Leadership

Staff Leadership

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation staff carry out the day-to-day business of the foundation. Led by Executive Director Anne Brown, TPWF team members are passionate about the work they do and the mission they support.

Anne Brown, Executive Director

Anne assumed the role of Executive Director in July 2022, after serving as Principal Consultant since June 2019.  Originally, Anne joined the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation as Executive Director in June 2012. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Brown was the Texas State Director and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for the National Audubon Society. She has over 20 years’ experience in national nonprofit management across a wide range of disciplines. Her expertise includes being a member of the founding team for an internet technology start-up and managing various consulting projects with clients such as the Kennedy School of Government and American Diabetes Association.

Sharon Baker, Director of Finance

Sharon joined Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation as Finance Director in July 2022. Prior to joining TPWF, she was Director of Accounting at Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society. Previously, Sharon worked at Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind and YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas, now known as WINGS. Before beginning her career in nonprofit accounting in 2008, Sharon worked in retail and manufacturing accounting for companies in Oklahoma City, OK. She holds an MBA and BBA in Finance from University of Central Oklahoma. At home, Sharon enjoys spending time and traveling with her husband, Jon, Ukrainian international student, Anya, two rescue Boston Terriers, and a cat.

Merrill Chester Gregg, Director of Investments and Conservation Finance

Merrill joined Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation in March 2016 as Conservation Finance Director. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Gregg was a Vice President of Marketing for Texas and the Southeast at Brigade Capital Management, a $16 billion dollar credit asset manager based in New York City. Ms. Gregg started her career at Goldman Sachs, where she worked in New York City and Hong Kong consulting hedge funds on capital raising.

Emily House, Director of Outreach

Emily assumed the role of Director of Outreach for Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation in July 2022, after serving as Marketing and Membership Director since June 2018. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. House was Vice President of Olsen + Company where she helped non-profit and political organizations build membership audiences, raising more than $25 million through online and direct gifts. Emily also served seven years as an appointee with the U.S. Department of State, the Office of Management and Budget in the White House and the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C.

Phil Lamb, Director of Philanthropy

Phil joined Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation in June 2021 as Director of Philanthropy. Prior to joining the Foundation, Phil was Director of Development for the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation, where he led a rebranding of the organization’s communications assets, recruited new board members and raised more than $8 million for research projects and capital improvements. Before entering the nonprofit space, Phil was a litigator and general counsel in Dallas for 15 years. Phil is also a longtime volunteer for the Foundation’s Stewards of the Wild program and serves on Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s Upland Game Bird Advisory Committee.

Lydia Saldaña, Director of Communications

Lydia joined the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation team as Communications Director in September 2014 after more than 23 years of state service with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. For 17 of those years, she served as Communications Division Director and was responsible for agency communications, marketing, media relations, education and outreach. As TPWF communications director, Ms. Saldaña provides strategic input and guidance to the leadership team and implements annual integrated communication and marketing plans that support TPWF’s mission.

Julie Shaddox, Director of Development and Marketing

Julie rejoined the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation team in 2019 as the Director of Partner Programs and in June 2020, became Director of Stewardship and Support. Her prior roles at TPWF include serving as Development/Grant Writer from 2014-2015 and Philanthropy Relationship Manager from 2015-2018. Ms. Shaddox holds a bachelor’s degree from Trinity University and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. She enjoys travel and previously lived in Ankara, Turkey, where she taught English at the Bilkent University School of English Language.

Zach Spector, Director of Conservation Programs

Zach joined TPWF as Director of Conservation Programs in 2022. Prior to that, Zach worked for nearly a decade at Western Rivers Conservancy, a westwide conservation real estate group based in Portland, Oregon. While at Western Rivers, Zach was Government Affairs & Northwest Program Director. During his tenure, Zach was responsible for conserving over 20,000 acres in both fee simple and conservation easement and helping secure tens of millions of dollars in public funding. Zach has a joint MBA and MS from the University of Colorado at Boulder, with a focus on conservation real estate and finance, and a BA from Vanderbilt University. Originally from San Antonio, Zach is excited to be back working on conservation issues across Texas.