BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Location: Austin, Texas
Joined the board: 2015

“TLC does good, effective, meaningful work, critical to maintaining our Texas landscapes, preserving open space, mitigating land fragmentation, protecting water and air quality.  I’m a Texan, I want to live here forever, and I want to contribute to work that helps leave it better than I found it—TLC does that.”

Mr. Moorhead is the Director of Policy for Audubon Texas, one of the oldest conservation organizations in the world.  He is the founder and principal of Woods Prairie, an Austin-based business consulting firm.  Previously, he served as the COO of the Ben Barnes Group. A native of Houston and an honors graduate from the University of Texas at Austin’s Plan II Program, he is passionate about energy and water-resource issues, infrastructure, and land-use planning, and also holds a Master’s in Energy and Earth Resources from the Jackson School of Geosciences at UT-Austin. He enjoys kayaking, working outdoors, Texas waterways, and being with his family.

Location: Austin, Texas
Joined the board: 2017

“I’m proud to call Texas home and support TLC in its mission to conserve natural beauty and preserve Texas land for future generations.”

Michelle spent her teenage years in San Antonio and then moved closer to the heart of Texas to attend the University of Texas at Austin where she obtained her Masters in Professional Accounting.  She began her public accounting career with Deloitte & Touche LLP in Austin, TX, last serving in the audit practice as a senior manager. Michelle continued her public accounting career with Maxwell Locke and Ritter LLP where she currently serves a variety of clients and industries within the firm’s audit practice.   She is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the AICPA and TSCPA Austin Chapter and is raising two young Texans with her husband.

Location:  Dallas, Texas
Joined the board:  1984

“I want everyone to be able to slow down their busy life and absorb the peace provided by a natural environment.  TLC protects lands into perpetuity enabling our beautiful forests, fields and ecosystems to continue for future generations.”

Janell grew up in the Texas panhandle and moved to Dallas in 1973.  She attended the University of North Texas and passed the Certified Public Accountants exam in 1984; at which time she became a partner in the Richardson Accounting firm of Sheriff, Sheriff & McNally.  In 1986 that partnership was downsized to the present firm of Sheriff & Morgan, P.C.  Janell is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has served on various accounting committees at the state and local level.  In her lifetime she was blessed with a long-term marriage and one son.  In addition to her profession, she enjoys many activities with friends such as, traveling, cards, nature walks,  reading and acquiring a deeper knowledge of my spiritual faith.

Location:  Austin, Texas
Joined the board:  2010

“TLC protects habitats and ecosystems from development and degradation. Because of this work, my children and grandchildren will get to see and experience the natural and cultural heritage of Texas.”

A University of Texas at Austin graduate, Travis went on to earn a Masters of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs before earning a J.D. from the UT School of Law. He is a partner in the Austin law firm of Graves Dougherty Hearon Moody with a primary focus in commercial real estate.  He also has legislative experience, having interned for the chair of the Texas House Natural Resources Committee. Travis currently serves on the board of Texas Land Trust Council which is the statewide trade association for land trusts as well as the TLC board.

Location: Austin/San Antonio, Texas
Joined the board: 2016

“Land links our past and future. With 95% of Texas privately-owned, the TLC performs a vital role in preventing habitat fragmentation, preserving watersheds, and helping Texans preserve their natural heritage.”

After a career in consulting and financial services at Accenture and American Express, Neel received a Ph.D. in environmental history. He teaches in the Department of History at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and his research focuses on public and private conservation efforts, including the state and national parks of Texas. Neel is finishing his first manuscript for publication that explores the creation of international parks along our nation’s shared borders with Canada and Mexico. He contributed to “The National Parks of Texas: In Contact With Beauty,” a Texas Public Broadcasting Association documentary highlighting the 16 national parks in Texas for the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

Location: Dallas, Texas
Joined the board: 2004

“I grew up with TLC (then NAPA) being organized in my family living room, and we always took family trips to natural wilderness areas where I felt connected to nature. These experiences have led me to engage in activities to protect and preserve the earth.”

