Leadership

Principal

David Decker, PhD, PG, CPG, LCDR (USN, Ret.)

Principal Geologist and Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Decker has significant leadership and management experience grounded in 25 years in the US Navy as both an enlisted Fire Controlman (radar technician and operator) and a Naval Flight Officer (Navigator, Weapons Control, and Communications) flying the S-3B Viking and EA-6B Prowler. His experience maintaining, repairing, operating and installing a variety of radar and computer systems on board both ships and aircraft along with his program management and systems engineering experience as an Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer, post-graduate education in the physics of sensor systems, geochemistry, and geochronology, and 35+ years of experience exploring, mapping, and studying caves and karst have prepared him to take on the role of President of Southwest Geophysical Consulting LLC.

Education

ASc (University of Phoenix) – Technical Education

BSc (Southern Illinois University – Carbondale) – Workforce Education and Development

MSc (Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey) – Physics (Sensor Systems)

PhD (University of New Mexico) – Earth & Planetary Sciences (Geochemistry, Geochronology)

Experience

25 Years US Navy 

40+ Years in Caves and Karst (since 1985)

Systems Engineering Certificate from the Defense Acquisition University

Project Management Certificate from the Defense Acquisition University

Co-owner

Mrs. Johanna Decker

Education

ASc – Secretarial Procedure

Johanna’s previous experience includes positions at Income Property Group,   Health Care Group, Fabre Engineering, Lowe, Ball and Lynch, LLC, Oak Harbor School District,  NG&O Engineering, and the Albuquerque Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

Office Staff

Ms. Gracie Decker

Education

None

Experience

Office pet and entertainment – will sit or dance for treats.

Field Geologists

Garrett L. Jorgensen Olague, University of New Mexico – Senior Field Geologist (January 2018 to Present)
AML Cert, OSHA Confined Space Cert.

Garrett’s interest in geology and field work began at the age of 16 when he started exploring, surveying, and mapping caves. He immediately began volunteering for federal land agencies, participating in cave study projects, and leading his own mapping trips and within 2 years was participating in survey and science expeditions into some of the longest and most difficult caves in the U.S. such as Lechuguilla Cave, Fort Stanton Cave, Jewel Cave, and caves in the Grand Canyon. His interests turned into a career when he began working as a geologist in 2018, and his years of experience conducting meticulous field work and leading teams in remote and demanding environments transitioned well into working as a Field Geologist for Southwest Geophysical Consulting.

Britt Bommer, Northwestern State University — Field Geologist

Britt is a former collegiate athlete at Northwestern University, with a major in Earth and Planetary Science and a minor in Environmental Policy and Culture. She gained experience working on a jointly funded NSF and USGS magnetotelluric research project based out of the National Geomagnetic Facility at Oregon State University, focusing on a comprehensive three-dimensional subsurface array of electromagnetic conductivity before becoming a Field Geologist for Southwest Geophysical Consulting.

Ryan Palmer, University of Georgia – Field Scientist

Ryan received his B.S. in geography and later added an M.S. in geography, both from the University of Georgia, where his work included a strong emphasis on GIS and remote sensing topics. He was introduced to the world of caves and karst as a graduate student, which eventually led him to New Mexico, where he worked as an intern in the Resources Division at Carlsbad Caverns National Park before joining Southwest Geophysical Consulting.

Kat Knight, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale – Field Scientist

Kat graduated from Highland Community College with an Associates of Science degree and from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology. She gained field experience during a six week long field camp, conducting mapping projects and geological studies throughout the Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho areas prior to joining Southwest Geophysical Consulting.

Steven Kesler