Alicia Rusthoven
Native Horticulture Coordinator

Alicia is a native Austinite and recent graduate from The University of Texas with a degree in Environmental Science. While at UT, she worked with the Campus Environmental Center and led a student-run farm. It was there that she found her passion for connecting people to the outdoors and to their food systems, something she wishes to carry out at Pease. In her free time, she enjoys biking, reading, camping, and making collages.

Allison Johnson
Director of Community Engagement

Allison Johnson se enamoró de Austin cuando llegó aquí para obtener su MBA en la Universidad de Texas y se comprometió con la comunidad sin ánimo de lucro durante los siguientes 10 años mientras trabajaba en marketing y comunicaciones en Generation SERVE. Allison está encantada de ayudar a los miembros de nuestra comunidad a conectarse con la naturaleza, aquí mismo, en medio de la ciudad, de todas las formas que nos mantienen sanos y conectados: a través del juego, la reflexión, el voluntariado y el aprendizaje.

Correo electrónico: allison@peasepark.org

Bret Kiester
Director of Park Operations

Bret comes to Pease Park Conservancy with 20 years of operations experience in the nonprofit sector. Before joining the conservancy Bret spent the past 12 years serving as a Center Executive for the YMCA of Austin in Hays County. In addition, Bret has served his community as the Board Chair of the Buda Area Chamber of Commerce, member of Hays CISD Student Health Advisory Council, and has served on several city of Buda commissions. Bret volunteers as a Project WILD educator for Texas Parks and Wildlife and loves our state parks. Bret is a graduate of the University of North Texas with a degree in Public Administration, married, and has two boys.

Cameron Hudgens
Sustainability Intern

Cameron hails from West Texas but was quick to adopt Austin as his home when he moved here for undergrad in 2013. After a hiatus from school that was spent working as a musician and a screen printer, Cameron is back finishing his bachelors at Texas State University where he’s majoring in Wildlife Biology and minoring in GIS. He has hopes for a career in conservation and is proud to begin his career with Pease Park Conservancy. When he’s not identifying plants or studying for classes, he can either be found behind a drumset, at local music shows or hanging out with his cats.

Chuck Smith
Chief Operating Officer

Chuck Smith is a fifth generation Austinite, who understands the importance of Austin's park system as a vital component of what makes Austin special. He has been an integral part of the Conservancy since 2019, serving as Chief Operating Officer during which he has overseen the successful implementation of the award-winning Kingsbury Commons project, guided programming efforts, and stewarded the organization’s partnership with the City of Austin. With his extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, including a notable tenure as CEO of Equality Texas, Chuck brings a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to the Conservancy’s mission. He enjoys the hike & bike trails and shares his home with his Great Dane, Cleo.

Correo electrónico: chuck@peasepark.org

Dalton Smith
Park Operations Coordinator

Born in Round Rock and raised in what was a small town of Liberty Hill, Dalton, with his family, volunteered in Pease Park and throughout Austin which gave him a greater appreciation for the outdoors as well as his community. Dalton prefers the physical aspects of the work to that of a typical desk job, and takes immense pride and joy in his ability to maintain, facilitate and regulate aspects of Pease Park. Dalton is certified in basic life support and first aid through the American heart association. He is also certified in Pool & Spa operations through the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance. On his off days you will find him hiking the trails in Austin or soaking up the sun in one of the many local swimming holes.

Daniela Sanchez
Community Engagement Intern

In her 4 years at the University of Texas, Daniela has come to love Pease Park and all the opportunities it provides to unite as a community. Having previously interned within non-profit spaces, Daniela resonated with the missions of both the internship and the Conservancy. As a student of the Moody College of Communications, she recognizes the role that the Austin community plays in embodying the values of the Conservancy and hopes to encourage it during her time as an intern.

