Board of Directors
Victoria Pons Ph. D.
President
Dr. Victoria Pons is the Director of Technology and Automation at Liberty Lift where she leads the research, planning and implementation of innovative new programs and products. As an industry SME, Dr. Pons has greatly contributed to the advancement of new algorithms for rod pump control and other forms of artificial lift.
Dr. Pons began her career in Oil & Gas with Weatherford where she pioneered new techniques for the calculation and treatment of downhole data using data analytics and artificial intelligence, while leading the product strategy for Well Pilot and LOWIS.
Dr. Pons is the project Champion for the Horizontal Well Downhole Dynamometer Data Acquisition Project (HWDDDA) and has led this industry sponsored project aimed at designing and manufacturing downhole tools to provide downhole deviated data to the industry members of ALRDC, since 2015.
Victoria holds bachelor’s in biology and mathematics, a Master of Science and Philosophy Doctorate in applied mathematics from the University of Houston. She also holds 14 patents in the discipline of Artificial Lift as well as over 40 publications.
Dr. Pons has served on the ALRDC board since 2017 and was elected Vice President of Artificial Lift Research and Development Council (ALRDC) in 2020. Victoria is very passionate about Diversity and Inclusion and created a D&I Committee at ALRDC as well as helped create the SPE GCS D&I Committee to promote the advancement of diversity in the Energy Industry.
Steven Freeman
Vice President
I began my career with Weatherford and later Schlumberger, where I built a strong technical foundation in artificial lift systems and gained extensive hands on experience supporting diverse field operations. Over time, I developed a deep specialization in gas lift, troubleshooting complex challenges and optimizing system performance across a wide range of well conditions.
I later joined Shell, where I served as the Applied Wells Technology (AWT) project lead for the development of high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) gas lift solutions for Deepwater environments. This role required coordinating multiple engineering disciplines and collaborating closely with suppliers to fully commercialize the HPHT gas lift system within the project’s timeline. The work pushed gas lift technology beyond the requirements of API 19G and significantly ahead of the industry’s commercially available capabilities at the time.
In 2025, I joined Silverwell Energy to contribute to the advancement of electric completion technology. I’m excited by the next phase the oilfield is entering — one defined by real time data, intelligent systems, and a new generation of oilfield professionals who will reshape the industry.
Early in my career, I was encouraged by mentors to get involved with ALRDC, and that decision has had a lasting impact. The relationships I built and the work I’ve done through ALRDC have played a major role in shaping a successful and fulfilling career in the oil and gas industry. I believe strongly in ALRDC’s mission and remain committed to supporting it.
Ronda Brewer
Treasurer
Ronda began her career with the Southwestern Petroleum Short Course in 1991 under the direction of Duane A. Crawford and his wife, Ann Crawford. Since then, she has been active in overseeing the day-to-day business of the SWPSC, organizing and managing the annual workshop. In addition to SWPSC, she is involved with the Permian Basin Artificial Lift Forum, the Gas Well Deliquification Workshop (Artificial Lift Strategies for Unconventional Wells Workshop), the International Beam Pumping Workshop, the Gas-Lift Workshop and PLTech, LLC.
During her time with Southwestern Petroleum Short Course, Ronda has invested herself in continually advancing her knowledge about the industry and widening her associations with the outstanding group of people who make up the petroleum industry.
Dr. Rajan Chokshi
Secretary
Dr. Rajan Chokshi has over 35 years’ work-experience in artificial lift, real-time production optimization, software development, and management. His current work is on artificial lift optimization, multi-phase flow calculations, failure prediction, virtual flow meter, emission reduction, and competency management.
Chokshi has worked for national oil companies, majors, independents, service providers and technology companies. He has co-authored over fifteen SPE papers, two patents, and has delivered several SPE webinars and training courses. Besides conducting professional workshops globally, he has taught at Texas Tech, Missouri S&T, U of Southern California and U of Houston. Twice selected as an SPE distinguished lecturer, he volunteers on multiple SPE technical committees, and on the ALRDC Board of directors.
Dr. Chokshi holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in chemical engineering from the Gujarat University and IIT-Kanpur, India, and a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Tulsa, USA.
