Leadership Team

Graphite One is led by a team with outstanding career achievements. Their combined knowledge and experience demonstrates proven business strategy execution, and expertise in the mining value chain.

  • Extensive experience in high-budget mineral exploration, development, and production.
  • Strong corporate backgrounds, including financings of over $250 million.

  • Doug Smith, B.Sc.EE, P.Eng., ICD.D

    Executive Chair & Director

    Mr. Smith has over 35 years of experience in the international coal industry as a senior executive and corporate director. He served as President, CEO, and Director of First Coal Corporation until its purchase by Xstrata Coal in 2011, where he then became General Manager of Xstrata Coal Canada from 2011-2013. During his time at First Coal, he raised over $50 million in equity and directed its sale to Xstrata. For the preceding twelve years, he served as President and Director of Andalex Resources, a private U.S. coal company until he successfully directed its sale in 2006.

  • Anthony Huston

    President, CEO, & Director

    Mr. Huston is a successful entrepreneur with a background in the tech industry, with expertise in business development and finance. Having served as Managing Partner for both public and private companies, he has played an integral role in raising more than $150 million in his career. He has served as an advisor on financial and acquisition transactions various industries including resources, real estate, bio-technology, and information technology.

  • Gordon Jang, CPA, CMA

    Chief Financial Officer

    Mr. Jang has over 25 years of experience in senior management roles with mid-to-large mining companies. He has a wealth of expertise in capital markets, M&A, SOX compliance, external financial reporting, corporate restructuring, cost analysis and process improvements. Mr. Jang previously served as Vice-President of Finance and Accounting at Fortuna Silver Mines and, prior to that, held senior positions at Augusta Resources (acquired by Hudbay in 2014 for $540 million), EuroZinc Mining (merged with Lundin Mining in 2006) and Pan American Silver.

  • Mike Schaffner

    Chief Operating Officer

    Mr. Schaffner is an experienced mining operations professional, having been involved at every stage in the development process from design to start-up, into operations and closure. He previously worked at Ambler Mining where he oversaw engineering work for the Ambler pre-feasibility study, and managed the metallurgical test work program for the company’s drilling program. He joined Ambler after 15 years with Newmont Mining, growing his career to the level of General Manager at the Carlin Gold Mine, Cripple Creek, and Victor Mines. Mr. Schaffner’s operations are three-time winners of the National Mining Association’s Sentinels of Safety award, recognizing the U.S.’s safest mines for continuous injury-free operations. He also holds two patents related to bio-oxidation heap leaching.

  • Kevin Torpy

    Senior Vice President, Mining

    Mr. Torpy is a mining engineer with over 29 years of experience developing, building, and operating mines, primarily in remote northern locations. Prior to joining Graphite One, he served as VP, Operations at Ambler Metals, an Arctic exploration project in Alaska.  He held the same role Titan Mining Corp., where he oversaw the restructuring and operational turnaround of the Empire State Mine in Northern New York State.  He also served as General Manager at Pretium Resources’ Brucejack Mine in British Columbia during the advanced exploration, construction, and startup phases of the project. His other Alaskan experiences includes the Kensington Mine, where he was Technical Services Superintendent through construction, and the Pogo Mine, where he was an Operations Engineer during the advanced exploration and construction phases.

  • Zhengli (Andrew) Tan, M.SC.E

    Senior Vice President, Graphite Technology

    Mr. Tan has been an independent consultant to the carbon and graphite materials industry for the past eight years, with particular emphasis on manufacturing graphite anode materials and other advanced graphite products. He has over two decades of industry experience, including as General Manager of SGL Carbon Group’s graphite foil manufacturing plant in China and having held several technical positions in the industry in the United States and Canada.

  • Rebecca Donald

    Vice President, Finance

    Ms. Donald is a finance professional who previously served as VP, Finance at Ambler Metals. She played a pivotal role in establishing the company’s accounting processes and successfully oversaw the establishment of the Anchorage headquarters and computer network system. With a career spanning over two decades, she initially honed her financial acumen in the oil and gas industry before transitioning to the mining sector in 2020. During her tenure with BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. from 2006 to 2020, she served in various financial capacities, showcasing her adaptability in diverse financial roles. Rebecca is committed to responsible resource development in Alaska and believes in fostering sustainable practices that prioritize safety, environmental stewardship, and contribute to the economic growth of the region.