Della Orr-Harter
Development Coordinator

Della, an eighth-generation Texan, is returning to Austin after completing a service year with AmeriCorps in southern California. Her love for the outdoors began at a young age, and she cherished the opportunity to live just a block away from the ocean. During her time there, she engaged in various outdoor activities, from snorkeling with sharks to whale watching, car camping, beach cleanups, surfing, and innumerable beach walks. Eager to be closer to her family and pursue a career centered around conservation, Della is thrilled to return to her home state of Texas. Raised in a family deeply committed to nonprofit work, she feels a natural calling to dedicate her career to meaningful causes. Recognizing the urgency of addressing climate change, Della is determined to make a positive impact on our planet. With her return to Austin, Della is excited to re-engage with the vibrant rhythm of the city and contribute to the ongoing efforts in conservation and environmental stewardship.

Jordan Fuhrer
Chief Revenue Officer

Jordan is a Virginian turned Texan. Somewhere in between, she graduated from the University of New Hampshire and moved to Austin sight unseen, the city captured her heart instantly. She has dedicated her career to making a difference for the lives of community members and is eager to bring a decade of nonprofit development experience to Pease Park Conservancy. Jordan has a natural passion for fundraising and for fostering meaningful relationships in support of an organization's mission. No matter where she has lived, she has always found her way to the nearest park. She believes parks play a crucial role in bringing people together and in shaping communities for the better. In her free time, Jordan enjoys exploring Austin (bonus points for dog-friendly spaces), finding new running routes, and paddle-boarding with her husband and their dog, Charlie Jo.

Luis Ortiz-Colon
Park Programming Coordinator

Luis was born in Puerto Rico but has been in Austin most of his life. He has been visiting Pease Park for years, and is a recent graduate of UT Austin with degrees in Sustainability Studies and Geography. Having interned with the Conservancy previously, he is excited to be working for the organization full time toward its mission to promote inclusivity, community, and sustainability. He enjoys observing nature, learning about human-environmental dynamics, hiking, swimming at Barton Springs Pool, and visiting the beach as often as possible.

Marissa Bandera
Park Operations Tech

Marissa Bandera grew up in Austin, Texas. She is excited to be part of the Conservancy, where she can spend time working outdoors and learning about plants, trees, animals, and other wildlife. Her favorite season is spring. She finds hard work rewarding both personally and visually. Marissa is CPR and First Aid certified.

Merly Gomez
Park Operations Tech

A native Latina Texan, Merly was mostly raised right here in Austin. In the summer of 2021 Merly completed a 6 month certification in the rigorous Texas Conservation Corps program. This public service work involved heavy duty trail repair and camping out in nature, her favorite part. The experience led Merly to an even greater appreciation of nature and parks. Merly studied for a Geographic Information Systems Level 1 Certificate so that she can dedicate her growing career to parkland geography. When not at work, Merly loves outdoor activities such as hiking, paddle boarding, and camping.

Mike Harris
Director of Finance

Mike obtained a B.S. in engineering and an MBA and applied those degrees to his initial career in marketing and operations for the semiconductor manufacturing and defense industries. Longing for more purpose, Mike recently pivoted and obtained a Technical Accounting Certificate from ACC with the goal of utilizing these skills for a community-minded organization. Mike is excited to bring his analytical and data driven skillset to the team at Pease Park Conservancy. The ability to assist in creating outdoor recreation opportunities in an urban park through the work of finance and accounting makes for a seriously interesting experience. Mike grew up in Virginia, moved to Austin 25 years ago, and enjoys running, backpacking, and science fiction.

Correo electrónico: mike@peasepark.org

Nicole Netherton
Chief Executive Officer

Nicole is a Houstonian who found her spiritual home in Austin during her time at The University of Texas at Austin, but she also lived in (and loved) New York City in the early 2000s. Nicole entered the nonprofit world in 2016 after being inspired by a life-changing trip to Antarctica: seeing the fragile ecosystem 7,000 miles from home sparked a shift toward environmental work. Before that, she had a 15 year career in marketing for a book publisher, and her professional background is in development, marketing, and management. Her professional passions include protecting wildlife and native ecosystems in Central Texas, increasing equitable access to nature, and mentoring women toward conservation careers. She excited to be a steward of a place that is so important to Austin’s past, present, and future, both for people and for nature.

