Our Team
Leading the way with an experienced and accomplished team.
With more than 100 years of combined leadership expertise at the helm, Kinetik is well positioned to continue to grow in the fastest growing oil and gas production basin in the world.
Every member of the Kinetik team is an employee, not a contractor. Our visionary, expansion-minded senior management team has decades of collective experience in the Permian Basin and is dedicated to providing top-tier service and reliability for our customers.
Management
Mr. Welch has served as the Chief Executive Officer, President and as a member of the Board of Directors since February 2022. Prior to February 2022, he served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of BCP Raptor Holdco GP, LLC, the general partner of BCP, a position he held since May 2021. From April 2019, he was President and CEO and before then was President and CFO. Prior to February 2022, he served as director of BCP Raptor Holdco GP, LLC since June 2017. Mr. Welch has served as a Senior Advisor to Blackstone Energy Partners since July 2016. Prior to joining Blackstone and BCP Raptor Holdco GP, LLC, he was the Group Chief Financial Officer and Head of Business Development for the Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. family from June 2013 to February 2016. Mr. Welch also served on the Board of Directors of Energy Transfer Equity, L.P., Energy Transfer Partners and Sunoco Logistics. Before joining Energy Transfer Equity, L.P., Mr. Welch was Head of the EMEA Investment Banking Department and Head of the Global Energy Group at Credit Suisse. He was also a member of the Investment Banking Division Global Management Committee and the EMEA Operating Committee. Mr. Welch joined Credit Suisse First Boston in 1997 from Lehman Brothers Inc. in New York, where he was a Senior Vice President in the global utilities and project finance group. Prior to that he was an attorney in New York with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy and a barrister and solicitor with Minter Ellison in Melbourne, Australia. Mr. Welch received a Bachelor of Laws and a Diploma of Legal Practice from Queensland University of Technology.
Mr. Wall has served as our Chief Operating Officer since the closing of the merger between EagleClaw Midstream and Altus Midstream. He joined BCP GP in July 2017 as Vice President, Operations and was appointed Chief Operating Officer in May 2019. His industry experience has focused on midstream gas gathering/processing design and commissioning, as well as on operational support engineering. He is responsible for the safe, reliable and efficient operation of BCP GP’s measurement, gathering and processing facilities. Prior to joining BCP GP, Mr. Wall served as Manager of Engineering at Aka Energy Group LLC from April 2014 to June 2017. Prior to Aka Energy, Mr. Wall was a Sr. Process Engineer at BCCK Engineering, responsible for process design and commissioning for company’s EPC projects. His career in midstream began as a Project Engineer at Southern Union Gas Services, where he performed design engineering and project management for expansion and operational projects. He also worked closely with commercial gas supply to provide various engineering evaluations for system expansions. Mr. Wall received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Texas Tech University.
Mr. Stellato has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Accounting Officer since the closing of the merger between EagleClaw Midstream and Altus Midstream. Prior to the closing of the merger between EagleClaw Midstream and Altus Midstream, Mr. Stellato served as Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Accounting Officer of BCP GP, a. In this capacity, he oversees numerous functions including our Accounting, Tax and Insurance/Risk Management functions. He has significant experience leading teams in accounting, finance, treasury, tax and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining BCP GP, Mr. Stellato served as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of CST Brands and CrossAmerica Partners from June 2015 to June 2017. He also served as Vice President and Controller of Energy Transfer Partners, LP for six years. Prior to joining Energy Transfer, he was a Senior Manager with the public accounting firm KPMG LLP, where he focused on clients in the energy industry. Mr. Stellato is a Certified Public Accountant and holds the CGMA designation, as well as a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Ms. Ellis has served as the General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Kinetik Holdings Inc. since February 2025. Ms. Ellis previously served as the Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary from 2022 until February 2025 and as the Associate General Counsel at BCP Raptor Holdco GP, LLC, the general partner of BCP, from 2019 until 2021. From 2021 until 2022, Ms. Ellis served as the General Counsel and Secretary of Archaea Energy Inc. and as a consultant thereafter. From 2018 to 2019, Ms. Ellis practiced corporate law at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP representing public and private companies in capital markets offerings and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Ms. Ellis served as the Associate General Counsel at Rice Energy Inc. and Rice Midstream Partners LP from 2015 until Rice Energy Inc.’s merger with EQT Corporation in 2017. From 2012 through 2015, Ms. Ellis practiced corporate law at Vinson & Elkins LLP serving public and private companies, primarily in the oil and natural gas industry. Ms. Ellis received a BA in Political Science and Communication Studies from Southwestern University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Houston Law Center.
