Team Bios
Reese Costis
Project Manager
Hey! I’m Reese Costis, a third-year Electrical and Computer Engineer (ECE) at UT Austin. I joined PUC excited to apply the engineering concepts I’ve been learning in school to the real world. The fact that we can help a community abroad is an awesome plus. Over the past couple of summers, I’ve gained construction and project management experience that I hope I can apply over the next two semesters. At school, I am a member of the ECE Undergraduate Advisory Board, a departmental initiative designed to take student feedback and create a better ECE experience overall, and I also conduct American solar policy research. I’m a big tennis guy on the side, and when I can find the time and resources, I like to go hiking. Zion National Park and the island of Kawaii are definitely my two favorite places in the world for a good hike. I joined Team Thailand because I thought the community had a need for a solar panel project, but it turns out they have electricity. That’s ok, I’m still super excited and humbled to be a part of the PUC process.
Madison Hilgers
Communication Manager
What’s up, my name is Madison Hilgers and I am a senior Social Work student at UT Austin. I am super excited to be able to be a part of PUC this year and apply the skills I have learned in my classes to partner with the people in Thailand. My career goals involve working as an international social work with children and youth coming out of human trafficking situations. By participating in a program that serves international communities I am gaining invaluable experience in learning how to effectively communicate across cultures and work on a team with very diverse backgrounds. One of my favorite sayings is “justice is what love looks like in public,” from Dr. Cornel West. Outside of class I am a volunteer at KIND Clinic, a sexual health clinic with a mission dedicated to the idea of affordable and accessible treatment and prevention of STIs and HIV within the LGBTQ+ community. I love to boulder, skate, and when the weather is not too hot work on my spray paint art outside. I am super excited to be a part of this rocking team and navigating the challenges we will face as we embark on this journey.
Andres Sanchez-Paiva
Technical Manager
Hey!! I’m Andres Sanchez-Paiva, a senior chemical engineer and data science student. I joined PUC because I enjoy helping others and making an impact in the community. At UT Austin, I serve as the Executive Vice President of the Student Engineering Council, where I help impact students’ academic experience and the Austin communities. However, my goal is to affect change on a more global scale, and I believe PUC is a perfect way to do so. I’m excited to go to Thailand and improve the facilities for a rural elementary school. Some of my interests and hobbies include rock climbing, hiking, listening to music, and traveling. I also take personal satisfaction in successful project implementation. Christopher Morley once said, “There is only one success- to be able to spend your life in your own way.” I take these words to heart and only spend my time doing things I truly enjoy. This makes me energized to take part in PUC Thailand 2019.
Margaret Norman
Logistics & Travel Manager
Hi guys! My name is Margaret Norman and I am a third year Mechanical Engineering student with a minor in business at UT. I hope to be able to combine my engineering and business knowledge to make our project in Thailand successful in every aspect from budget and schedule to design and implementation. I am a huge people-person, so I’m super thankful to be on a team with six other awesome people as we go through this journey. I am super excited to be a part of PUC and make a significant difference in the world while I am still a student at UT! Outside of PUC, I am the Treasurer of the spirit group Texas Sweethearts, and I spend a lot of my time volunteering, and going to social events with this org. I also love running, playing sports, going to concerts, drinking coffee and thrift shopping! My favorite saying is “How you live your days is how you live your life,” and I think living my days working with PUC is a pretty fantastic start to the rest of my life! Thanks for reading my bio… now keep clicking around and see what else Team Thailand has been up to!
Sara Venkataraman
Quality, Risk, & Safety Manager
Hi, everyone! My name is Sara Venkataraman and I am a second-year Chemical Engineering student at UT Austin. I joined PUC to combine engineering and creative design with my passion for helping others to make a difference on a larger scale. On campus, I am the Outreach Chair for the Society of Women Engineers and I love serving my community and getting young women and students interested in engineering and STEM fields through volunteering. One of my favorite sayings is “Life is not measured by the amount of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away,” and so I love to hike, travel, and explore new places to eat and sightsee in search of finding these moments that will amaze me and leave me breathless. I also love to solve puzzles, take pictures of nature, and cook! I am so excited to work with my team in Thailand and hopefully make a meaningful and lasting impact on the world.
Taylor Galliete
Cost & Schedule Manager
Hi everyone! My name is Taylor Galliete and I am currently a senior in Mechanical Engineering pursuing a Master’s in Finance at UT Austin. I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary team to leave a lasting impact on the Thap Luang community and improve their access to water. Outside of classes, I am involved in Student Engineering Council (SEC) and Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and work as a year-round Research & Development Intern at Sandia National Laboratories. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, spending time with friends, and exploring local coffee shops to find the best coffee in town. Two summers ago, I studied abroad in Vienna, Austria, an experience that opened my eyes to new cultures and ideas, and I’m excited to set out on a new adventure with my team and learn more about Thailand in the process. At UT Austin, we believe “What starts here changes the world”, and through PUC, I hope to apply the skills I have gained on campus to truly impact the world around me.
Kevan Patel
Fundraising Manager
Hello guys! My name is Kevan Patel and I am a junior in biomedical engineering at UT Austin. I initially heard about PUC my freshman year and was fascinated with the platform to affect change that PUC offers and the skills that I can develop in the process. I enjoy working with kids and am involved in an organization on campus called Camp Kesem that provides a summer camp and a community for children whose families are affected by cancer. From this, I love the human interaction and connection component of volunteering and am ecstatic PUC gives us the chance to experience that. I am especially excited to interact with the children at the Ban Thap Ta Thaen school and witness the impact our project has on their lives. Outside of classes, I am also involved in the spirit group Texas Iron Spikes and enjoy coming out to games and supporting our UT teams . Some of my hobbies and interests include playing the piano, working out, exploring new Austin restaurants, and being in way too many fantasy football leagues. I am excited to serve as the fundraising manager for the team and help acquire the funds that make our project a success!