  • Kirsten Fristad Ph.D.

    Chief Geologist

    Dr. Fristad is an exploration geologist with over two decades of operational expertise in remote Arctic environments. She has spent the last decade in Alaskan mineral exploration following an early career in astrobiology research and space exploration. Prior to joining Graphite One, she worked in the Red Dog District and Pend Oreille for Teck Resources, the Johnson Tract for HighGold, and most recently led regional exploration in the Ambler VHMS Belt of the Brooks Range for Ambler Metals. In addition to Alaska, she has organized and led field programs in Svalbard, Siberia, and across the Western US. Fristad is an author on numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications on geologic processes, mineralized deposits, and environmental change. Fristad earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Geology and Physics from Macalester College in St Paul, Minnesota and a PhD in Geology and Geochemistry from the University of Oslo in Norway.

  • Doug Smith, B.Sc.EE, P.Eng., ICD.D

    Executive Chair & Director

    Mr. Smith has over 35 years of experience in the international coal industry as a senior executive and corporate director. He served as President, CEO, and Director of First Coal Corporation until its purchase by Xstrata Coal in 2011, where he then became General Manager of Xstrata Coal Canada from 2011-2013. During his time at First Coal, he raised over $50 million in equity and directed its sale to Xstrata. For the preceding twelve years, he served as President and Director of Andalex Resources, a private U.S. coal company until he successfully directed its sale in 2006.

  • Anthony Huston

    President, CEO, & Director

    Mr. Huston is a successful entrepreneur with a background in the tech industry, with expertise in business development and finance. Having served as Managing Partner for both public and private companies, he has played an integral role in raising more than $150 million in his career. He has served as an advisor on financial and acquisition transactions various industries including resources, real estate, bio-technology, and information technology.

  • Bedi A Singh

    Director, Member of Compensation Committee, & Chair of Audit Committee

    Mr, Singh is a seasoned senior executive with deep financial experience with decades of public company service primarily in the media, entertainment and technology sector. He served on the Board of The Meet Group, previously a Nasdaq listed technology company and currently serves on the North American Advisory Board of The London School of Economics. He is also the managing partner at BAS Consulting providing advisory, Board and management consulting services. He previously served as the Chief Financial Officer of News Corporation from 2012 to 2017. He aslo served as Co-CEO; President & Chief Financial Officer for MGM Studios, as Chief Financial Officer at Gemstar-TV Guide and as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Before joining Sony Pictures Entertainment, he held a number of senior finance positions at 21st Century Fox, News UK, Fox Filmed Entertainment and as Senior Vice President, Office of the Chairman of News Corporation. Mr. Singh is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Fellow of the UK Institute of Chartered Accountants and a graduate of the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School. Mr. Singh started his business career with Arthur Andersen in London.

  • Scott Packman

    Director, Chair of Compensation Committee, & Member of Audit Committee

    Mr. Packman is a highly regarded corporate strategist, successful operator, trusted advisor, pre-eminent negotiator and attorney. He previously served as General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. He also served as the General Counsel of MGM Holdings Inc., the owner of the iconic MGM movie and television studio, for over 12 years. Mr. Packman is currently the Managing Member of SSP Partners, which identifies, evaluates and advises on strategic transactions for financiers. He was admitted to the California, Florida and New York state bars, and graduated from the New York University School of Law. He also holds an M.B.A. from the University of Texas.

