Geopolitical Panel: Politics Energized

With over fifteen years of experience in national, state, and local public affairs, Cody McGregor brings seasoned insight into constructing a successful communications strategy, navigating adversity, and building on-the-ground coalitions required to execute a plan and meet a client’s objectives. Mr. McGregor’s experience includes both internal and external strategic communications for publicly traded and privately held companies. Notably, over the course of the last five years, Mr. McGregor has been engaged in supporting some of the energy industry’s most contentious and high-profile public affairs happenings.

Additionally, Mr. McGregor has extensive leadership experience in the political and legislative process stemming from his role as a Campaign Manager for two successful statewide races in Texas, work in the Texas House of Representatives, and his role as the Spokesperson for a national grassroots and advocacy organization where he appeared on FOX, CNN, PBS, and dozens of local TV, radio, and newspaper outlets in more than 20 states around the country.

Mr. McGregor is a veteran of the United States Army where he served as a sniper in a scout reconnaissance platoon with the 82nd Airborne Division and was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He attended the University of Texas at Austin where he earned a B.A. in Government and History. Mr. McGregor also serves on the Advisory board for the Semper Fi and America’s Fund and sits on U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s Military Academy Nominations Committee.

Jerrod Jones is a seasoned business and government relations leader with extensive expertise in the upstream oil and gas sector. Currently, he serves as senior public affairs advisor at Apache Corporation, focusing on strategic public and government relations.

His career includes roles at ExxonMobil and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, where he specialized in international negotiations, risk analysis, and commercial contract management. At ExxonMobil, Jerrod enhanced brand visibility and managed key public and government affairs initiatives, particularly for LNG projects and Permian Basin operations. His responsibilities included strengthening community engagement and securing social licenses to operate.

While working with Anadarko, he managed government relations in Colombia and handled international negotiations. Jerrod holds a J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston and has pursued international affairs studies at Texas A&M University. His expertise covers strategic planning, land management, and government relations.

Nikki Martin is President & CEO of EnerGeo Alliance, the global trade organization for the energy geoscience industry. She joined EnerGeo (then IAGC) in 2013 and previously served as the Vice President of Government and Legal Affairs. An attorney and government affairs professional, Nikki has years of experience championing effective global advocacy and strategic cross-industry collaboration for the energy industry.

Before joining EnerGeo, Nikki Martin was the Regulatory and Legal Affairs Manager at the Alaska Oil & Gas Association (AOGA) and worked in the U.S. Capitol and Alaska State Capitol for the U.S. Senate President Pro Tempore, the Alaska State Senate President and Alaska State House Majority Leader.

Nikki Martin sits on the Board of Directors for MicroSeismic, Inc. and the Western Resources Legal Center and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of South Carolina and a Juris Doctor from the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College.

Kevin Avery is vice president, Federal Government
Affairs, for ConocoPhillips.

Avery leads the company’s federal government affairs
advocacy efforts. He started with the company in 2014
and has been a senior government affairs
representative in the oil and gas industry since 2007.
From 2007 to 2013, he worked for Marathon Oil
Corporation and Marathon Petroleum Corporation. He
has worked on a wide range of legislative and
regulatory issues including upstream access,
environmental regulation, tax, antitrust, employee
benefits, petroleum marketing and labor relations.

Before joining the industry, Avery spent 16 years in
government on Capitol Hill and in the Executive Branch.
From 2001 to 2007, he worked as legislative counsel to
Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), advising the Senator
on tax, budget, banking and finance, housing, judiciary,
and small business issues. His Capitol Hill experience
also includes positions as legislative director to Rep.
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and legislative assistant
to Senator Donald Riegle (D-MI).

From 1994 to 2001, Avery served in the Executive
Branch. He was director of Congressional and
Intergovernmental Affairs at the Corporation of
National Service and held public affairs, speechwriting
and congressional relations positions at the U.S.
Department of Justice. From 1993 to 1994, he was a
senior writer at the Democratic National Committee.

A native of Albany, New York, Avery moved to
Washington, D.C. in 1988 to practice law after receiving
his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Stanford Law School.
He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard
College in 1984.