Larry Harms
Board Member
Larry Harms is a production optimization specialist at Optimization Harmsway LLC, established in 2016 after a 38-year career with ConocoPhillips. At ConocoPhillips he specialized in holistic production optimization and helped lead the Artificial Lift Network for 10 years. Larry has served on the ALRDC Board since 2008.
Larry has written/co-authored 12 SPE papers on topics ranging from the application of artificial lift, velocity strings and compression to area optimization, integrated production modeling and real time optimization.
Larry has conducted training courses for hundreds of industry and ConocoPhillips engineering, operations, and maintenance personnel on artificial lift, high pressure gas lift, compression, production optimization, systems nodal analysis, integrated production modeling and gas well deliquification
Lynn Rowlan
Board Member
O. Lynn Rowlan education includes a Bachelor and Masters of Science degree in Civil Engineering graduating in 1976 from Oklahoma State University. Mr. Rowlan was registered as an Oklahoma Professional Engineer July 1980 and received: the 2000 J.C. Slonneger Award from the, SWPSC, SW Petroleum Short Course Association, Inc; the 2010 SPE Distinguished Production Operations Award; the 2011 SWPSC Crawford Service Award; and the SPE 2020 SPE Legend of Artificial Lift Award.
During the 39 years of experience in the Oil & Gas industry Mr. Rowlan has authored more than eighty research works/papers for the SWPSC, ASME, the Solution Mining Research Institute, the Artificial Lift Research and Development Counsel, the Russian Oil & Gas Technologies Magazine, the Canadian Petroleum Society and the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He co-authored a book for gas well production optimization “Gas Well Deliquification” holds a US Patent # 6,634,426 on Plunger Lift Analysis.
Beginning in September 2019 Mr. Rowlan retired from the position of Vice-president of Engineering for Echometer Company and now works as a consultant.
His primary interest is to advance the technology of all artificial lift production systems and to present seminars and talks on the efficient operation, analysis, optimization, and troubleshooting of oil and gas wells.
Greg Stephenson
Board Member
Pinar Karpuz-Pickell, Ph.D.
Board Member, Sponsorships (SRP)
Pinar has over fifteen years of hands-on engineering and research experience in academic and industrial settings. Over the last decade in her oilfield career, she has held the positions of Design Engineer, Metallurgical Engineer, Materials Engineer, Quality Systems Manager and most recently as Quality Manager. She is a published author and has presented at multiple national and international conferences and short courses. She serves as the secretary of API Subcommittee 11, which oversees standards related to artificial lift equipment and she is an active member of the task groups 11AX and 11B. She is also a program committee member of Southwest Petroleum Short Course (SWPSC) since 2023, where she presented multiple papers.
Pinar earned a B.S degree in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey. This was followed by an M.S and a Ph.D in Materials Science and Engineering, with a post-doctoral fellowship at Texas A&M
University. She began her oilfield career working with artificial lift applications and manufacturing processes, materials characterization, and failure analysis across multiple product lines, including sucker rods, sucker rod pumps plunger and gas lift systems and surface units.
Pinar is a certified API Q1 and ISO 9001:2015 Lead auditor and practitioner. In her current role, she is responsible for improvement of product quality from process through production to secure customer satisfaction by managing and improving quality plans, and material and finished goods inspection requirements, in addition to failure analysis of oilfield equipment and applications. She also manages all facility quality programs
including Continuous Improvement (CI) activities such as Lean Manufacturing and Kaizen to drive out waste and improve productivity, while prioritizing oilfield customer satisfaction.
Rick Webb
Board Member
I started in the oilfield service industry in 1980 with CMI Corporation in Oklahoma City working with improved geometry pumping units. I have remained in artificial lift for 40 years. The last 26 being with what is now called Distribution NOW. I work primarily with rod pump and progressing cavity pump system design and service.
Matt Young
Board Member
Matt Young is the Technical Sales Director for Flowco Production Solutions, an artificial lift service and manufacturing company based in Houston, TX.
