Our Team

After 31 years with Halliburton and 2 years of retirement, Bob Verrett founded Upstream International in 2004. Formerly serving as the oilfield giant’s Vice President of Integrated Solutions, Bob maintains a well-honed business philosophy that is customer-focused and quality-based. He has proudly crafted Upstream International into a company that reflects his personal viewpoint.

With global oil & gas industry experience that spans from the drilling platform to senior management, Bob has a proven track record of guiding companies through sound leadership to meet new challenges. His distinctive strategic vision has helped pilot his business concerns to survive and flourish despite changing needs and cyclic markets.

He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from McNeese University.

Scott’s passion for the oilfield is perhaps due to the fact he is 2nd generation oilfield or perhaps it is due to the unique people this has allowed him to meet and places he has both worked and lived in. Scott’s career started with MI (Later known as MISwaco and even later became part of Schlumberger) as a mud engineer in Thailand. After Thailand, he went on to work in several different countries, such as China, Ecuador, Nigeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei as a mud engineer and later in a variety of capacities. While working as a mud engineer, he worked all manner of rigs, Land Rigs, Swamp Barges, Jack-Ups, Semisubmersibles, and Drill Ships while using all manner of drilling fluids from Low Solids Non Dispersed to Lime to High Performance Water Based Muds to Oil and Synthetic Based Muds. After paying his dues in the field, Scott went on to work in varying capacities in off ending as the Country Manager of Malaysia and Brunei. After Scott’s stint overseas he returned back to the US to work in the Gulf of Mexico and then for US Land as the Manager for South Texas and the Southeast. All told he has worked for MISwaco for nearly 20 years before Scott joined the Upstream International Family in 2018.

Laura Ayala made her debut with Upstream International in 2017 as an Invoice specialist and receptionist, however with her friendly demeanor and can-do attitude she has quickly become a valued part of the Upstream International Team. Prior to Upstream, Laura has had 6 years of administrative experience. Despite being born in Los Angeles, she moved to Sugarland early and considers herself to be a Sugarland native. In her spare time, you can catch her spending time with her son or attempting to explore all of Houston’s many wonderful sites and attractions.

Travis Buchanan’s oilfield experience began in South Arkansas while in high school and college working weekends and summers on well servicing units and lease operator work. The past 40 years has been spent in the U.S. and two African countries.

After college graduation, his career began with the Dyna-Drill product line of Smith International in Oklahoma and held various field operations, sales, and management positions until the acquisition of the directional drilling product line by Halliburton. He continued in management positions until accepting a job as Supply Chain Manager for Devon Energy.

Travis has a vast amount of experience with business plans, budgets, and managing all other aspects of directional drilling operations.

Travis graduated from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Arkansas and obtained a Master’s Degree from Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma. He resides in Norman, Oklahoma.

Samantha Choate is our Administrative Clerk, she graduated from Alvin Community College Administrative Assistant Certification program in 2019. She brings customer service, banking, and accounting experience to the team. In her spare time, you can find Samantha making memories with her daughter Genesis.

Phil Green’s multi-layered understanding of the oil and gas industry began in the Louisiana marshes more than three decades ago when he stepped on his first barge as a roughneck. In the years since, he became a veteran directional driller and a skillful coordinator. His experience base includes land, shelf and deepwater projects with both horizontal and conventional drilling.

A respected manager at Halliburton for almost 20 years, Phil’s most recent position entrusted him with full financial and budgetary responsibility for the Sperry Drilling product line in the Southeast US. His customer service commitment encompasses both providing a safe environment and exceptional operational service delivery.

Phil was educated at the Leake Academy in Madden, Mississippi. He currently resides in The Woodlands.

Managing invoices requires a very high degree of attention to detail. Karen’s attention to detail is one of the many traits that makes her so good at her job, but it is her friendly disposition that makes her such a pleasure to be around. Karen believes that her previous life and working experiences have shaped her into the efficient person she has become. She brings 10 years’ experience in various customer service and administrative roles. Karen joined the Upstream International team in 2014 as invoice specialist.

When not at work you are likely to find Karen busy with her young family and cooking.

Bret Howell is our Director of Administration and Accounting.  Bret brings more than 26 years of energy and finance expertise to Upstream International.  He is known in the industry as a Trusted Business Advisor who is a strategic partner to operations, providing the highest level of service.

Prior roles include Senior Manager Financial Reporting Systems and Senior Manager Operations Finance at Halliburton. Bret and his wife Tracy reside in Katy, Texas with their two boys Tyler and Kyle.

In charge of every aspect of Upstream International’s accounting process, Jeanette Johnson is a source of tireless support to our consultants. Jeanette oversees the company’s invoicing procedure for clients and consultants, payment processing and financial reporting. A gifted facilitator, she is a master of detail who guarantees the seamless and timely payment of invoices for our consulting professionals.

