peace-Work, a volunteer cooperative of statisticians, data scientists and other researchers applying analytics in issue-driven advocacy.
Alicia Farag is the co-founder and CEO of LocusView Solutions where she leads the development and deployment of digital construction technologies for the energy and pipeline industries. Prior to this, she was an engineer and program manager at GTI where she led the development of several commercially successful technologies. She has a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois and an MBA in global energy.
Dr. Bailey Fosdick is an Institute Data Scientist and Senior Manager at GTI Energy, where she leads cross-functional initiatives that apply statistical modeling, data science, and AI to complex challenges in the energy sector. She plays a central role in GTI’s Digital Innovation team, contributing to strategic planning across methane emissions research, low-carbon transportation solutions, and efforts to improve the efficiency and safety of local distribution company operations. With a PhD in statistics and over 50 peer-reviewed publications, Bailey transforms high-stakes challenges into rigorous, actionable solutions.
Shannon Katcher is the Vice President of Digital Innovation at GTI Energy, where she leads GTI’s overall digital strategy. She oversees research, product development, modeling, and investment initiatives in data services and analytics for energy systems. Shannon has built and grown the Digital Innovation team, managing complex data and systems to drive technical advancements in the energy sector. She is responsible for integrating AI solutions to enhance research initiatives, operational efficiency, and innovation.
Kate Smits is a professor in SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering and the Maguire Energy Institute, serving as the Solomon Professor for Global Development. Kate is an expert in underground gas transport and has extensively investigated gas migration from NG pipelines leaks along with leak detection and quantification in both the lab and field. She holds joint appointments at CSU’s Energy Institute and is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.
Zach Weller is a Senior Manager, Data Science at GTI Energy where he uses statistics and data science to address applied problems in the energy domain. He specializes in working with subject matter experts and communicating technical concepts in a relatable way. He has authored or co-authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications and produced several white papers and educational videos around the topic of uncertainty. A major focus of his current work is improving the understanding of methane emissions from oil and gas operations. He holds a PhD in statistics from Colorado State University.
Binbin Weng is a Presidential Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Williams Chair in Telecommunications and Networking at the University of Oklahoma. His group focuses on engineering mid-infrared light to develop advanced technologies and systems for sensing, imaging, and telecommunications applications. He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award and the University’s Award for Excellence in Transdisciplinary, Convergent Research. Dr. Weng currently serves as the lead principal investigator on one of the DOE’s iM4 methane monitoring projects, aiming to develop an integrated sensing and modeling system to enable basin-scale early detection of large methane leaks.
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