Join the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club as we welcome
Dr. Maria Angela Capello
President of Red Tree Consulting & American Geosciences Institute, Board of Directors and Secretary and Ambassador
"The Largest Oil Reserves in the World. What Went Wrong, and What Comes Next - A Presentation about oil and minerals resources in Venezuela"
Venezuela holds the largest proven oil reserves on the planet, yet for two decades its industry collapsed under mismanagement, ideological rigidity and institutional destruction, taking with it the living standards of an entire nation. This presentation traces the geological endowment that made Venezuela an energy giant, the legal and economic decisions that dismantled it, and the reform and political process now underway that is reshaping the country's hydrocarbons sector under a new institutional framework. It is a story with direct consequences for American energy security, regional stability and the investment opportunities that emerge when the world's most underperforming major oil producer begins, finally, to rebuild.
Dr. Maria Angela Capello president of Red Tree Consulting LLC, a consulting firm dedicated to Sustainability and ESG reporting with clients in the USA, Latin America, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. An inspirational and relentless leader in the energy sector, Capello is a passionate advocate for Sustainability and Equity.
Dr. Capello is the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) 2025-2026 Board of Directors Secretary and Ambassador. She has worked for National, International, Independent, and Service Oil companies, as well as academia across Latin America, the Middle East and the USA. She is an expert in envisioning and implementing sustainability strategies for oil companies, academia, and professional associations. She actively collaborates with the United Nations, via UNECE, and UNESCO. In addition, she is the author of 4 books and over 100 peer-reviewed articles cited globally in sustainability, energy, and geosciences.
Dr. Capello has received numerous awards including being knighted as "Cavaliere" of the Order of the Star of Italy, a civilian honor bestowed on her by the President of Italy.
She has a PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences from the University of Plymouth (UK), an MSc in Geophysics from the Colorado School of Mines (USA), and a BSc in Physics from Universidad Simón Bolívar (Venezuela). She is certified in Sustainability and Circular Economy by the Judge School of Business of Cambridge University (UK), Sustainability Management by the Wharton School of Business (USA), and Sustainability Strategies by the IFP (France).
Prior to becoming President of Red Tree Consulting, Dr. Capello worked for several national oil companies including Kuwait Oil Company and PDVSA - Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. where she progressed from seismic field supervisor in the Venezuelan jungle to the youngest General Manager of three oil and gas assets.
$30 meeting fee includes program, lunch*, tax & tip.
To guarantee seating, please prepay online!
Please arrive early/timely as seating on a first come and paid basis.
(Subject to space availability, walk-ins may pay at the door cash, check, or credit card.) Business/business casual attire please.
Free parking in the restaurant's parking lot.
*Lunch includes a salad, various breads, two options for your entree, ice tea, and delicious cookies (or similar desserts). We ask that you please limit your special requests.