Lincoln County Conservation District
Staff
Elsa Bowen
District Manager
Elsa joined the District in December 2001. Elsa grew up on a wheat and cattle ranch in Lincoln County and graduated from Davenport High School. She attended Big Bend Community College and Eastern Washington University and graduated with an Associates of Arts & Science Degree along with a B.S. in Financial Business Administration & Economics. Elsa enjoys the outdoors and the variety of grant projects the District completes.
Contact information:
ebowen@lincolncd.com
509-725-4181 ext 117
Dean White
Soil & Water Resource Technician
Dean grew up on a cattle ranch in south central Lincoln County and graduated from Ritzville High School. He attended Washington State University and graduated with separate B.S. degrees in Environmental Science and in Soils. Dean worked as a soil scientist with NRCS before coming to work for the District in December 2001. Dean enjoys working on outdoor projects that also involve some office work. Dean works with the annual tree and shrub sale, maintaining tree and shrub plantings, stream flow and well level measurements for watershed planning, gathering headquarters and landscape information to assist with EQIP Energy contracts, GIS and map making, and other task order work as needed.
Contact information:
dwhite@lincolncd.com
509-725-4181 ext 114
Delaini Disher
Outreach & VSP Coordinator
Delaini is a Michigan native, where she earned a B.S. in Environmental Biology and a Communications minor Cornerstone University. Before moving to Eastern Washington, Delaini worked for the North Country Trail Association and for a conservation nonprofit in Northern Michigan. She joined the District in 2020 and completed a M.S. in Agriculture from Washington State in 2022. She enjoys hiking and camping, scary movies, gardening, Detroit sports, and baking.
Contact Information:
ddisher@lincolncd.com
509-725-4181 ext 119
Debra Armstrong
Financial Administrator & Outreach Assistant
Debra was raised on a wheat farm in Lincoln County and graduated from Harrington High School. She participated in 4-H and FFA, raising lambs for show and market with both groups. Debra attended Yakima Valley Community College before returning to her home, Lincoln County. “I love my hometown and county. I want to help my community be the best it can be with natural resource conservation. I enjoy reading, arts and crafts, baking, traveling and spending time with friends, family and pets.”
Contact Information:
darmstrong@lincolncd.com
509-725-4181 ext 116
Elayne Hovde-Knudson
Natural Resource Technician
Elayne joined the LCCD in January 2023. Prior to joining the district, Elayne worked as a Project
Manager for the Bureau of Reclamation, where she managed water conservation grants for irrigation
districts. Elayne also worked 10 years for the NRCS as a Rangeland Management Specialist, Soil
Conservationist and Resource Conservationist, throughout Washington and Idaho. She earned an M.S. in
Rangeland Ecology and Management from University of Idaho, where she studied prescribed grazing
using cattle and sheep on yellowstar thistle. She brings over 15 years’ experience in natural resources.
She currently resides outside of Ellensburg Washington with her husband Del with plans to move to
Steven’s County in the near future.
Contact Information:
ehovde@lincolncd.com
509-725-4181 ext 118