Board of Advisors

Roll past advisors’ images to read more about them. List below is in alphabetic order, not order of importance!

  • Paul Belanger — Science Advisor
  • Ralph Dawes — Science Advisor, Field Trips
  • Shelley Jaye — Education, Field Trips, Facebook lead
  • Michael Machette — Science Advisor, Field Trips, Programs, Facebook
  • Scott Minor — Science Advisor, Field Trips
  • Keith Norlin — Science Advisor
  • Leslie Roubal — Web and Zoom master, IT
  • Carol Serdar Tepper — Science Advisor, Education, Field Trips, Programs

Paul Belanger:  Research background in micropaleontogy as applied to paleoceanography and paleoclimatology. He had a career in the Oil and Gas industry and as a High School teacher. Paul Joined our Board in 2021 and also sits on the Board of the Sound Water Stewards on Whidbey Island.

Ralph Dawes:  Originally from Edmonds, Washington, he has a degree in literature from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH, and degrees in geology from WWU (BS) and the UW (MS, Ph.D.). He has taught at Wenatchee Valley College WVC) for 22 years. He is passionate about sharing how the geologic history of the Pacific Northwest gives insight into the landslides, floods, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.

Shelley Jaye:  BS and MS in Geology. Research focus on igneous and metamorphic petrology. Recent transplant to Port Townsend from Northern Virginia. Physical Scientist at the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency for 15 years. Geoscience educator in Virginia for the past 20 years, teaching introductory courses in geology, mineralogy and field geology of the Northern Rockies. Currently teaching remotely for Northern Virginia Community College and writing a free open-source textbook for Historical Geology. Shelley has been featured with her spectacular rock mosaics at a local art gallery.

Michael Machette:  BSc at San Jose State Univ. and MSc in Geology at the Univ. of Colorado. Senior Research Geologist at U.S. Geological Survey (1972-2008) and owner of Paleo Seis Surveys LLC (2008-2020), a geologic-hazards consulting company in Port Townsend. Interests in Quaternary Geology, active faulting, hazards, geomorphology, computer graphics. Worked internationally on seismic source zones.

Scott Minor:  BSc at UC Santa Barbara and MSc in Geology at the Univ. of Colorado.  Retired Research Scientist at USGS—Denver. Focus on geologic framework, fault kinematic and paleostress histories of strain transfer and accommodation zones of the Rio Grande rift. Experience with fault-related fluid flow within poorly consolidated sediments as well as geologic mapping and geologic framework characterization.

Keith Norlin:  BSc Geology, University of Wisconsin. Licensed Professional Geologist (PG). Retired exploration geologist with journal publications. Currently working on Seismic Investigation of an Ordovician carbonate reef in the onshore Canning Basin. Keith has worked in Australia and the Basin and Range, and moved to Port Townsend from Utah in 2013.

Leslie Roubal:  Participates in our geology group by maintaining our website and many others in the Port Townsend community. Way back in college, she was a geology major and hiked around the Colorado Rockies and the Sierras. She did not find a seashell on top of Pikes Peak, but looked for one! She partners with her husband who creates custom globes, including popular Geology of the Earth (Roubalmapping.com).

Carol Serdar Tepper:  Born and raised in southern Puget Sound, Carol’s master thesis included a description and analysis of a large landslide and related salmon impacts. She is a Licensed Geologist; retired from Washington State regulatory work (surface mine reclamation, landslide mapping, forest practices regulatory, and water quality compliance); and formerly WA State Secondary Science Teacher, 10 years which included developing a middle-school science curriculum based on Pacific Salmon life history and habitat. Carol gleefully retired from state service with 32 fun-filled years in February 2022.