PAX
Pease Park Conservancy Mascot

PAX is our friendly neighborhood squirrel and a resident of Pease Park. Pax values sustainability, environmental stewardship, and is an ambassador for accessibility to the outdoors. As an eastern grey squirrel, PAX enjoys the dense canopy at Pease Park and can even be seen making an appearance at some of our community events.

Annie Linebarger

Annie was born and raised in Austin and attended high school in Bonners Ferry, Idaho where she developed a love of nature, hiking, and camping. She attended UT Austin (Hook-em!) and rowed for Texas Crew, then studied abroad in Sydney, Australia for a year. After receiving her B.S. in Biology in 2008, she backpacked around the world, then spent several months in West Africa volunteering at a hospital. In the spirit of adventure, she settled back in Sydney for medical school where she lived before moving back to Texas and completing Family Medicine residency in Galveston.

Annie is passionate about preventative and integrative medicine, mindfulness/meditation, and educating patients on the importance of mental health in relation to physical well being. She and her husband, Jason, have three children, Twila, Wesley, and Wyatt.

Bailey Harrington

Bailey has over 15 years of entitlement, design, permitting, and construction support experience spanning over $1.5 billion in real estate development projects, and prior to moving to Austin was a commissioned Engineer Officer in the U.S. Army serving a year-long deployment in RC(S) Afghanistan. Bailey holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and is an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA), and Leadership Austin.

Carrie Hicks
Development Committee Chair

Carrie Hicks creció en el sur de California y se licenció en Económicas por la Universidad de Vanderbilt antes de dedicarse al diseño de interiores en Nueva York y Los Ángeles. Con el tiempo, ella y su marido, Robert, llegaron a Austin (spoiler: él es de Austin) y actualmente viven con sus tres hijos y un perro a pocos pasos de Pease Park. Carrie se siente muy comprometida con el apoyo a los espacios verdes públicos de Austin, así como con el fomento de la comunidad a través de la divulgación y el compromiso educativo.

Catherine Lucchesi
President Elect
Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Committee Chair

Catherine tiene una pasión de toda la vida por conectar a diversos líderes y comunidades a través de los movimientos. Graduada por la NYU y la McCombs School of Business, tiene más de 8 años de experiencia en el sector de las organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro. Durante su carrera organizó programas en toda la ciudad que sirvieron a más de 110.000 personas y recaudó más de 57 millones de dólares para la comunidad de Austin. Apasionada por la construcción de la equidad en los espacios verdes y la conservación, está comprometida a apoyar el futuro de Pease Park. Catherine es una joven patrocinadora de Yellowstone Forever y presidenta del comité OWAAT de Austin Speech Labs. Ella y su marido, Tucker, disfrutan de largos paseos por el parque con su perro, Louis.

Charlton Lewis

Charlton is a Senior Lecturer and the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture, where he earned a Post-Professional Master and a Bachelor of Architecture. He has taught continuously at UTSOA since 2006, in design and construction courses, and in seminar courses such as Race and Gender: By Design, which examines the relationship of design relative to narratives of race, gender, equity, and diversity. Over the last several years he has served in various service capacities on both UTSOA and university levels, including as Co-Chair of the UTSOA Committee of Diversity and Equity, and on the University’s Graduate Education Task Force. He is currently the faculty liaison for the UTSOA chapter of NOMAS (National Organization of Minority Architecture Students), and a faculty representative for the Design Futures Public Interest Design Forum. He is also currently serving as the Educator member on the Texas Society of Architects, and on the University’s Faculty Advisory Committee on Budgets.

Cynthia Herrera
Vision Plan Implementation Committee Chair

Cy Herrera es una firme defensora del bienestar de la comunidad a través de intervenciones ascendentes que incluyen la instalación y el desarrollo de Asociaciones Médico-Jurídicas (MLP) e iniciativas de housing first. Cy es una experimentada abogada de derecho de familia con un historial demostrado de trabajo en sectores gubernamentales y sin ánimo de lucro, y también es experta en la puesta en marcha de MLP, la formación y la defensa de clientes que han sufrido violencia de pareja, agresión sexual y acoso. Cy es doctor en Derecho por la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Loyola de Chicago, con un certificado en Derecho de la Salud por el nacionalmente aclamado Instituto Beazley de Derecho y Política de la Salud.