Knowledge and Experience include:
•NODAL Analysis•Multiphase Flow Calculation
•Gas Lift Design
•Production Engineering and Operations
After graduating from Texas A&M in 2006; Matt started his career with BJ Services as a field engineer in the cementing division in Hobbs, New Mexico. After leaving BJ Services, Matt joined International Lift Systems (ILS) as a Field Service Technician, for the gas lift and plunger lift product line, for the three years before ILS was acquired by Lufkin Industries. During the Lufkin/ILS acquisition Matt moved into the Mid-Continent Operations manager, handling gas lift and plunger lift technical support, and installation. Matt was promoted into the North American Operations and Sales Manager with Lufkin and continued in that position through the GE Oil & Gas acquisition.
After a year with GE Matt left to join Flowco. Matt has worked as the Technical Sales Director for Flowco Production Solutions since 2014.
Matt has worked on gas lift and plunger lift installs and optimization projects throughout Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Louisiana oil and gas fields. Working a brief stint in Canada and MENA with various technical and sales positions.
In addition to working various roles in the artificial lift industry, Matt has been a dedicated member to the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and Artificial Lift Research and Development; as a presenter, lecturer, and conference attendee.
Joseph A. Norman
Board Member
Joseph A. Norman is an experienced oil and gas upstream optimization consultant.
His career started as a contract lease operator for independent and large oil and gas operators in the Permian Basin. In this role he helped manage the oil and gas operations for multiple companies under the family owned business MIdland Lease Operators.
With extensive experience in rod pump systems, Mr. Norman and his wife founded FORTY A&M LLC in 2012. FORTY A&M LLC helps operators optimize artificial lift systems by utilizing data monitoring tools to prevent failures and reduce operating expenses.
Since 2012, FORTY A&M LLC has helped over 45 different operators with optimization consulting and has expanding into offering automation and bottom hole assembly tools.
Dakai Yin
Board Member
Dakai Yin is an industry-recognized expert in Electric Submersible Pump (ESP) technology with over 20 years’ experience. Driven by passion, she takes pride in providing the best and most practical technical solutions for ESP design, operation, optimization, and failure analysis.
After earning her Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Tsinghua University, Dakai entered the Oil and Gas industry. Dakai joined Oxy in 2014 as the ESP engineer supporting Oxy’s offshore operations in Qatar. Prior to Oxy, she spent 12 years at Schlumberger working in a variety of roles, including Field Engineer, Application Engineer, and Technical Sales Lead.
As a senior Subject Matter Expert (SME) in Oxy’s Production Operations Technical Support Team, her goals include new technology evaluation and trial, vendor qualification and management, and root cause failure analysis. In addition to her primary job function, Dakai has been recognized by young engineers and field operators for her extraordinary commitment to training. She is also involved in SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) career fair events, and the program committee for SPE Gulf Coast Section’s ESP Symposium.
Hany Anis Zakhary
Board Member, Sponsorships (ESP)
Rosmer Brito
Board Member
Rosmer Brito is the Production Optimization (PO) Lead for the Permian Basin at ExxonMobil. In this role, she collaborates with multidisciplinary teams and leverages external networks to strategically support, champion, expand, and accelerate the implementation of multiple PO projects, supports Pioneer/ExxonMobil integration in the Surveillance and Optimization space to identify top technologies to integrate from both organizations and implements best practices to make the value of PO more visible. Her focus is on improving inflow performance, optimizing well/system production through automated integrated system analysis, and close-loop controls development to minimize production upsets, optimize production/operational cost, and develop systems to better track/understand PO.
She earned her BS in Petroleum Engineering in 2007 at the University of Zulia (Venezuela). She furthered her education at the University of Tulsa, where she completed her PhD in Petroleum Engineering. She started her professional career as a Production Engineer in a Joint Venture between Shell and PDVSA and was an Assistant Professor in the Petroleum Engineering Department at Colorado School of Mines.
In 2017, Rosmer joined ExxonMobil. Her work spans various areas from Research to Operations, covering a multitude of topics such as unconventional production system monitoring / optimization / troubleshooting, data mining and analytics, machine learning, experimental modeling studies of single and multiphase flow systems, well completion and wellwork, flow assurance, artificial lift design/surveillance, and inflow optimization.
Eduardo Pereyra
Board Member
Eduardo Pereyra is a professor at the McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering and associate director at the Fluid Flow Project (TUFFP.org) and Horizontal Wells Artificial Lift Projects of The University of Tulsa (TUHWALP.org).
