Meet the Staff
At TLC, our staff works hand-in-hand across programs and regions to protect Texas’s special landscapes. We combine conservation know-how, community connections, and strong leadership to support landowners, partners, and supporters every step of the way.
Whether you’re thinking about conserving your land, partnering on a project, getting involved in your community, or supporting conservation work, you’ll find someone here ready to help.
Guiding our Mission and Strategy
This area of our work shapes organizational vision, strengthens operations, and aligns programs to ensure conservation efforts are thoughtful, sustainable, and impactful.
Contact for:
organizational partnerships
strategic initiatives
conservation opportunities
Executive Director
Joined TLC in 2007
Background: Mark holds a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and an M.S. in Rangeland Ecology and Management, both from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Montana in Forestry and Conservation. His academic and professional experience has focused on land management, conservation policy, and addressing land fragmentation.
Focus: As Executive Director, Mark provides vision and leadership to advance conservation across Texas. He builds strong relationships with landowners, partners, and foundations, helping secure major conservation opportunities. Under his leadership, TLC has grown from a one-person staff to ten, strengthened its financial sustainability, expanded its conservation network, and increased its impact across the state.
Contact for:
Major partnerships and conservation opportunities
Mark Steinbach
Strategic Operations Director
Joined TLC in 2017
Background: Maren holds a B.A. in Political Science with a focus on Environmental Affairs from Colorado State University and an M.A. in Environmental Policy from the University of Denver. She has spent most of her career in the nonprofit sector, wearing many hats across outreach, fundraising, and communications, with a passion for strategic development and graphic design.
Focus: Maren drives TLC’s external growth and internal operations, ensuring the organization runs smoothly while advancing its mission. She oversees fundraising, communications, marketing, and outreach, guiding the team and building systems that support the organization’s work. She helps shape strategic plans, guide organizational vision, and align priorities across all areas of the organization.
Contact for:
Partnership opportunities
Organizational strategy or operational questions
Maren McLaughlin-Klotz
Conservation Director
Joined TLC in 2016
Background: Stephen holds a B.S. in Geographic Information Science from Texas State University. He brings a wide range of experience in cartography, field work, surveys, photography, guided hikes, and community outreach.
Focus: Stephen provides strategic leadership and oversight for TLC’s conservation program, including land protection, stewardship and monitoring, and preserve management. He directs the implementation of conservation strategies, manages program staff, and ensures all activities align with organizational priorities and Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices.
Contact for:
Conserving your land
Learning about conservation options
Landowner workshop opportunities
Stephen Ramirez
Protecting and Stewarding Land
These roles focus on protecting important landscapes and ensuring conserved lands remain healthy and cared for over time—from conservation easements and land acquisitions to long-term stewardship and land management.
Contact for:
conserving property
land protection options
stewardship and land management questions
Stewardship Program Manager
Joined TLC in 2023
Background: Ashley holds a B.A. in Biology from Baylor University and an M.S. in Environmental Management and Sustainability from St. Edward’s University. She brings a wide range of experience, including field work, policy interpretation, wetland delineations, biological surveying, and statistical analysis.
Focus: Ashley oversees TLC’s conservation easement monitoring program, ensuring protected lands remain healthy and protected through long-term stewardship. She also supports conservation staff by addressing landowner questions, providing land management guidance, and assisting with preserve support, outreach events, and communications efforts.
Contact for:
Questions about current conservation easements
Project or partnership ideas for Grady Grove Preserve or Tanglewood Prairie
Ashley Burke-Muraida
Acquisitions Manager
Joined TLC in 2023
Background: Alec holds a B.S.in Natural Resources Management from Texas Tech University. As a fifth-generation Texan, his passion for conservation and land stewardship began on his family’s ranch in the Texas Panhandle and has followed him throughout his career.
Focus: Alec works closely with landowners to guide conservation projects from the first conversation through permanent protection. He manages the full easement acquisition process, ensuring each project is thoughtfully evaluated, carefully documented, and aligned with TLC’s mission.
