A multidisciplinary steering committee of faculty, researchers, and regional partners provides guidance and perspective for the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water.
Steering Committee
Sarah Rountree Schlessinger
CEO
Texas Water Foundation
Sarah Rountree Schlessinger is the CEO of Texas Water Foundation, a statewide, nonpartisan nonprofit that works in the areas of water policy, workforce development, and public education around Texas’ most pressing water challenges. She previously worked in groundwater policy and regulation and has experience with international nonprofits and disaster response organizations. Sarah previously served as an appointed member of the Texas Water Conservation Advisory Council and currently serves as a board member for national nonprofit OpenET. As a steering committee member, she brings a statewide perspective on water policy, workforce and leadership development, and a dedication to leading Texas into a secure water future.
Vanessa Puig-Williams
Senior Director
Climate Resilient Water Systems
Environmental Defense Fund
Vanessa Puig-Williams leads Environmental Defense Fund’s Texas Water Program, where she works to advance sustainable groundwater management across the state. Her efforts focus on strengthening the capacity of groundwater conservation districts to manage water resources while balancing the needs of communities, agriculture, industry, and groundwater-dependent ecosystems. A Texas native, Vanessa brings deep expertise in water policy, water and environmental law, conservation transactions, and stakeholder engagement. She is particularly passionate about translating complex water issues into actionable solutions that resonate with partners and decision-makers alike. On the steering committee, she contributes a strong policy lens and a commitment to long-term, science-based groundwater stewardship.
Adeline Fox
Director of Communications
Texas Water Foundation
Adeline Fox is Director of Communications for Texas Water Foundation, where she leads storytelling and outreach efforts focused on Texas water issues. With more than a decade of experience in water-focused communications, Adeline has worked across river authorities, groundwater conservation districts, and statewide water organizations. Her background includes roles with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, Texas Water Association, and groundwater districts in the Texas Panhandle. Adeline holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communications from Texas Tech University and a master’s degree in public service and administration from Texas A&M University’s Bush School. She brings to the steering committee a strong understanding of how effective communication supports public trust, policy, and water stewardship.
Trey Gerfers
General Manager
Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District
Trey Gerfers is General Manager of the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District, where he has led major advancements in groundwater monitoring, data sharing, and public engagement. Under his leadership, the district secured private and federal funding to build a county-wide groundwater monitoring network and strengthened collaboration with neighboring districts, the Texas Water Development Board, and the National Groundwater Monitoring Network of the U.S. Geological Survey. Trey also played a key role in the successful passage of Proposition 1, enabling the district to assess ad valorem taxes to protect local groundwater resources. In addition to groundwater management, he has led countywide efforts to expand water and wastewater infrastructure for underserved communities. His work reflects a deep commitment to practical, locally driven water solutions in Far West Texas.
Dr. Robert Mace
Executive Director and Chief Water Policy Officer
The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
Texas State University
Robert Mace is the Executive Director and Chief Water Policy Officer of The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment and a Professor of Practice in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Texas State University. Robert has over 30 years of experience in water resources and policy. Robert has a B.S. in Geophysics and an M.S. in Hydrology from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and a Ph.D. in Hydrogeology from The University of Texas at Austin. He published a book on groundwater sustainability in 2022 and is currently working on a book about water resources and climate change.
Robert J. Potts
Board Member
Dixon Water Foundation
Robert J. Potts brings decades of experience in water policy, conservation, and natural resource management to the steering committee of the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water. He served as President and CEO of the Dixon Water Foundation from 2007 to 2023 and as chairman of its board from 2017 to 2025, helping advance the Foundation’s mission of promoting healthy watersheds through sustainable land management.
Previously, Potts served as General Manager of the Edwards Aquifer Authority, overseeing one of Texas’ most important groundwater resources. He also held leadership positions with The Nature Conservancy, including Texas State Director and Vice President for the South Central Division. Before entering the conservation field, Potts practiced law with Baker Botts. He earned a J.D. from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University.
Lizette Villarreal-Montes
Senior Program Officer, Education & Environment
The Meadows Foundation
Lizette Villarreal-Montes leads the education and environment portfolios at The Meadows Foundation, where she works with nonprofit organizations and community partners to advance innovative, collaborative solutions that benefit Texans. As a member of the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water Steering Committee, she brings expertise in strategic philanthropy, partnership development, and long-term capacity building.
In addition to her work with the Meadows Foundation, Villarreal-Montes also serves on the steering committees of the North Texas Asset Funders Network, the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, and Texas Postsecondary Funders, and is a member of the annual conference committee for Philanthropy Southwest. Before joining The Meadows Foundation in 2021, she held leadership roles in philanthropy, public affairs, higher education, and the nonprofit sector. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Southwestern University.
