Line-Audrey Nkule

Non-voting Board Member 2027-2029


 

Originally from Cameroon (Central Africa), Line-Audrey Nkule moved to the United States by herself at age 16 to further her university studies. She graduated from West Virginia University in May 2018 with a dual bachelor’s degree in mining engineering, civil & environmental engineering, and a minor in geology. She joined Caterpillar’s Mining Technical Development Program in July 2018, with several responsibilities around customer productivity studies, New Product Introduction (NPI), commercial/sales/marketing, product support and project management. She is currently a Senior Autonomy Engineer, supporting the engineering development of applications and technologies for the mining and construction industries.

Passionate about personal development, she completed her Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification in October 2022 and recently graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a master’s degree in engineering and technology Management in December 2023. Line-Audrey is a very active SME member where she has held and continues to hold several leadership roles in the WVU Student Chapter office, Young Leaders of SME, Inclusion & Diversity Committee, Mining & Exploration Division Committee and WAAIME. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring new cultures, music/ singing, soccer games, and outdoor activities.

Stephen Benyo

non-voting Board Member 2026-2028


 

Stephen L. Benyo is a global mining executive for Flottweg Separation Technology. He is engaged in placing the “puzzle-piece” of innovative technology in its most needed locations, striving toward more efficient utilization of our world’s natural resources. Working with a multi-national and multi-cultural organization, Stephen prides himself in unlocking the passion and talent of those around him. With a focus in industrial psychology and international business, Stephen is prepared for the adaptation required for success in today’s global economy. Benyo resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America, with his wife, daughter and German Shepherd dog. You will find him enjoying free time studying history, hiking/biking in the nearby forest & loving the company of dear family and friends.

Rosa Maria

BOD Intern 2025-2027

 

Rosa is a strategic thinker, problem-solver, and decision-maker able to balance the big picture with the details required to make a meaningful impact in organizations. She is a bilingual senior mine engineer, consultant, project manager, and board director with 17 years of professional experience working for companies such as BHP, Freeport-McMoRan, and Barrick Gold, in mine operations, mine planning, ore control, dispatch, data analytics, business improvement, mining education, R&D, and mining consulting. Rosa has successfully been part and led multidisciplinary teams and presented her research work in reengineering frontline supervision, digital transformation, mining education, and diversity and inclusion (D&I) topics in over 15 conferences. She has +10 years’ board experience in mining non-profit boards, mainly in SME. Rosa is currently an Independent Director at Arizona Metals Corporation, and a board member of the SME Structure & Governance Committee. Rosa is a mother of two young boys and lives in Arizona.

Heather Lammers

BOD Intern 2021-2023


 

I am a geological and mining engineer with over 12 years of consulting experience in the mining industry, specializing in multi-disciplinary analyses and design. My international project experience includes mine closure and reclamation design; and heap leach, tailing storage, and waste rock facility design. I am also a Ph.D. candidate in the mining engineering department at the Colorado School of Mines, researching tailing dewatering methods, and plan to pursue a career in academia upon completion of my degree. I hope to use my knowledge of multi-disciplinary mining practices and applied work experience to teach students and continue research in the field of mine waste and water management. When I am not thinking all things mining, I enjoy hiking and camping with my partner and dog in beautiful Colorado and catching a Cubs baseball or Blackhawks hockey game!

Vasu Gangrade

BOD Intern 2023-2025


 

Vasu Gangrade is a Mining Engineer at the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) in Pittsburgh, PA. He is currently the Principal Investigator for a project focused on improving ventilation and reducing contaminant exposure in underground stone mines. Before joining NIOSH, he worked as a Ventilation Engineer at the Lively Grove Mine in Southern Illinois. He holds an M.S. in Mining Engineering from the University of Utah and a B.S. in Mining Engineering from the Indian School of Mines and is currently pursuing an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. He is an associate editor for the SME MME Journal and is on the board of the Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America. His ongoing and past research impacts multiple commodities including coal, stone, and shale gas well.

Richard Wagner

BOD Intern 2022-2024

Richard Wagner, P.E. is the Director for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Mine Safety (BMS). In this role, he is responsible for ensuring the Bureau’s primary mission of protecting the health and safety of Commonwealth’s miners is carried out. Prior to accepting this position, Wagner was the Manager of Engineering for Corsa Coal Corp., Northern Appalachian Division. There, his responsibilities included mine planning, project feasibility analysis and management, budget development and providing engineering support for the underground operations. Wagner began developing his regulatory and operational experience when he worked as a Mining Engineering Consultant for the BMS and an Operations Trainee for CONSOL Energy’s Enlow Fork Mine. Wagner has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering degree in in mining engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and Missouri University of Science & Technology respectively.

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Dr. Nick Gow

BOD Intern 2024-2026

Dr. Gow is a diverse metallurgist with 15 years of experience based in early-stage project metallurgical development and late-stage/brownfield process optimization. His experience comes from numerous years of hands-on metallurgical testing focused on the impacts of geometallurgical considerations, including design and due diligence of metallurgical testing campaigns for processes including comminution, gravity, flotation and leaching of base and precious metals with a focus on bridging the metallurgical needs of a site to relevant and realistic analytical testing. He spent the last several years creating a mineral processing consulting laboratory, ensuring quality work in a timely manner. He routinely conducts analytical and metallurgical audits for operations domestically and internationally.

Nick is an MMSA Qualified Professional for Mineral Processing, Professional Engineer, CN Code Auditor, and Research Associate at the Colorado School of Mines.