Prior to joining Upstream International in June 2007, Jeanette served as the Accounting Manager with South Texas Dental.

Susie Juarez ensures the smooth and efficient transportation of Upstream International’s host of consultants to and from their worksites around the globe. Her attention to detail also guarantees that our consultants adhere to the industry’s highest standards by arranging drug testing and conducting personnel background checks.

Susie, with more than 15 years of administrative experience, provides skilled support to Upstream’s entire operations team. At her previous employer, South Texas Dental Associates, she gained key customer service insight while serving first as a receptionist, then as both an accounts receivable and accounts payable clerk.

With a lead-by-example attitude, Mark Kehnemund exemplifies the “customer first” philosophy held by Upstream International. His ongoing examination and improvement of Upstream International’s internal processes have helped shape a company with whom it’s easy to conduct business.

Mark came to Upstream International in August 2008 after gaining over three decades of experience in the financial and operations sectors. He has worked with both Fortune 500 companies and small businesses to transfer best practices and provide strategic planning. From his early career days at Arthur Anderson to more than 26 years with Halliburton, Mark has embraced an unwavering commitment to being a total team player.

Mark is a Certified Public Accountant and former Registered Representative and Financial Advisor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting and Economics from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Matt has spent 8+ years in the oil and gas industry rising from a roughneck, working on South Texas wells, to Driller on an offshore drillship in the Gulf of Mexico. Prior to that he spent 6 years in sales and finance in the Harley Davidson industry. His drilling knowledge and sales skills help him find the right candidate to fit the customer’s needs and allow him to build lasting relationships with qualified candidates. He is very personable and easy to do business with. Personally he enjoys golf and staying abreast of all kinds of sports.

A skilled and valuable addition to the leadership team in 2018, Mo Lewis brings a keen understanding of oilfield complexities to his role.  Mo is honored to work in our Industry where relationships are built on trust, integrity, and partnership.

He launched his career as a Mud Engineer for M-I SWACO. After gaining a strong experience base, he moved to roles as Project Engineer, Account Manager, and Sales Manager.

At Upstream, Mo specializes in driving growth while helping clients achieve their operational goals by connecting them with the right people and teams. Moreover, as an industry “lifer,” he understands that oil and gas can be both a dynamic industry and one that embraces tradition.

Mo received his Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University in 2004 and resides in Katy, Texas.

Amber Mayeux joined the Upstream team in 2021 to provide another resource for our valued consultants to have full and timely back-office support. She assumed her role with more than 17 years of experience and family tree populated by dedicated oil & gas workers.

A Galveston County, Texas native, Amber is a travel enthusiast who also greatly enjoys family time as well as cooking and baking for friends and family.

Crafting a culture of efficiency, effectiveness, and safety in the oilfield requires thoughtful education and servant leadership. Having coached more than 10,000 individuals on the oil and gas industry’s best practices, Cody Pope oversees West TX Operations, Global QHSE, and Information Technology. He also understands the value of genuine communication –well-versed, shared thoughts and attentive listening to what clients have to say – in securing ideal consultants for each position. Cody’s multi-faceted professional background gathers knowledge and experience from years spent as a business management consultant and financial advisor. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Criswell College and also did graduate work at Criswell and Dallas Theological Seminary. An involved member of his past and current communities, Cody has been active with the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, previously serving on its Board of Directors, Finance Committee and Business Advocacy Council. He also coaches youth sports and founded the Austin-area nonprofit, Two14 Network.

In her position at Upstream International since 2010, Adrienne artfully and successfully juggles the array of office duties presented to her on a daily basis. Her “customer first” philosophy makes her an invaluable part of the in-house staff as she manages the invoicing and accounting tasks related to both our consultants and clients.

Previously employed by oilfield products manufacturer Davis-Lynch for nine years, Adrienne gained a wealth of on-the-job experience by rising from an inventory control assistant manager to assistant accounting manager/secretary to the president. A graduate of Alvin High School, Adrienne also attended Alvin Community College.

A creative problem solver and expert relationship builder, Roy Watson brings 15 plus years of experience in the oil and gas industry to his role at Upstream International. In a field that is already noted for its team mentality, Roy stands out as generous with his expertise and possessing a high degree of professionalism.

Previously with Pathfinder Inspections & Field Services and serving 13 years with Nabors Industries, beginning as a RigWatch Technician in Utah and reaching Business Development Manager in the greater Denver area, Roy has learned customer relations from the ground up. His knowledge of drilling is matched by an ability to successfully anticipate client needs and nurture relationships with outstanding service.

As a small business owner early in his career, Roy has a hands-on approach and assumes personal responsibility for the success of each client.

A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Roy received his bachelor of science in Electronics Engineering Technology. He resides in Parker, Colorado with his family.