PRESIDENT
Location: Austin, TX
Joined the board: 2017

Blake Murden

Dr. Murden is the CEO of the Shield Land Stewardship Group where he is responsible for the administration and conservation management of the three Shield-Ayres family ranches comprising 37,000 acres in Central and West Texas. Blake also supports the mission of the Shield Ranch Foundation through land stewardship, coordination and oversight of capital projects and the operation and management of land and facilities. Blake has more than 30 years of experience managing, researching, and monitoring land, water, and wildlife resources on private lands in Texas, the Pacific Northwest, and New Zealand. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Tarleton State University, and his Master of Science and Ph.D. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University.

VICE PRESIDENT
Location: Austin, TX
Joined the board: 2016

Neel Baumgardner

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.

TREASURER
Location: Austin, TX
Joined the board: 2017

Michelle Kopplow

Michelle is a Partner in the audit practice at Maxwell Locke and Ritter LLP based in Austin where she serves middle market private company clients in a variety of industries. She spent her teenage years in San Antonio and attended the University of Texas at Austin where she obtained a Masters in Professional Accounting. She is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the AICPA and TSCPA Austin Chapter and is raising two young Texans.

SECRETARY
Location: Dripping Springs, TX
Joined the board: 2023

Tiffany Osburn

Since 2008, Tiffany has worked with the Texas Historical Commission where she currently serves as the Deputy State Archeologist focusing on the preservation of historic Texas landscapes. Prior to joining THC, Tiffany earned a Master’s Degree from the University of Denver where she conducted archeological research with a specialization in near-surface geophysics and worked for 10 years in the private sectors of cultural resource management and environmental compliance. She spent a number of years in leadership supporting the conservation work of the Hill Country Land Trust and worked to find permanent homes for their 21 easement properties with Texas Land Conservancy. She currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas where she enjoys outdoor adventures with her husband and their dog Tig.

Location: Dallas, TX
Joined the board: 2000

Michael Jung

Since 2008, Tiffany has worked with the Texas Historical Commission where she currently serves as the Deputy State Archeologist focusing on the preservation of historic Texas landscapes. Prior to joining THC, Tiffany earned a Master’s Degree from the University of Denver where she conducted archeological research with a specialization in near-surface geophysics and worked for 10 years in the private sectors of cultural resource management and environmental compliance. She spent a number of years in leadership supporting the conservation work of the Hill Country Land Trust and worked to find permanent homes for their 21 easement properties with Texas Land Conservancy. She currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas where she enjoys outdoor adventures with her husband and their dog Tig.

Since 2008, Tiffany has worked with the Texas Historical Commission where she currently serves as the Deputy State Archeologist focusing on the preservation of historic Texas landscapes. Prior to joining THC, Tiffany earned a Master’s Degree from the University of Denver where she conducted archeological research with a specialization in near-surface geophysics and worked for 10 years in the private sectors of cultural resource management and environmental compliance. She spent a number of years in leadership supporting the conservation work of the Hill Country Land Trust and worked to find permanent homes for their 21 easement properties with Texas Land Conservancy. She currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas where she enjoys outdoor adventures with her husband and their dog Tig.

Location: Rockport, TX
Joined the board: 1987

Earl Matthew