Eduardo holds two B.E. Degrees, one in Mechanical Engineering and one in System Engineering, from the University of Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela. He received his Master’s and Ph.D. Degree in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Tulsa. His research interests are multiphase flow and its application to transportation, flow assurance, artificial lift, multiphase measurements, and separation technologies. He is one of the TU faculties associated with the University of Tulsa North Campus Research Facilities. This campus contains unique facilities and state-of-the-art instrumentation for energy-related research.
Coordinators
Tiffany Ulrich
Events
Accomplished Marketing Manager that has a proven track record for retaining customer loyalty, creating brand awareness, and through effective marketing campaigns has increased market presence and growth. Effective as a team player and exercises strong business ethics, detail orientation and driven. Specific expertise in marketing communications at various levels, as well as:
• Project & Product Management
• Business Development
• Sales Support & Tracking
• Trade Publication Ads
• Brand Awareness
• Trade Conference Hosting
• Corporate Event Planning
• Sales and Marketing Collateral
• Strategic Marketing Campaigns
• Search Engine Optimization
• Newsletters
• Tradeshows
• Corporate Brochures
• Website Material
• Budget Analysis
Erin Ivy
Marketing & Comms Director
Erin Ivy is an oil and gas professional with more than a decade of industry experience, most recently focused in the artificial lift sector. A skilled marketing professional, she brings experience across both onshore and offshore operations, with exposure to domestic and international markets.
Outside of her professional role, Erin enjoys traveling, fishing, horseback riding, and giving back to her community. She has been actively involved in several nonprofit organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors for the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. Volunteerism and charitable contributions have long been important to her, and she strongly believes in the value and impact of giving back.
The Artificial Lift R&D Council recognized Erin’s exceptional commitment to service by naming her the 2023 ALRDC Outstanding Volunteer. This honor reflects her meaningful contributions toward promoting and strengthening the organization and its mission.
Erin earned a Bachelor of Science from the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. During her time there, she was a dedicated member of the Texas A&M Equestrian Team, earning a four-year Letterman Award, and remained actively engaged in the Bryan/College Station community. She now resides in Houston.
Scott Gilliland
Merchandise
Scott Gilliland is an artificial lift consultant and the founder of Red Dirt Fluid Services. He began his career in the oil and gas industry in 2010, working in completions and production for an oilfield service company in Oklahoma, primarily in the STACK play. Through extensive hands-on field experience, Scott developed a strong technical foundation in artificial lift operations and production optimization.
In 2023, he founded Red Dirt Fluid Services, a fluid level consulting company focused on helping operators troubleshoot artificial lift systems and improve well performance. His approach is practical and operator-focused, emphasizing efficiency, reliability, and data-driven decision-making. As of March 1, 2026, Scott has supported more than 42 operators across Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle.
As the ALRDC Merchandise Coordinator, Scott applies the same attention to detail and commitment to quality to managing merchandise efforts that support the organization’s mission and strengthen member engagement.
Danny Perez
Sponsorships (GL)
Coming Soon
Steve Green
Website
Steve built a distinguished 40-year career with Weatherford International, beginning in 1976. Over that time, he held diverse roles in operations, sales, sales management, marketing, and information technology. His IT leadership included sales and quality systems, training, and e-commerce initiatives, culminating in his role as Director of IT Innovation, where he led the global deployment of SharePoint.
In his final decade at Weatherford, Steve served in International Sales as a Global Account Executive, managing key global relationships and supporting strategic growth initiatives. He also represented the company with OFS Portal LLC, working alongside major industry leaders to advance e-commerce development across the oilfield services sector. In addition, he served as Weatherford’s representative to PIDX International, contributing to global eBusiness standards for the oil and gas industry.
After retiring in 2017, Steve focused on his web design company, WizardsWebs Design, founded in 1997. What began as a side venture has grown into a full-service digital agency serving small businesses and organizations across Texas, specializing in WordPress development, e-commerce solutions, and ongoing website support.
Drawing on decades of corporate, marketing, and technical experience, Steve brings a strategic, client-focused approach to every project. Under his leadership, WizardsWebs Design has earned a reputation for reliability, personalized service, and delivering effective digital solutions.