Ms. Psencik has served as our Chief Strategy Officer since the closing of the merger between EagleClaw Midstream and Altus Midstream. Prior to the closing of the merger between EagleClaw Midstream and Altus Midstream, she served as the Chief Strategy Officer of BCP GP, a position she has held since July 2019. With over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Ms. Psencik has a proven track record of management and leadership in midstream business development, trading, and engineering and construction. Prior to joining BCP GP, Ms. Psencik ran her own consulting business from May 2016 to July 2019 providing strategic development on midstream projects for Crestwood Equity Partners, Momentum Midstream and BCP GP with primary focus in the Permian Basin. Prior to her role as owner in Psencik Consulting, she started the Marketing and Midstream business at AEP-LP in Oklahoma City, where she negotiated over $3 billion in non-operated equity interest in midstream assets for AEP-LP. These midstream assets are currently known as Traverse Midstream. She also was a part of the executive team at TEJAS NGL, LLC, which negotiated the original conveyance of Shell midstream assets to Enterprise Products, LP. She has held positions as SVP Midstream Business Development for Continuum Energy, LLC, Director of Midstream and Marketing for AEP-LP, Manager of Business Development for Harvest Pipeline, VP Commercial Development for Buckeye Pipeline Partners, VP of Gulf Coast Trading for Aquila, VP of Risk Management Natural Gas for Enterprise Products, LP, and VP of Marketing and Trading for TEJAS NGL, LLC. Anne graduated from The University of Texas at Austin (1986) with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering. Early in her career, Anne served as a Field Supervisor for Schlumberger in well logging, cementing and stimulation work, as well as designing and constructing pipelines at ConocoPhillips.
Mr. Howard serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Kinetik, where he oversees corporate financial planning and analysis, financing execution, and corporate development. Mr. Howard served as the
Vice President of Finance from 2020 to July 2023, where he was responsible for developing and directing the Company’s analytical and financial plans, research and underwriting, and structuring of investment opportunities at Kinetik. Prior to joining Kinetik, Mr. Howard was an Investment Professional at Glenview Capital Management’s long/short equities group and a Senior Associate at Blackstone’s private equity group, where he was responsible for the structuring, monitoring, and exiting of investments throughout North America. Prior to joining Blackstone, he was an Analyst at Barclays in their Investment Banking Global Natural Resources group. He holds a Masters in Professional Accounting and Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business.
Mr. Kindrick joined Kinetik in July 2018 and is responsible for leading our natural gas origination, execution and optimization in support of Kinetik’s underlying commercial growth strategy. Prior to joining Kinetik, he served in a variety of commercial and business development roles for Energy Transfer in the interstate gas pipeline and midstream groups. Mr. Kindrick holds a BBA in Finance from Texas A&M University and a MBA from Rice University. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for The Monarch School and Institute, a non-profit school in Houston dedicated to serving children and young adults with neurological differences.
Mr. Milam joined the Kinetik team in August 2012. He is responsible for leading Kinetik’s crude and water segments and opportunities to facilitate the Company’s role in the energy transition. Mr. Milam received a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Texas Tech University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas – Permian Basin. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas and is a past president of the Natural Gas Society of the Permian Basin, past vice president of the Permian Basin chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers and serves as a current Board member of the Bynum School of Midland.
