Carla Tharp

Carla Tharp serves as vice president of corporate development for Apache Corporation, an oil and gas exploration and production company with a longstanding presence in Houston. For nearly three decades, Carla has dedicated herself to an industry vital to the growth and prosperity of our city, working in energy valuations and transactions as a successful engineer and investment banker. Before joining Apache, Carla served as managing director of energy investment banking at Raymond James, director of acquisitions and divestitures at Citi Global Markets and at Lantana Energy Advisors. In previous years, she served on the board of the Acquisitions, Divestitures and Mergers (ADAM) community in Houston, a networking organization for energy professionals. Her passion for bettering the lives of Texans is evident in her commitment to Camp For All, a barrier-free camping experience for children and adults with disabilities in Burton, Texas, where she previously served as a board member.

A native of Hot Springs, Arkansas, Carla’s journey to the energy capital of the world was not entirely expected. She initially began studying biomedical engineering at Texas A&M, where she was first introduced to the science behind oil and gas exploration. Though the stars may not have aligned for a career in the medical field, they certainly did for the energy industry when Carla switched majors to petroleum engineering. She soon began her career as a reservoir engineer, employing her unwavering work ethic, nuanced pragmatism and instinct for business in a variety of engineering and consulting roles with increasing responsibility. A successful businesswoman in her own right, Carla co-founded multiple consulting firms specializing in oil and gas mergers and acquisitions. In between these commendable strides, Carla became a dedicated mother, raising her children to pursue careers in mathematics, software management, healthcare and petroleum engineering.

When not engaging with the local community or closing the latest deal, Carla enjoys running in marathons, skiing and trying her hand at poker in the World Oilman’s Poker Tournament in Las Vegas every year.