Doug’s not-for-profit service covers more than 33 years, 22 of which have been as the Executive Director. For more than 27 years he worked for the Boy Scouts of America, facilitating membership development, volunteer training, fundraising, and numerous property development and programming responsibilities. He served Councils in Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, and New Jersey. Doug comes to Green Spaces Alliance having just served as Executive Director of Wildlife Prairie Park, an 1800 acre zoological park in Peoria, IL. Throughout his career, Doug has focused on excellence in program services and customer service. He is a strong believer in continuous improvement management practices and has extensive experience in not-for-profit administration, volunteer recruitment and development, fundraising, and camping and outdoor recreation programming. Land management and use have been a centerpiece of his professional career. He has experience in creating conservation easements, developing comprehensive long-range plans, and habitat and natural resource management.
Carra Garza
Picture Your World Program Manager
Carra is a professional photographer with a certificate in Photography from the Southwest School of Art and a B.A. in Art History from Southern Methodist University. Her work has been exhibited nationally in both solo and group shows. Ms. Garza’s current work consists of photographic transfer, collage, and encaustic. She is an active member of the arts community serving as a docent with the McNay Art Museum since 2001 and as a former board member and current supporter of the Southwest School of Art, a member of the Texas Photographic Society, and a member of the Houston Center for Photography.
Clay Thompson
Director of Conservation and Stewardship
Clay is a conservationist with experience in land management at the local to large-landscape level with previous work at the Texas A&M Natural Resource Institute, the Texas Military Department, and Air Education and Training Command. He received his B.S. in Forest Resource Management from Texas A&M and currently attends the Texas A&M Bush School of Government for a Master of Public Service and Administration. Much of his land management experience comes from local military lands in San Antonio and the surrounding area. Clay hopes to work with landowners and local constituents to preserve rural lands for future generations and protect the urban lands they support.
Grace Carlin
Urban Land & Water Program Manager
Grace is a sustainability and conservation professional with a proven passion for strengthening connections between people and the environment. She earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies at Trinity University in 2016 and went on to complete her Masters of the Environment (Sustainability, Planning, & Management specialization) at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2019. Grace has unique experience collaborating with communities to engage them with the outdoors and recreation. She focused her graduate studies on serving underprivileged groups like teens and youth, people of color, and low-income communities so that they might thrive in nature with resources specific to their unique needs. A seventh-generation Texan and a lifelong San Antonian, Grace is enthusiastic about giving back to her hometown by helping its vibrant communities grow positive relationships with the environment.
Sharon Mullen
Environmental Education Coordinator
Sharon is an engaging environmental educator who is passionate about connecting people with the environment. She earned her B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Texas State University in 2015 and went on to earn her M.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University at Galveston in 2017. Sharon has varied experience educating people of all ages and backgrounds on many environmental topics from sea turtles to cavern formations. Her work with Green Spaces Alliance focuses on strengthening the educational programs offered to the Community Gardens Network and the greater community.