  • Patrick Smith

    Director, Member of Compensation Committee, & Member of Audit Committee

    Mr. Smith is a senior mining executive with 40 years of executive management experience in the international mineral exploration and mining industry, including 20 years in Alaska. He held the position of Alaskan Exploration Manger for Kennecott Exploration Company as well as other senior management positions with Rio Tinto plc over the course of 32 years, culminating in his role as Managing Director of Exploration, Australasia Region, based in Perth, Australia. He then assumed the position as President and CEO of Heatherdale Resources Ltd. with focus on the advanced stage Niblack polymetallic deposit in Alaska. Mr. Smith has been involved with globally diverse exploration and development projects spanning many commodities including gold, copper, molybdenum, iron ore, diamonds, industrial minerals, and lithium. Mr. Smith is a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists, member of the Society of Mining Engineers, the American Exploration and Mining Association, and Alaska Miners Association. He holds Professional Geologist licenses in Utah, Wyoming, and Washington.

  • Brian Budd

    Director, Member of Compensation Committee, & Member of Audit Committee

    Mr. Budd has an extensive management and corporate development background with over 25 years of entrepreneurial and sales leadership experience in the resource and high-tech industries.  His business acumen includes the development and execution of comprehensive business and financing plans, corporate communication programs as well as strategic planning for both the domestic and international markets.  Mr. Budd has held the position of President & Chief Executive Officer and/or Director for several public companies since 2010. 

  • Joy Huntington

    Community Relations Manager for Graphite One (Alaska) Inc.

    Based in Fairbanks, Alaska, Ms. Huntington has effectively led communications efforts across the State of Alaska in over fifty communities. She has twenty years of experience in Alaska Native and rural communications and outreach. She is Koyukon Athabascan from several villages along the Yukon River in Interior Alaska. Her consultancy Uqaqti Consulting received the Indigenous Business of the Year Award from the Yukon First Nations Chamber of Commerce in 2018. In May 2019, Native Business Magazine named her one of the Top 50 Native Business Entrepreneurs in the country. She was also recognized as one of the 2019 Top 40 Under 40 Native Americans in North America by the National Center for American Enterprise Development. In 2020, the Alaska Journal of Commerce named her one of the Top 40 Under 40 in Alaska. Ms. Huntington has been working with Graphite One on community relations and communications since 2014, when she led the company’s first round of community meetings.

  • Clark Penney

    Penney Capital Inc.

    Mr. Penney is a Partner with Cypress Wealth Services, an Alaska and California-based wealth management firm with over $1 billion in assets under management. He serves as President of Penney Capital Inc., a consultancy that focuses on economic and business development for both the public and private sector, and on the Board of Directors of Nickel Inc., an Alaska-based private real estate investment company.

  • Jerry Birch & Kevin Greenfield

    Taiga Mining Corporation

    Mr. Birch and Mr. Greenfield are co-owners of Taiga Mining Corporation – a respected, successful Alaskan placer mining company they founded in 1990, which has since received numerous industry awards. They have both worked in a variety of roles in the Alaskan mining industry, and have extensive experience developing, permitting and operating a successful operation in the interior of Alaska. Mr. Birch has been active in the Alaskan mining industry having served the Alaska Miners Association in numerous positions, including President of the Association.

  • John Robins

    Co-Founder and Principal of Discovery Group

    John is a professional geologist, prospector and entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience in the mining industry. In 2008 he was awarded the Spud Huestis award for his contributions to mineral exploration in British Columbia and Yukon. He has been involved in several notable discoveries including the 5 million oz Coffee Gold deposit in Yukon, Three Bluffs gold deposit in the Committee Bay greenstone belt and the Aviat/Churchill diamond districts of Nunavut. He has been involved in over a billion dollars in M&A activity and has generated over $500 million in direct and indirect mineral expenditures throughout Canada, Latin America and Australia.

  • Daniel McGroarty

    Carmot Strategic Group

    Mr. McGroarty is principal of Carmot Strategic Group, an issues management firm in Washington, D.C.  He has served in senior positions in the U.S. Government, as special assistant at the White House and Presidential appointee at the Department of Defense.  As a strategic and critical materials subject-matter expert, Mr. McGroarty has testified before both U.S. Senate and House committees on energy and natural resources, and has consulted to the Institute for Defense Analyses, which supports the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, the Joint Chiefs, and the Intelligence Community.