Celebrating Excellence: Honoring Parkhill’s 2025 Award Recipients

Each year, Parkhill’s Excellence Awards shine a spotlight on the people whose contagious passion, real innovation, and inspired contribution are shaping both our firm and the communities we serve. The awards are presented in three categories—Civil Engineering, Architecture, and People. The People category recognizes exceptional individuals who represent Parkhill’s values in both their professional roles and community involvement. This year, fifteen individuals were selected through a firmwide nomination process and announced at the 2025 University of Parkhill Event in Dallas, Texas. Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients of the Excellence Awards!

Client Relations Award – Recognizes those who develop enduring relationships to keep people at the center of all we do

Mark Carpenter has served Parkhill for 27 years and is currently in the Construction Phase Services/Construction Management Sector. He has extensive experience in construction, both in hands-on and supervisory positions. His depth of knowledge lies within airport concrete and asphalt laying, steel erection, concrete casting, form setting, and woodworking.

“There are some phrases that people often use,” said Resident Project Representative Nathan Morrow. “One of them that comes to my mind is ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ Client relations is our reputation at Parkhill. It’s vital to our success. If you’ve been around Mark Carpenter, you know how much he cares about our clients, and you know how much he cares about Parkhill’s success.”

Design Award – Recognizes those who create inventive, relevant solutions for clients

Mark Ashcraft is an Associate and Senior Architectural Project Manager in Parkhill’s Community Sector. During his 21-year career, Mark has cultivated his belief in a collaborative approach to design that helps ensure a project’s successful completion with design excellence.

“He’s highly respected and regarded for his ability to work well in a team, but also to be empathetic and to be a mentor,” Director of Design Brandon Young, AIA, said. “I think those are really strong ways he is building community. Design is really important to him. You can tell he’s set his eyes on excellence in what he does, but he’s done it with humility. As I have gotten to know Mark, I would guess that anybody who knows him knows that both the content of his character and his competence.”

John Hellinghausen, PE, has 29 years of experience developing roadway projects. His knowledge includes a spectrum of viability assessment and program selection to schematic design and environmental documentation, plans, specifications, & estimates, and construction oversight. John has been a part of Parkhill for 14 years as a hands-on designer and Project Manager.

“John’s contribution to building community makes even the newest engineers feel like they can come to him and ask questions, and he’s not going to look down on them," said John Braudt, PE. “He’s going to come alongside them and mentor them through the process and make sure they understand it. It’s a humble leadership.”

People Development Award – Demonstrates exemplary leadership skills by effectively leading our employees, bringing the best out of individuals, and managing our resources

Kyle Krueger, PE, is an Associate and a licensed professional civil engineer in the Water Resources Sector, with 11 years of experience in designing and constructing new and rehabilitated wastewater facilities. As a project manager, Kyle has overseen water supply projects across West Texas, including the Crane County Wellfield Project. He was also named General Manager of the Midland County Freshwater Supply District.

“All of his clients are well taken care of, all of his projects are timely, and somehow he manages all of that and takes care of all eight of us on his team… .” said Kristi Laverty, PE. “This last year my oldest son was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia. Kyle was so reassuring … and he allowed me to just be Kallen’s mom.”

Knowledge Award – Recognizes subject matter experts who differentiate our services

Kim Hooker, AIA, LEED AP, CDT, RAS, APAC-BE, is a Senior Architect and Associate in the Higher Education Sector. Her experience includes facility and accessibility assessment, historic renovation, master planning, and design. She excels in managing complex projects that modify existing facilities and has facilitated public design workshops to listen to community needs and build project engagement.

“Kim does a lot for this firm, and she’s very quick to respond and provide insight,” Chris Mundell, AIA, LEED Fellow. “If she doesn’t know the answer, then she goes to the TDLR Board (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation) so that we have that official answer. She is very much a technical resource, and specifically for accessibility, but anything technical. A lot of us go to her internally as well as externally. She can help you.”

René Hawklee, PE, CFM, is a Partner and the Stormwater Team Leader in Parkhill’s Site Development & Planning Sector. Her team has unique expertise in the specialized hydrology of the Panhandle and West Texas region. René has been project manager for modeling, analysis and design of drainage systems such as detention, street drainage, major storm lines and channels. She also has experience in roadway design, subdivision projects, water and wastewater infrastructure, and site civil design.

“René is unique in our Sector in that she has a deep knowledge in stormwater,” Director of Site Development and Planning. Eric West, PE. “She is changing the way we do hydrology in West Texas. She is coming up with a methodology that makes more sense for us, and it’s a huge thing, but for her it’s just part of the process of gaining additional knowledge, sharing that with as many people as she can, so that we get the best results that we can as communities and those that use those methods.”

LaTasha Moore is a Senior Accountant at Parkhill, primarily working in the corporate division in Lubbock. She has 11 years of experience and has worked in multiple roles in accounting. Her responsibilities currently include accounting functions related to billing, payroll inquiries, W-2s, and timecards.

“When I read through our values, I can see and tie Enduring Relationships to LaTasha, because she has a relationship with each and every one of us at Parkhill,” People Development Coordinator Maggie Maxwell. “I can tie Deepening Credibility to LaTasha, because she is continuously refining herself to know more and know deeper about what she’s doing.”