Contact for:
Conserving your land
Learning about conservation options
Alec King
Representing Texas Regions
Our regional staff works directly in communities across Texas, building relationships and advancing conservation where it matters most — on the ground and alongside local landowners and partners.
Contact for:
local conservation projects
landowner support
regional partnerships
getting involved at a TLC preserve
North Texas Program Director
Joined TLC in 2024
Background: Jack holds a B.S. in Forestry from Southern Illinois University. He has focused on ecological restoration and conservation education, with experience at the Indiana Division of Forestry, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, U.S. Forest Service, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Focus: Working across North Texas, Jack blends hands-on conservation with community relationships to ensure conserved lands thrive, landowners feel supported, and local engagement strengthens long-term conservation success. He manages TLC’s Malone Preserve and Oak Cliff Nature Preserve, and hosts TLC’s annual Casting for Conservation event.
Contact for:
Regional collaborations
Speaking engagements or workshop opportunities in North Texas
Project or partnership ideas for Malone Preserve or Oak Cliff Nature Preserve
Jack Cearley
Hill Country Program Manager
Joined TLC in 2026
Background: Nick holds a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Texas State University, immersing himself in the ecologically sensitive sites of the Hill Country. He previously worked with Plateau Land and Wildlife, educating landowners on wildlife management practices and open-space property tax valuations.
Focus: Nick supports land conservation and stewardship throughout the Hill Country, helping landowners care for their properties while protecting natural habitats. He also manages Los Rincones Preserve, working to ensure the land thrives and is a resource for both wildlife and the community.
Contact for:
Regional collaborations
Speaking engagements or workshop opportunities in the Hill Country
Project or partnership ideas for Los Rincones Preserve
Nick Fisher
East Texas Program Director
Joined TLC in 2023
Background: Jamie holds a B.S. in Forestry with an emphasis in Wildlife Management and an M.S. in Forestry from Stephen F. Austin State University. A native of East Texas, she is dedicated to restoring historic ecosystems and caring for land in ways that benefit wildlife and communities.
Focus: Jamie works throughout East Texas to support landowners and protect important habitats. She manages Ivy Payne Preserve, Marysee Prairie, and Banita Creek Preserve, ensuring these lands are thriving while helping local communities connect with conservation.
Contact for:
Regional collaborations
Speaking engagements or workshop opportunities in East Texas
Project or partnership ideas for Ivy Payne Preserve, Marysee Prairie, or Banita Creek
Jamie Hooker
Growing Our Community
These roles focus on connecting people to conservation through outreach, events, volunteer opportunities, and partnerships. Staff helps build a strong conservation network, engage communities, and grow support for protecting land across Texas.
Contact for:
Volunteer opportunities
Events
Sponsorships
Membership or donation questions or opportunities
Development and Communications Associate
Joined TLC in 2024
Background: Valeria holds a B.A. in Environment and Sustainability from The University of the South. Growing up in the Hill Country instilled in her a deep commitment to stewardship, and she brings experience across agricultural, nonprofit, and government sectors.
Focus: Valeria supports TLC’s fundraising, donor relations, and communications while helping manage daily operations. She oversees the membership program, executes fundraising campaigns and appeals, manages grants, and leads communications through the e-newsletter and website.
Contact for:
Donations, sponsorships, and membership questions
Media inquiries
Questions about TLC e-mail communications or website content
Valeria Bridgewater
Community Engagement Coordinator
Joined TLC in 2026
Background: TBD
Focus: Daniela builds strong relationships with communities, volunteers, and partners to support conservation across all TLC preserves. She connects people to opportunities to engage with the land, helping volunteers, community members, and partners play a meaningful role in protecting Texas landscapes.
Contact for:
Events and volunteer opportunities at TLC preserves (Ivy Payne, Malone, Oak Cliff, Los Rincones)
Community partnerships and outreach programs and events
Social media questions, ideas, or partnerships