Dr. Bonnie J. Warnock
Dean of the College of Agriculture, Life, and Physical Sciences
Sul Ross State University
A professor of Range and Wildlife Management, Dr. Bonnie J. Warnock brings expertise in sustainable ranching, restoration ecology, and natural resource stewardship to the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water Steering Committee. Her research focuses on grassland and riparian restoration, grazing management, and prescribed fire, helping advance science-based approaches to healthy working lands.
A three-time Sul Ross graduate, Warnock earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the university before completing her Ph.D. in Soil Science at Texas A&M University. She remains actively involved in production agriculture through her family’s ranching operation, providing a practical perspective on the connections between working lands, water stewardship, and the education of future natural resource professionals.
Dr. Louis A. Harveson
Director
Borderlands Research Institute
Associate Provost of Research and Development
Sul Ross State University
Dr. Louis Harveson is the founding Director of the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) at Sul Ross State University and serves as Associate Provost of Research and Development. A wildlife biologist by training, he has spent more than three decades working in West Texas alongside landowners, researchers, and conservation partners. Under his leadership, BRI has become a nationally recognized center for applied research, education, and land stewardship in the Chihuahuan Desert. Dr. Harveson played a central role in launching the Water in the Desert conference and in shaping the vision for the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water. His experience bridging science, stakeholders, and institutions anchors the steering committee’s work.
Director
Billy Tarrant
Interim Director
Billy Tarrant serves as Interim Director of the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water and Associate Director of Stewardship Services at the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University. He brings decades of experience working at the intersection of science, land stewardship, and public service.
Before joining Sul Ross, Tarrant spent more than 20 years with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, where he served as Regional Director, overseeing wildlife operations across the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle. Throughout his career, he collaborated closely with landowners, agencies, and conservation partners to build trust, coordinate across interests, and advance practical, place-based solutions.
Senior Research leadership
Kevin Urbanczyk, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Kevin Urbanczyk is a Professor of Geology and Senior Research Scientist at the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water. He has been teaching and conducting research at Sul Ross State University since 1991.
His work focuses on groundwater and surface water systems of the Trans-Pecos, including desert spring complexes, the Rio Grande, and regional aquifers. Urbanczyk’s research integrates field studies, hydrogeology, geomorphology, and advanced remote-sensing tools such as LiDAR and unmanned aerial systems. He has contributed to statewide groundwater availability models and serves in leadership roles related to groundwater management and binational research in the Big Bend region.
Core Institute Faculty
Kelbi Delaune, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Assistant Professor of Natural Sciences
Dr. Kelbi Delaune is a Research Scientist at the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water and an Assistant Professor of Natural Sciences at Sul Ross State University. Her research focuses on aquatic ecosystems in arid landscapes, with particular attention to desert springs and rivers.
Her work examines how global change drivers—such as invasive species and habitat loss—affect aquatic communities. Delaune is also deeply committed to mentorship and experiential learning, helping students connect scientific research with real-world conservation challenges.
Jesse Kelsch, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Assistant Professor of Geology
Dr. Jesse Kelsch is a Research Scientist at the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water and an Assistant Professor of Geology at Sul Ross State University. She brings a background in professional hydrogeology and structural geology to her research on groundwater systems in the Trans-Pecos.
Her work explores how faulting and rock deformation influence aquifer permeability, groundwater storage, and flow paths. By integrating geologic structure with hydrogeology, Kelsch’s research helps improve understanding of how water moves through complex desert subsurface systems.
Philamer Carlos Torio, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Dr. Philamer Carlos Torio brings a global perspective on water policy, infrastructure, and economic development to the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water at Sul Ross State University. With experience spanning academia, government, and the private sector, his work centers on how policy, finance, and partnerships can expand access to water and strengthen communities.
Torio currently serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Rio Grande College of Business, where he teaches courses in business research, marketing, and sustainable resource use. His research explores water resource management, public-private partnerships, and infrastructure development, with a particular focus on how systems can be designed to serve both economic and social needs.
Sydney Bauer
Administrative Coordinator
Sydney Bauer serves as Administrative Coordinator for the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water, supporting the Institute’s research, education, and outreach initiatives. Before joining the Institute, she was General Manager of the Brewster County Groundwater Conservation District, where she developed a strong interest in groundwater science and management.
A native of Odessa, Bauer earned an Associate of Science in Geology from Odessa College and a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Sul Ross State University. She is an active volunteer with Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest, helping connect girls with nature at Camp Mitre Peak. Looking ahead, Bauer plans to pursue a master’s degree in Water Science and Management at Sul Ross.