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.

Mark Steinbach

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. Mark has worked as a private lands wildlife biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife, conducted research in the Rocky Mountain region, and gained practical land management experience on his family’s farm in Washington County.

Focus: Mark provides vision and leadership to advance conservation across Texas. He builds strong relationships with landowners, partners, and foundation supporters, 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.

Valeria Bridgewater

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 donor databases, executes fundraising campaigns and appeals, manages grants, and leads communications through the e-newsletter, website, and other organizational materials.

Contact for:
• Donations, sponsorships, and membership questions
• Media inquiries
• Questions about TLC e-mail communications or website content

Ashley Burke-Muraida

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 ensures conserved land remains healthy, protected, and thriving through long-term stewardship and support for landowners.

Contact for:
• Questions about managing a conservation easement property
• Stewardship agreements and monitoring
• Issues with your conservation easements

Jack Cearley

North Texas Program Director
Joined TLC in 2024

Background: Jack is a graduate of Southern Illinois University with a B.S. in Forestry. His Focus has been on ecological restoration and conservation education. His work experience includes 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 also manages TLC’s Malone Preserve and Oak Cliff Nature Preserve.

When to ask for Jack:
• Landowners interested in protecting their land in North Texas
• Regional collaborations
• Project or partnership ideas for Malone Preserve or Oak Cliff Nature Preserve

Jamie Hooker

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:
• Landowners interested in protecting their land in East Texas
• Regional collaborations
• Project or partnership ideas for Ivy Payne Preserve, Marysee Prairie, or Banita Creek

Alec King

Acquisitions Manager
Joined TLC in 2022

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. He also supports long-term stewardship efforts and helps connect more people to conservation through outreach.

Contact for:
• Conserving your land
• Learning about conservation options

Maren McLaughlin-Klotz

Strategic Operations Director
Joined TLC in 2017

Background: Maren holds a B.A. in Political Science with a focus in 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, graphic design, and creative content.

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 teams in these areas and building systems that support the organization’s work. Partnering closely with the Executive Director and Conservation Director, she helps shape strategic plans, guide organizational vision, and align priorities across all departments.

Stephen Ramirez

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. His work and volunteer experience includes Save Our Springs Alliance, San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance, San Marcos River Foundation, and Hays County Master Naturalists. Stephen’s passion for conservation is rooted in his love for the San Marcos River and sharing the natural world with others.

Focus: Stephen provides strategic leadership and oversight for TLC’s conservation programs, 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. He also works collaboratively across departments to secure funding, guide acquisitions, and strengthen TLC’s impact across Texas.

Meet the Board of Directors

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

Location: Rockport, TX
Joined the board: 1987

Earl Matthew