Board of Directors
Mr. Foley was appointed to our Board of Directors and elected Chair of the Board in February 2022. Mr. Foley is a Senior Managing Director in the Private Equity group and Global Head of Blackstone Energy Transition Partners. Mr. Foley is responsible for overseeing Blackstone’s private equity investment activities in the energy sector on a global basis. Since joining Blackstone in 1995, Mr. Foley has been responsible for building the Blackstone energy practice and has played an integral role in every energy-related private equity deal that the firm has made. Before joining Blackstone, Mr. Foley worked with AEA Investors, and prior to that he worked as a management consultant for Monitor Company. Mr. Foley serves as a member of the board of directors for several Blackstone investments, including Beacon Offshore Energy, Geosyntec, Kinetik, Olympus Energy, and Rover. Mr. Foley also served as a director of BCP Raptor Holdco GP, LLC from June 2017 until February 2022. He also serves as the Chairman of the Columbia University Medical Center Ophthalmology Board of Advisors. Mr. Foley received a B.A. and M.A. in Economics, with honors, Phi Beta Kappa, from Northwestern University and received an M.B.A. with distinction from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Welch has served as the Chief Executive Officer, President and as a member of the Board of Directors since February 2022. Prior to February 2022, he served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of BCP Raptor Holdco GP, LLC, the general partner of BCP, a position he held since May 2021. From April 2019, he was President and CEO and before then was President and CFO. Prior to February 2022, he served as director of BCP Raptor Holdco GP, LLC since June 2017. Mr. Welch has served as a Senior Advisor to Blackstone Energy Partners since July 2016. Prior to joining Blackstone and BCP Raptor Holdco GP, LLC, he was the Group Chief Financial Officer and Head of Business Development for the Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. family from June 2013 to February 2016. Mr. Welch also served on the Board of Directors of Energy Transfer Equity, L.P., Energy Transfer Partners and Sunoco Logistics. Before joining Energy Transfer Equity, L.P., Mr. Welch was Head of the EMEA Investment Banking Department and Head of the Global Energy Group at Credit Suisse. He was also a member of the Investment Banking Division Global Management Committee and the EMEA Operating Committee. Mr. Welch joined Credit Suisse First Boston in 1997 from Lehman Brothers Inc. in New York, where he was a Senior Vice President in the global utilities and project finance group. Prior to that he was an attorney in New York with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy and a barrister and solicitor with Minter Ellison in Melbourne, Australia. Mr. Welch received a Bachelors of Law and a Diploma of Legal Practice from Queensland University of Technology.
Ms. Sugg was appointed to the Board of Directors in February 2022 and subsequently appointed as Lead Independent Director. Ms. Sugg is a retired executive of ConocoPhillips. Prior to her retirement in 2010, she held diverse global and domestic roles leading multiple divisions including the Australasia, Midstream, and Global Gas Divisions, as well as serving as the VP Human Resources Upstream. Additionally, she held management positions across the company in Engineering and Operations, Corporate and Strategic Planning, Mergers and Acquisitions, Treasury, and Marketing. Ms. Sugg currently serves on two other public company boards, Public Service Enterprise Group and Murphy Oil. Ms. Sugg served as a director of BCP Raptor Holdco GP, LLC from December 2020 until February 2022. She previously served as an independent director for The Williams Companies, Denbury Resources, and Mariner Energy. Ms. Sugg has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Oklahoma State University and has completed numerous advanced management and board of director education programs. She is a member of G100 Board Excellence and National Association of Corporate Directors.
Ms. Byers has served as a director since July 2022. She recently retired from EY following a 36-year career in public accounting while holding multiple leadership roles. From July 2018 until her retirement in July 2022, Ms. Byers served as EY’s Americas Industry Leader overseeing the markets and growth strategy across its primary industry. Ms. Byers served as Ernst & Young LLP’s Houston Office Managing Partner and US Energy Leader from July 2013 to July 2018 and Managing Partner of the Southwest Region Strategy & Transactions business unit from July 2008 to July 2013. In these roles, she was a leader in the global energy markets and worked with corporations and investment funds in all phases of energy investment. Ms. Byers also serves as a director of Excelerate Energy, Inc., Civitas Resources, Inc. and DTE Energy Company. Ms. Byers holds a BBA from Baylor University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Mr. Kumar was appointed to the Board of Directors in February 2024. Mr. Kumar has served as a Senior Policy Advisor for I Squared since January 2024. He has also served as the Deputy Chairman for Klesch Group Limited since January 2024 where he is responsible for strategy, finance and risk management. From 1997 to 2023, Mr. Kumar worked at Morgan Stanley and held a number of senior roles, including Managing Director, Global Head of Project, Commodity and Infrastructure Finance and Global Head of Global Structured Products. While at Morgan Stanley, Mr. Kumar was a member of senior investment and management committees, served as an advisor to Morgan Stanley funds and was responsible for capital raising and advisory services that focused on global commodity, infrastructure, and energy finance. Mr. Kumar also served as a Captain in the United States Army, active and reserve, from 1989 to 2002. Mr. Kumar holds a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis.
