Employees

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Steven Walthour joined North Plains Groundwater Conservation District in May of 2007. His previous experience includes serving as the Permitting and Enforcement Program Manager and the Compliance Coordinator for the Edwards Aquifer Authority. In addition, he has operated a consulting company that offers expertise in many areas of groundwater management. Mr. Walthour is a Hydrogeologist who received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and a Masters of Science in Geology from the University of Arkansas.

Steve's wife, Lauren, is a Development Officer for a University, and he has one daughter who resides in Seattle, Washington. Steve is active in Rotary Club and Living Waters for the World. He has spent time in countries such as Guatemala and Mexico putting in water treatment systems for communities that need clean water. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling and visiting museums and art galleries.

Dale Hallmark started working for the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District in January of 1996 and served as the Assistant Manager and District Hydrologist. As Hydrologist, he is responsible for creating Hydrologic maps from qualitative and quantitative data, managing the District IRS water depletion program, and managing the District GIS and GPS programs. He is responsible for collection and interpretation of Hydrologic data and worked closely with the Manager in developing District rules, procedures and projects.

Dale received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hydrology and Water Resources from Tarleton State University with a Minor in Geology as well as completing Graduate course work in Environmental Science, Groundwater Geology, and Geophysical Investigations.

Dale married his wife, Susan in 1974 and they have one daughter and one son. In his spare time Dale enjoys coin collecting and home-hobby foundry work.

Finance/Administration Coordinator

Pauletta Rhoades is the Administrative Assistant for the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District. She started working for the District in June of 1997.

Pauletta is a life-long Dumas resident. She was born in Dumas and attended local schools. Before joining the staff, she had worked for Natural Gas Pipeline out of Stinnett for 17 years as a clerk and secretary. She has five children, eleven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Besides spending time with her family, her interests are camping, fishing, water aerobics, and scrap booking. She is also active in her church, The First Assembly of God.

Public Relations and Education Coordinator

Rhonda Artho is the Public Relations and Education Coordinator for the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District. She started working for the District in July 2003. Rhonda is currently the Texas state coordinator for Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), an international water education curriculum.

Rhonda was raised in Canyon, Texas, and graduated from Canyon High School. She graduated from West Texas A&M with a master's degree in Biology with an Environmental Science emphasis. She then taught science at Dumas High School for six years and also taught biology classes for Amarillo College Moore County Campus.

Rhonda's husband is Mike Artho, and they have two daughters, Rachel & Wendy. They have resided in Dumas since June of 1978. In her spare time at home, she enjoys gardening, painting and reading.

Monitor Well Program Coordinator

Mike Pitts joined North Plains Groundwater Conservation District in April of 2002 and was formerly a Natural Resource Specialist for the District. Before joining the District, Mike had worked for Kinder Morgan (formerly Natural Gas Pipeline) for 30 years. Mike's duties include working with land owners who are willing to have a monitor well placed on their property, overseeing the drilling and equipping of new monitor wells and entering the data obtained from the monitor wells into District databases.

Mike's wife, Charlotte, works for the Extension Service in Moore county as the Assistant 4-H Program Director. Mike has a daughter, Kristy, as well as three step-daughters, Tiffany, Ashley, and Chelsea.

Karen Mannis began working for the District in July of 2006, as assistant to permitting coordinator Sabrina Leven. She assists in data entry and database construction and maintenance. Karen and her husband Adam have two children, Ty and Abbygail. Karen enjoys spending time with her family, shopping and watching her son play football.

Casey Tice joined the staff of NPGCD in July of 2004. Casey is retired after 22 years in the U.S. Navy, where he worked as an operations analyst and assistant navigator on numerous submarines on both the East and West Coast. Casey has two children, Alex and Bailey. Casey grew up in Dumas from the age of six on. In his spare time, Casey enjoys running, playing guitar and watching movies.

Christie Frost comes to North Plains Water District from DCP Midstream where she worked as an administrative assistant. Christie has lived in Stinnett with her family for the last 3.5 years. Christie and her husband Chip, along with their four children, Cassie, Caity, Erin, and Eric, moved to Stinnett from Pueblo, Colorado.

Christie was raised in Lamar, Colorado where she graduated from high school. She then attended Ames Community College and the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley for the next three years.

In her spare time, Christie enjoys spending time with her family, reading, traveling, and watching her children’s many sporting
events.

Brenda Westeman was born and raised in Southwest Kansas. She earned an Associate’s degree from Garden City Community College, and before moving to Dumas, she farmed in Hamilton County, Kansas for thirteen years.

Brenda has one son, Levi, who lives in Wichita, Kansas. Her hobbies outside of work include motorcycling, photography, traveling, and hunting and fishing.

Odell Ward has lived in Dumas for forty-two years and he and his wife Deana have three children; Tyler, Baylee, and MyKala.

Odell earned a Bachelor of Science degree from West Texas A&M University in Biology and Wildlife Science and he has completed some work towards a Master’s degree in Ecology.

Odell worked for the National Park Service in 1992, and has since been in the trucking business. He owned and operated his own business for six years, and has been a truck driver for 15 years.

His hobbies include hunting, camping, four-wheeling and off-roading.

NPGCD Employees

(Click on the image for a larger resolution photo)

Finance/Administration Coordinator

Public Relations and Education Coordinator