Business Development Award – Recognizes those who build brand awareness, connecting services to clients

Chance Medlock is a Business Development Coordinator with 10 years of experience. His knowledge involves various aspects of business development, including client research, client relationship management, and data processes and analysis. Within the Business Development team, Chance’s strengths focus on building client relationships and driving strategic growth within regional markets across West Texas and Central New Mexico.

Rebecca Neely is a Data Analyst at Parkhill.  She has a background in Marketing Analytics and Consulting, holding both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in marketing from Texas A&M University. During her time at Parkhill, Rebecca transitioned from a Business Development Coordinator to her current position, where she assists teams across the firm in uncovering insights, streamlining processes, and making data-driven decisions.

“It’s amazing to see their growth here at Parkhill in just two years,” said Director of Marketing Claire Tulloch. “Working across 15 different Sectors in seven different regions, they contributed to over 800 project wins.

“If you meet Chance, he’s always the first one to make you feel comfortable. He’s happy to understand where you’re coming from. He wants to know who you are. Rebecca is phenomenal. She observes absolutely everything, and her brain is just constantly processing information. It’s been really fun to see that and the way that she works through information and constantly thinking about what’s next.”

Building Community Award – Recognizes a spirit of service dedicated to improving communities

RJ Lopez, AIA, ALEP, is a Partner and architect in the K-12 Sector. He has been serving Parkhill since 2010. He holds one of only 30 Accredited Learning Environment Planner designations in Texas and has over 14 years of experience in architectural design and educational planning. RJ is well-respected for his understanding in creating innovative learning environments and comprehensive facility designs that serve diverse communities. His work includes the award-winning design of Jal Elementary School and a design collaboration for Vicenza High School in Italy.

“Building community helps us address our community partners that really are involved in making sure our community friends and neighbors are getting what they need to succeed,” said Director of K-12 Design Mike Baker. “RJ has brought more people into the fold from our company and, through his enthusiasm, has got more people more involved in their communities when they may not have. The value that I think of is inspired contribution.”

Rising Star Award – Recognizes emerging professionals who make extraordinary contributions within their field 

Margaret Ragain, AIA, is a group lead in the Community Sector and has been a part of Parkhill for six years. She is known for her highly collaborative spirit and excels in connecting with clients. Margaret’s work involves coordination with engineering efforts, ensuring a smooth process from conception to construction. She has experience in a variety of municipal projects, including public safety buildings, recreational and community centers, administration buildings, and churches.

“I think Margaret is a perfect example of what we look for as a rising star,” said Senior Project Manager Mildred Bautista, PE. “She started as a design professional, and I saw her transform from that into a licensed architect, and now she’s an excellent group lead. The value that I think represents Margaret the most is inspired contribution. She’s always giving back to others, and she’s always organizing activities to get everybody involved and working together.”

Lisann Fernandez is a Marketing Coordinator. She joined Parkhill after her graduation from Texas Tech with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She specializes in the Healthcare and Higher Education Sectors and crafts project proposals that speak to clients’ needs but are also tailored to show Parkhill’s care and dedication.

“Lisann joined Parkhill a couple years ago, fresh out of school, new to all of this,” said Chris Mundell, AIA. “But she has grown so quickly and so strongly in the past couple of years… She always has a smile. She’s always willing to help, and it just makes it easier for all of us to work with her because she’s an enjoyment to work with.”

Kellie Ward Painter, PE, is an Associate and a civil engineer at Parkhill, where she serves as the Midland Area Group Lead for the Site Development and Planning Sector. She has nine years of experience and holds professional engineer licenses in Texas and New Mexico. provided civil engineering design services for a variety of projects, including single and multi-family residential, commercial, industrial, and educational facility developments. Kellie's specialized skills include site layout design, drainage, grading, and the design of utilities, paving, and roadways.

“In the short four years that Kellie has been with Parkhill, she has quickly moved from project engineer to becoming an Associate, so ‘rising’ is exactly what she has been doing…” said Director of Site Development and Planning Eric West, PE. “She takes care of things in a way that I don’t have to even think about. The most pertinent value I think of when I think of Kellie is personal ownership. She really takes responsibility for each thing that she gets, whatever level of responsibility she may have, she takes that on fully.”

Project Management Award – Recognizes those who deliver excellence through engaging collaboration

Alyssa Munguia is a Project Manager Specialist in the Treatment Sector and has served at Parkhill for four years. She connects with project managers to keep project schedules a priority and be helpful in the process of moving projects forward. Alyssa holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Texas Tech University.

Daniel Albus, PE, is a Principal and a Team Leader in Parkhill’s Treatment Sector. He specializes in water and wastewater treatment for industries and municipalities. Since joining Parkhill in 2010, Daniel has worked with many clients throughout West Texas and Dallas/Ft. Worth to improve water quality at both water and wastewater treatment plants. He is particularly knowledgeable about wastewater reuse and membrane treatment.

“[Daniel] is one of the smartest guys I know,” said Director of Treatment Brian Stephens, PE. “He’s very talented, and he’s really dedicated to Parkhill and to our success. Alyssa is our Project Manager Specialist. I really appreciate how she connects with our project managers on a daily basis, on a weekly basis when she meets with them. She’s really helpful to them and has just a really humble attitude.

“I think there are two values that really describe Alyssa and Daniel. The first value is personal ownership. They’ve really taken this project management piece in our Sector to heart and owned that. The second value is informed insight. They’re able to see beyond the complexity.”