The daughter of Ned and Genie Fritz, Ms. McKee continues her family’s efforts to preserve natural areas by serving on the board of Texas Land Conservancy, which her parents started. Ms. McKee has a degree in communications and public relations from Southern Methodist University and worked for over twenty years as a fundraising and development manager for arts and education organizations in Dallas. As a teenager, Eileen received a prestigious Ford Foundation Scholarship to the School of American Ballet and she has performed with numerous national and regional dance companies. She currently teaches at Contemporary Ballet Dallas and serves on the Board of the Contemporary Ballet Dallas professional company.

Location: Dallas, Texas
Joined the board: 2000

“Protecting land – not just advocacy, not just increasing public awareness, but actually protecting land in the real world – has been a passion for me since I was a child.  I am deeply proud to have been a part of what TLC has accomplished, and look forward to what it will accomplish in the decades to come.”

Michael obtained math and earth science degrees from MIT and worked for a year on the Space Shuttle project, before changing course and attending Harvard Law School.  He is a partner in Clark Hill Strasburger in Dallas, specializing in civil appellate litigation and governmental law.  Michael currently serves on TLC’s board as its Immediate Past President, as District 9 representative on the Dallas City Plan & Zoning Commission, on the Executive Board of Texas Destination Imagination, and as member and past chairman of the White Rock Lake Task Force.

Location: Waco, Texas
Joined the board: 2019

“Texas is one of the fastest growing states in the nation, and the conservation efforts of TLC help ensure that—as development in our state continues—all Texans are able to enjoy open spaces and the ecosystem services that native habitat provides.”

Michaela is a native Texan whose passion for wildlife and conservation stemmed from her experiences growing up on a ranch outside of Dripping Springs. Michaela earned her B.S. in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences as well as Plant & Environmental Soil Science at Texas A&M University. She continued on at Texas A&M to earn her M.S. in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences while researching endangered avian species and the human dimensions of wildlife management. After working with surface water rights at TCEQ, Michaela felt called to pursue a career in education. For the last several years, Michaela has been teaching biology and environmental science at a private high school in Waco, TX and has also been teaching at McLennan Community College as an adjunct faculty member. In addition to teaching, Michaela serves on the Sustainability Board for McLennan Community College and is actively engaged in improving conservation and sustainability efforts within her community. In her spare time, Michaela enjoys spending time with her husband and dog while they explore Texas by foot, bike, and kayak.

Location:  Fort Worth, Texas
Joined the board:  1988

“I am very interested in protecting and preserving natural areas of all types all over the state. If we don’t do this, there will be nothing for generations ahead to see and appreciate how Texas used to be.”

Mr. O’Kennon received his bachelor’s degree in business from Duke University and then served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a fighter pilot, flying over 300 combat missions in Vietnam. While in the  military he received a law degree. Captain O’Kennon was an intelligence officer with the CIA after leaving the military. He became a commercial pilot in 1972, and recently retired after thirty years with American Airlines. He has been associated with the Botanical Research Institute of Texas in Fort Worth since its inception in 1986, and has served as a trustee and research associate, currently serving as vice chair.  An expert on North American flora, he has discovered and described more than 20 new plant species.  Mr. O’Kennon has authored or co-authored six books on botany including The Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas and The Illustrated Flora of East Texas and has published over a hundred scientific articles in international journals.

Location:  Austin, Texas
Joined the board:  2018

“I joined Texas Land Conservancy to help preserve the beautiful lands of Texas for my children, their children, and all the future generations of our great state.”

Caleb is an Austin native who grew up exploring Barton Creek and the outdoors of Texas. He is a Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor with the Gerrie Stafford Group at Merrill Lynch in Austin, TX. Focusing on wealth planning and investments he guides affluent families and individuals through generational life stages. Caleb holds a marketing degree from Texas State University. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, being outdoors, and cooking.