Kassandra McQuillen, Lubbock Chapter Co-Chair

Kassandra McQuillen is an attorney licensed in Texas and California with nearly two decades of experience working on clean energy contracts, project development, and civil litigation. Kassandra is joining the Energy Commerce program at the Rawls College of Business to help expand the offerings to include more clean and alternative energy business content. 

Kassandra has been at Texas Tech for five years and previously taught in the Wind Energy program where she developed numerous undergraduate and graduate classes, she served as a co-PI on the WindU NSF grant program and is currently a member of the graduate faculty in the new MSIS in Energy program through the graduate school. Prior to accepting a full-time position at the Rawls College of Business, she taught Business Law I and guest lectured in various classes in the Energy Commerce program. She is excited to join the Rawls College of Business as a full-time associate professor of practice and looks forward to helping students further their careers and interests.

Bill Keffer, Lubbock Chapter Co-Chair

Before joining the TTU faculty in 2014, Bill Keffer was in practice for thirty years. After obtaining his BA in History from SMU in 1981 and his JD from the University of Texas in 1984, Mr. Keffer spent time with the Dallas law firm of Vial, Hamilton, Koch & Knox. Next, he worked in-house at ARCO Oil & Gas Company specializing in oilfield-pollution cases and environmental claims in over 11 states. He then joined the Dallas law firm of Gardere & Wynne (now known as Foley & Lardner) where he focused solely on oilfield-pollution litigation. After leaving Gardere, Mr. Keffer had his own practice in Dallas for thirteen years, where he continued to focus on environmental matters involving the oil-and-gas industry. During that time, he also served in the Texas legislature for two terms from 2003 to 2007, representing House District 107 in Northeast Dallas County.

Mr. Keffer is a charter member and former president of the Dallas Chapter of the Federalist Society. He is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Maguire Energy Institute, which is part of the Cox School of Business at SMU. He is a member of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC). He is also a neutral for the American Arbitration Association.

He teaches courses in oil-and-gas law and legislative processes. He is the Director of Energy Law Programs at the law school. He is also Co-Director of Texas Tech Graduate School’s Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies (MSIS) in Energy degree program.

Kate Zaykowski, Lubbock Chapter Strategic Partner Chair

Kate is a vice president of strategic communications in the MWC Advocacy group. She has over 12 years of experience in both corporate and political communications and public relations, and has spent the last 8 years in the energy space. She is a graduate of Texas Tech University and currently serving on the Texas Tech Alumni Association national board of directors.