Gerardo Gandy

With a well-cultured background in architecture, interior design, and brand strategy, Gerardo works with some of Austin’s largest developers. He is on the front lines of creating the vision for how the urban, cultural, and architectural landscape is transforming in Austin. As a member of the steering committee for Gensler’s Community Impact Program, Gerardo helps steer the firm’s vision for community impact by focusing efforts and resources on initiatives ranging from non-profit collaborations, mentorship programs, and community engagement events. Gerardo was named the 2018 Associate Member of the year by the AIA Austin and is the recipient of the 2020 Austin Under 40 Awards in the category of Architecture, Construction, and Engineering.

Katharine Wilson Bayer
Board President

Katharine Wilson Bayer es una diseñadora afincada en Austin. A menudo se la puede encontrar en uno de los parques de su ciudad natal, maravillada por la paz y la apertura de los espacios verdes. Su objetivo en la conservación es abordar de forma creativa la creación de soluciones y ampliar la comprensión de los recursos del parque sin perder de vista el contexto, las consecuencias y el valor. Su marco de comprensión está influenciado por la teoría estética, el activismo cultural creativo, la literatura y su relación con el paisaje, y el desarrollo de capacidades mediante la participación de la comunidad. Con deleite y curiosidad, se esfuerza por construir paisajes que enriquezcan y den vida.

Laura Billings Key

Laura Key es directora de ventas estratégicas de la empresa tecnológica Dropoff. Le apasiona utilizar los espacios verdes de Austin como foro educativo. Le encantan todas las especies únicas que alberga el Parque Pease. Ella, su marido, Garrett, y sus dos hijos pueden encontrarse a menudo jugando en el Parque Pease.

Mary Tipps

Mary has been walking the trail at Pease Park since college. She lives in Old Enfield and can be found most weekends at the park walking her dogs.

A Houston native, Mary has a degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas. She currently is the Executive Director of a statewide advocacy association.

Previously to the Conservancy, Mary served as Board Chair for Dress for Success and volunteered with the Austin Children’s Shelter in addition to being on it’s Board of Directors.

Melissa Sarkar
Treasurer Finance Committee Chair

Melissa aporta más de 25 años de experiencia operativa diversa, incluyendo la gestión de organizaciones con y sin ánimo de lucro. Pasó 20 años en Busch Entertainment Corporation, culminando en su papel de Vicepresidenta de Operaciones. Después de conocer a su marido en 2007, decidió colgar su sombrero de parque temático y se trasladó a Austin.

Le entusiasma la energía que aporta Pease Park Conservancy a la hora de reimaginar lo que un parque urbano puede aportar a la comunidad circundante.

Micah King

Micah is a shareholder at Winstead. He focuses on land use and real estate development, as well as governmental affairs, with an emphasis on local government. Micah regularly represents clients before city councils, boards, planning and zoning commissions, and other governmental bodies. Previously, Micah served as an Assistant City Attorney to the City of Austin. A Texas native, he earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin.

Michelle Strauss
Development Committee Co-Chair

Michelle es una tejana de quinta generación que creció en Houston y que ahora vive en Austin con su marido y sus tres hijos. Después de vivir en Houston, Nueva York, Dallas y Los Ángeles, Michelle aprendió el impacto positivo que los espacios verdes urbanos pueden tener en la salud mental y física, y le apasiona preservar y hacer que esos espacios sean accesibles para todos. Michelle también forma parte del Consejo de Liderazgo del Hospital Infantil Dell, del Comité de la Gala del Festival del Libro de Texas y, junto con su marido, es una ferviente defensora de Austin PBS / Austin City Limits. Michelle y su familia viven desde hace varios años en las inmediaciones de Pease Park y a menudo se les puede encontrar montando en bicicleta, corriendo y jugando en el parque.

