Precinct Chairs
Ethan Libby
Chair 325
Ethan Libby was raised in a military family, so he grew up loving both travel and his country. After growing up all around the United States, Ethan graduated from his Political Science and Chinese language undergraduate program at the University of Louisville, where he also studied in China for a year as a part of his degree program. After his first degree, Ethan traveled to Taiwan on a Fulbright grant and represented his nation abroad while teaching and studying.
Ethan then studied at the Texas A&M University School of Law, where he founded the Bitcoin Law Student Association and taught legal writing. In addition to teaching about cryptocurrency law, Ethan has previously hosted a blog on the legal intricacies of Bitcoin and had consulted with a law enforcement agency on a Bitcoin case.
After graduating law school, Ethan started his legal career as a criminal prosecutor for the State of Texas, and he is currently employed at the Panhandle Area Public Defender’s Office. In addition to his role as a criminal defense attorney, Ethan also plays the saxophone and enjoys ballroom dancing after having served as the president of the Ballroom Dancing Club in college.
As both a Christian and a Freemason, Ethan believes in uprightness of conduct in both his personal and professional lives. Ethan is married to his beautiful wife, Caridad, and is the father of Theodore, the cutest baby this side of the Mississippi.
Kathleen Ortega
Chair 124
Kathleen Ortega became Precinct 124 Chair in 2024. Kathleen has been a conservative Republican since she voted in her first election at the age of 18 in 1977. Originally from California, Kathleen spent her career as a Workers’ Compensation attorney and Presiding Judge for over 34 years. Inheriting her family ranch in Cuervo New Mexico, Kathleen and her husband Rick of 25 years decided to move to Amarillo in 2021 to be close to the ranch in the largest Texas Panhandle town, Amarillo. Texas. Texas and our community are more in line with our MAGA conservative values. They happily settled in the beautiful Olsen Park neighborhood with their two beautiful Belgian Malinois dogs, Bella and Charlotte. Kathleen, in retirement, has decided to give back to her community through supporting them through activism in the Amarillo Potter County GOP as a Precinct Chair and Secretary. This activism is important to ensure the victories we had in the November 2024 election will continue to keep Amarillo and Texas Red.
William (Bill), L. Meyerholtz
Chair 222
My name is William (Bill), L. Meyerholtz. My wife Lana and I moved here in September of 2001; to start a church which we have done.
There is a great need for all the believers of Jesus Christ to no longer set on the sidelines and hope someone will do something right. After listening to myself and some of the things I was preaching I came to the realization that I must start to do what I was telling others they should do.
I became a Precinct Chair for Precinct 222, in order to stand for what the Bible tells me I should stand for. It is time for Christians to stand for what is right and to continue to stand no matter what comes to uphold the standard that must be upheld.
Alex Casias Jr
Chair 224
Howdy, my name is Alex Casias Jr, and I’m currently PCT 224 Chairman. I also currently chair the Young Conservatives of Texas West TX A&M chapter. Where We help educate young voters about conservatism and patriotism.
A little about me: I was born in Hereford, TX, and raised in Amarillo, TX. I graduated from Caprock High School in 2016. Since then, I’ve attended Amarillo College for my general studies and West Texas A&M for my Civil Engineering degree. I entered politics during my senior year of high school. It was going to be my first time voting in a presidential election. I was excited, plus I’m an American history enthusiast. So being able to vote was the most patriotic thing to do. I can say that I’ve been participating in politics since high school and at times have been the only young adult to attend political events. My end goal is to get as many young voters involved and to educate them on conservative principles.
Tracy Roper
Chair 323
Tracy Roper is the GOP Precinct 323 Chair in Potter County. She lives north of Amarillo in the Rolling Hills Community. After moving to Amarillo in 2014, she immediately became a community advocate by joining the Rolling Hills Community Association. She eventually served as the president of that organization for a few years. She is serving her first year as precinct chair.
Sam Brown Silverman
Chair 422
I am Sam Brown Silverman, your Potter County Republican Party Precinct 422 Chair. I am a native of Amarillo, graduate of Amarillo High School and West Texas A & M University, and a local attorney who has been practicing here for almost 33 years. My wife’s name is Rhonda, and I have a dog, Jack.
Tom Warren
Chair 123
Tom Warren is an Amarillo business owner with more than 25 years worth of experience leading non-profit organizations.
A lifelong resident of Amarillo, Tom is an alum of Tascosa High School, Amarillo College, and West Texas A&M University. He is married to his wife, Tamara, and has a son, Thomas, who is the current Potter County Tax Assessor-Collector.
Tom represents Precinct 123 on the Potter County Executive Committee. He previously served on the state platform committee for the 2024 Republican Party of Texas Convention, representing Senate District 31.
