The District’s staff and board members bring a diverse set of skills and knowledge to the team. They’re each dedicated to protecting groundwater resources while working alongside permittees and well owners in our territory.
Our Staff
Tim Loftus, PhD
General Manager
tloftus@bseacd.org
Prior to joining the District in 2022, Dr. Tim Loftus served as Professor of Practice in Geography and held the Meadows Endowed Chair in Water Conservation at Texas State University. He worked closely with the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses in water resources, and mentored graduate advisees in both the Geography and Sustainability Studies Master’s Programs.
Dr. Loftus served an appointment to the Texas Water Development Board’s Water Conservation Advisory Council representing Higher Education. His work has been published in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, Ecological Economics, Texas Water Journal, and other outlets. He received his Ph.D. in Geography from Southern Illinois University Carbondale where he also earned his B.S. and M.S. in Forestry. Dr. Loftus has held positions at Southern Illinois University, Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning where he was the lead water resource planner and manager for the Environment and Natural Resources group.
Kendall Bell-Enders
Regulatory and Policy Project Manager
kbellenders@bseacd.org
Kendall graduated from Texas State University with a B.S. in Geography-Resource and Environmental Studies. Before joining the District in 2011, she worked in the Lake Tahoe area for where she performed environmental monitoring and research. Additionally, she also worked at the Edwards Aquifer Authority as an Environmental Field Representative. Kendall enjoys kayaking, seeing live music, and running around with her dogs.
Justin Camp
Hydrogeologist Technician
jcamp@bseacd.org
Born and raised in Austin, Justin grew up exploring local Little Bear and Bear Creek in his own backyard. With a deep connection to the Central Texas landscape, he developed a passion for enjoying, studying, and protecting the region’s critical natural resources. Justin joined the District team in 2015 after graduating from Texas State University with a B.S. in Physical Geography, minor in Geology, and working for seven years with the City of Austin’s Watershed Protection Department. He is an avid caver, exploring and mapping the underground in Texas and Mexico. When he’s not in the water or caving, Justin also enjoys playing guitar and tennis.
Jeff Watson
Staff Hydrogeologist
jwatson@bseacd.org
Jeff is a native Austinite who graduated from University of Texas Austin with a B.S. and M.S. in Geological Sciences. He is a member of the Austin Geological Society and a registered professional geologist.
Jeff grew up exploring the Texas Hill Country and swimming in iconic spring-fed water holes such as Barton Springs Pool and Jacob’s Well. Jeff developed an interest in geology at a young age during annual family outings to Big Bend National Park. Prior to joining the District, he worked in consulting with the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District as a hydrogeologist and with the District as a hydrogeologic intern. Jeff enjoys rock climbing, hiking, camping, and pretty much all things outdoors.
Erin Swanson
Regulatory Compliance Manager
eswanson@bseacd.org
Erin graduated from Texas State University with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology. She previously worked as an administrator for local water well drilling company. Erin also worked as a wildlife biologist for an environmental consulting firm where she assisted land owners in effective land and wildlife management and conservation.
In her free time, Erin can usually be found alongside her husband kayaking, hiking, or backpacking in Texas searching for unique critters to catch and beautiful views to photograph. When she isn’t exploring the outdoors, Erin likes to relax and spend time with her friends and family, including her dogs and cats.
Jacob Newton
Regulatory Compliance Specialist
jnewton@bseacd.org
Jacob was born and raised in Austin. Growing up here, he regularly explored Barton Creek Greenbelt and Bull Creek and relaxed at Barton Springs. His love of the outdoors grew from visits to Cedar Creek Lake where his grandfather resided, hikes at Enchanted Rock, and camping trips in Big Bend National Park.
Jacob graduated from University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Geography and minor in Biology. He now resides in Kyle where he and his family rely on groundwater monitored by the District. In his free time, Jacob likes to spend time with his family, bike, hike, and swim.
Shay Hlavaty
Communications and Outreach Manager
shlavaty@bseacd.org
With a background in environmental management and a love for communications, Shay specializes in educating and engaging communities in conservation. She has a B.S. in Environmental Conservation of Natural Resources from Texas Tech University and a Master’s in Environmental Management from Western Colorado University. Shay’s spent the last ten years of her career managing marketing and communications at a variety of environmental organizations across the country.
Whether at work or in her free time, Shay loves continuously learning about and exploring the native ecosystems of the Texas Hill Country. She also enjoys hiking, running, cycling, camping, traveling, and hanging out with her husband and pups, Ivy and Poppy.
Hannah Riggs
Administrative Coordinator
hriggs@bseacd.org
A graduate of Texas State University with a degree in History and a minor in Southwest Studies, Hannah is an avid traveler who is interested in maintaining the environment for generations to come. Prior to working at the District, Hannah worked in operations with tech startups in the Austin area. When not conserving water Hannah can be found at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center as well as spending time building Lego with her family.
Our Board
The governing body of the District includes a five-member Board of Directors. They are elected by registered voters in their respective precinct for four-year terms in November general elections. The Board ensures the District’s work is consistent with local groundwater priorities and the mission and rules of the organization.
Dan Pickens
Vice President, Director of Precinct 1
dpickens@bseacd.org
Blayne Stansberry
Director of Precinct 2, Board President
bstansberry@bseacd.org
Lily Lucas
Director of Precinct 3
llucas@bseacd.org
Christy Williams
Secretary, Director of Precinct 4
cwilliams@bseacd.org
Vanessa Puig-Williams
Director of Precinct 5
vpuigwilliams@bseacd.org