Morgan Burnham

Morgan grew up in Dallas and attended the University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a BA in corporate communications. After working and traveling as a communications consultant for 6 years, she and her husband moved from Washington, DC to Austin to start a family. Morgan, John, and their three children live just above Shoal Creek and love their daily walks through Pease Park with their dog, Banks. Morgan grew up enjoying the park over holidays with her extended family in Austin and believes in the power of urban green spaces to bring families, neighborhoods, and communities together.

Myra Goepp

Myra was raised in Chicago where parks and public spaces are a core component to many neighborhoods and provide programs that redirect young energy in positive ways. When she moved to Austin to attend The University of Texas Engineering program, Myra lived at the doorstep to Pease Park. She found respite in a daily morning run on the creek side trail. Today, Myra is Vice President at Espacio Benchmark Land Development, where she works to find better ways to build complete communities that thoughtfully provide for all the dynamic parts of life, such as where you rest your head, educate, work, shop, eat, play, volunteer, rejoice and collaborate.

Nan McRaven
Secretary Nominations, Governance, Strategy Committee Chair

La Dra. Nan McRaven es la propietaria de McRaven Consulting, una empresa de relaciones públicas y asuntos gubernamentales, situada en Austin, Texas. Antes de crear su propia empresa, Nan ocupó puestos en los sectores privado, sin ánimo de lucro y gubernamental. Su experiencia laboral incluye: Directora del Estado de Texas de The Trust for Public Land; Directora Senior de Freescale Semiconductor; Vicepresidenta de Comunicaciones y Asuntos Públicos de Motorola Inc.; Vicepresidenta de la Cámara de Comercio del Gran Austin; y Directora de Personal y Presupuesto del Condado de Travis.

Raasin McIntosh

Raasin is the Founder of Raasin in the Sun and Director of Parks and Placemaking at Downtown Austin Alliance. She is the community’s creative placemaking gift. She is a visionary, creative, and Track and Field Olympian, whose career spans nearly a decade specializing in community arts initiatives in cross-disciplinary collaborative work.

She attended the University of Texas at Austin where she earned a BA in Communications. She has extensive experience in curating, managing, producing, facilitating and coordinating, public arts, public space activations, creative placemaking, restorations, and community engagement initiatives.

Lead by a humanitarian drive to change the world for the better through the arts, she represents our community to the highest level through the art of storytelling, intentional solution based ideas to strengthen and enhance the city’s cultural identity while promoting/providing economic viability for all artists and creatives alike.

Rob Shands

Rob is a Partner with RedLeaf, where he is primarily focused on capital markets, financing activities, acquisitions, vertical development, and strategic partnerships.

He holds a BBA in Finance from the University of Mississippi. He has been on the Board of Directors for the Hill Country Conservancy, the Board of Directors for the Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA), and the Board of Directors for First Bank, N.A.

Robin Camp

Robin has been a project manager for custom homes, as well as City of Austin public projects, including many city parks. She currently manages construction projects for The University of Texas. She led a series of Habitat for Humanity construction sites, including all women volunteer-built houses and served on the Austin Habitat for Humanity board of directors. Pease Park first came to her attention while in the UT Architecture School when she wrote a research paper on the park. Many years later, after riding through the park as a commuting cyclist and spending countless hours with her dogs in the park, she has brought her talents in design and construction to Pease.

Wendy Dunnam Tita
Past President

Durante más de dos décadas, Wendy Dunnam Tita ha tratado de integrar la innovación y la estrategia de futuro con una calidad de diseño excepcional. Es directora de Page y líder del mercado de proyectos de vivienda y hostelería de la empresa. Como arquitecta, Wendy defiende el diálogo entre el diseño, la artesanía y las personas para avanzar y alimentar esta colaboración esencial, y para enriquecer la experiencia humana de la arquitectura y su realización. Como habitante de Austin desde 1988, Wendy está comprometida con la rica arteria de Pease Park y otros espacios verdes urbanos que sirven como lugares para explorar, jugar y conectar nuestra diversa y creciente comunidad.

Yusuf Bajwa

Yusuf es abogado de Sanders Bajwa LLP, donde asesora en transacciones inmobiliarias comerciales y representa a clientes en complejos litigios empresariales y acciones colectivas sobre valores. Reside en Old Enfield con su esposa Lauren y sus tres hijas.