Mr. Leland has served as a director since March 2017. He served as Deltic Timber Corporation’s interim President and CEO from October 2016 to March 2017. Mr. Leland also served as Executive Vice President and CFO of El Paso Corporation from 2005 to 2009 and President of El Paso’s midstream business unit from 2009 to 2012, and as director of El Paso Pipeline Partners, L.P. from its formation in 2007 to 2012. He served as Senior Vice President and CFO of El Paso Exploration & Production Company from 2004 to 2005. Mr. Leland served as Vice President and COO of the general partner of GulfTerra Energy Partners, L.P. in 2003, and as Vice President and Controller from 1997 to 2003. Mr. Leland has served as a director of PotlatchDeltic Corporation since 2016 and Equitrans Midstream Corporation since 2020. Mr. Leland previously served as a director for the general partner of Oiltanking Partners, L.P., the general partner of Rice Midstream Partners until its merger with EQM Midstream Partners, LP, and KiOR, Inc. Mr. Leland holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and economics from the University of Puget Sound.
Mr. McCarthy has served as a director since June 2017. He previously served as the Company’s Chair from March 2017 until November 2018 and as its Chief Executive Officer from December 2016 (inception) until February 2017. Mr. McCarthy served as Vice Chairman of Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P. (“Kayne Anderson”) from 2019 to 2023. During his 19-year tenure at Kayne Anderson, he co-founded the firm’s energy infrastructure securities activities and served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Kayne Anderson’s closed-end funds. Prior to joining Kayne Anderson in 2004, Mr. McCarthy was global head of energy at UBS Securities LLC and held similar positions at PaineWebber Incorporated and Dean Witter Reynolds. Mr. McCarthy currently serves as a director of the general partner of Plains All American Pipeline LP and Chord Energy. Mr. McCarthy has previously served as a director of several publicly traded energy companies, including Whiting Petroleum (Chairman), Range Resources Corporation, ONEOK, Inc., Emerge Energy Services LP and K-Sea Transportation Partners LP. Mr. McCarthy earned a B.A. in Economics and Geology from Amherst College in 1981 and an M.B.A. in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1984.
Mr. Munfa was appointed to our Board of Directors in February 2022. Mr. Munfa is a Senior Managing Director in the Private Equity group at Blackstone. Since re-joining Blackstone in 2011, Mr. Munfa focuses on investments in the midstream and transmission sectors. Mr. Munfa has played an integral role in the execution of Blackstone’s investments in Cheniere, Cliff Swallow, Custom Truck One Source, EagleClaw Midstream, Grand Prix, Global Offshore Wind, GridLiance, Permian Highway Pipeline, Rover, Sabre and Power Grid Components. Mr. Munfa serves as a director of Sabre and Custom Truck One Source. and previously served as a director of BCP Raptor Holdco GP, LLC from June 2017 until February 2022. From 2006 to 2009, Mr. Munfa was an Analyst with Blackstone’s Private Equity group, where he was involved in the analysis and execution of private equity investments in energy and other industries. He began his career in 2004 as an Analyst in Blackstone’s Restructuring & Reorganization group. Mr. Munfa received an A.B. in Economics from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he graduated as an Arjay Miller Scholar.
Mr. Ordemann was appointed to the Board of Directors in April 2024. Mr. Ordemann has thirty-eight years of energy industry experience, including twenty-five years focused on natural gas gathering and processing, natural gas transmission, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products, and petrochemicals. From 1999 until his retirement in late 2019, Mr. Ordemann held numerous executive positions in commercial and business development at Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (“Enterprise”) and its affiliates, including serving as an Executive Vice President. Mr. Ordemann was also responsible for Enterprise’s engineering, operations, environmental, health, and safety functions and supply chain management activities from 2007 through 2012. Prior to joining Enterprise, he held senior positions in operations, engineering and commercial areas for Shell Midstream Enterprises, LLC and Tejas Natural Gas Liquids, LLC. Mr. Ordemann previously served on the boards of the general partner of Oiltanking Partners, L.P. and GPA Midstream Association, where he was both vice chairman and chairman. He holds a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Virginia Tech.
Karen Putterman was appointed to our Board of Directors in January 2025. Ms. Putterman has served as a Managing Director, Asset Manager for Blackstone Energy Transition Partners since May 2024. Prior to joining Blackstone, from 2017 until April 2024, Ms. Putterman worked at Collins Aerospace where she served most recently as a Vice President/General Manager of Collins Aerospace’s Military Landing Gear Business. Previously, she held multiple business and operations leadership roles across the portfolio. Ms. Putterman received a BA in Natural Resource Management from Brandeis University, an MBA from University of Michigan Ross School of Business, and an MS from University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources & Environment.