Martha Sell
Chair 125
Martha Sell is a retired teacher. For most of her career she taught English in Christian schools. She was also a part-time ESL (English as a Second Language) instructor for Amarillo College. She is a member of Trinity Fellowship Church and currently teaches ESL at Bethesda Outreach Center. Martha’s goal for Precinct 125 is to develop an effective precinct organization which will enable conservative citizens to see their values reflected in local government. As fellow Republican Barbara Harless has said, “We will never control the White House until we control the state house. We will never control the state house until we control the courthouse.” Martha believes that we will never control the courthouse until we control the precinct. You are invited to help us build that effective precinct organization.
Samantha Usnick
Chair 321
Samantha Usnick has been a resident of Potter County Precinct 321 for 30 years.
Samantha retired from public education in 2018 after a 30 year teaching career. She is proud to have spent 23 of those years at Randall High School where she taught Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses in Biology to amazingly talented students. Samantha continues to teach part time for Amarillo College.
Upon full retirement in 2020, she was finally able to pursue long-delayed interests in civic engagement. In that same year she began working elections for Potter County and currently serves as an election judge at the Northwest Library. This experience has taught her more about civics than any other. Samantha would like to see every community member become more involved in their government in some way, and hopes to cultivate that interest in Precinct 321.
In her spare time, Samantha occupies herself with upholstery, home décor soft furnishings, and professional quilt-making for the public.
Karen Schroeder
Office Manager
For most of her adult life, Karen Schroeder specialized in blueprint production for a local blueprint company. After retiring from making blueprints, she joined the Amarillo GOP as their office manager and loves conversing with and interacting with conservative voters at their Headquarters office in Amarillo. She loves animals, reading, sports and traveling and has managed to visit most of lower 48 states so far when she is not interacting with conservative voters and assisting the County Chair.
Mary Dammann
Precinct Captain 323
My name is Mary Dammann and I am a Small Business Owner. My husband and I relocated to Texas in 2022. I was born in Dearborn Michigan and at the age of twelve my family relocated to Arizona. After high school, I moved to California, met my first husband and I moved to Anchorage, Alaska after his Navy duty. We lived there for five years where my daughter was born.
In 1981 we moved to New Mexico where my son was born. I raised two children while keeping a small business running and a Home Based Day Care program. I am looking forward to serving our Community through the Amarillo GOP as a concerned citizen and volunteering where I am needed.
Mickey McCurdy
Chair 324
I was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas and have lived the majority of my 68 years in Potter County. I have been married to the love of my life for 45 years. We have two very exceptional daughters and nine wonderful grandchildren. I was a second-generation mechanical contractor. Along with my two brothers, we own and operated one of the largest mechanical contacting firms in the Amarillo area. At the height of our careers, we had 126 employees in our home office and as many as 25 employees working in US Embassies around the world. I have served on the Board of Trustees for River Road ISD, and on an advisor board to the Code Enforcement office for the City of Amarillo. I am currently serving as an Election Judge for Potter County. After retirement, I looked to get involved with the Potter County GOP. Having little to no knowledge in the workings of a precinct chair, I was fortunate to have an excellent County Chair along with several exceptional Precinct Chairs, take me under their wings and teach me the ropes. I look forward to serving alongside my fellow Precinct Chairs as well as the voters of precinct 324 to make a difference in our city, state, and nation.
Glennda Cook
Precinct Captain 323
I’ve been involved in politics my whole life. It began when I stood handing out cards for my grandmother who was running for county clerk in Wheeler County. Our family discussed current events and government at the dinner table. Every office is important from dog catcher to president. You can affect the county best at the local level. I’ve been a precinct chair. Worked elections, poll watched and helped many people run for office.
Our responsibility as a citizen was to learn about people running for office and how their agenda would affect our county and everyday lives. Just voting is not enough. I’ve attended many precinct meetings, county meetings and even state meetings. I’ve been an alt-delegate for state of Texas to two National Convention and one Presidential Inauguration.
Zachariah Harvey
Chair 327
Zechariah Harvey is a longtime resident of Amarillo and was born and raised in Potter County. He is a husband, father, and college student, and currently works as a Bookkeeper in the Potter County Tax Office. Zechariah has been actively involved in Conservative politics many times throughout his life. He briefly worked in Maine volunteering for Republican candidates for the state legislature with Young Americans for Liberty; has written various opinion pieces in support of Conservative candidates in the Amarillo Pioneer; and has volunteered his time in support of Senate campaigns for Republican/Conservative minded candidates.
His main goal and inspiration for becoming Precinct chair is to actively engage younger voters and citizens; working to help better educate them on Conservative values and increase their engagement in local and state politics. His biggest value is transparency in government and an actively engaged, informed, and educated voting base.
Zechariah graduated from Amarillo College with an Associates degree in Business Administration and is currently pursuing a Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting at West Texas A&M University. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time and traveling with his wife Adley and their son Evan.
