Keynote Speaker: George Veni, Ph.D., Executive Director, National Cave and Karst Research Institute

​Dr. George Veni is an internationally recognized hydrogeologist specializing in caves and karst terrains. He has conducted karst research throughout the United States, especially in Texas, and in several other countries. Until July, he served as the President of the International Union of Speleology since 2017 and is the organizer of the International Year of Caves and Karst. Dr. Veni has served as an advisor for five universities in two countries for students working on their PhDs in geology, geography, and biology, and has taught karst science and management workshops internationally for over 30 years. He has published and presented over 280 papers, including six books, on hydrogeology, biology, and environmental management in karst terrains.
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Barbara Attwell, B.F.A., Environmental Painter and Sculptor

Barbara Attwell's art career includes numerous exhibits and awards, and unfolds in many formats - habitat sculptures, endangered species paintings, and felted works. Adding to her successful career as both painter and sculptor is experience in the field of environmentalism as a wildlife educator, including designing the educational program at Jacob's Well in Wimberley. All work centers on the wisdom, beauty, and plight of wildthings. 

Holland Austin, Eel Enthusiast 

Eels are sensitive to the position and strength of the Gulf Stream. Spanning from cenotes to old lakes in England, the Earth created a fish that would compliment her beautiful network of rivers fresh and saltwater. There are a lot of understudied eels in Austin.

Jay Banner, Ph.D., Director, UT Environmental Science Institute

Jay Banner’s research interests center on climate and hydrologic processes, how these processes are preserved in cave deposits, and how human activity affects the sustainability of water resources. At UT-Austin, he serves as the F. M. Bullard Professor in the Jackson School of Geosciences and directs the Environmental Science Institute. The institute’s community engagement programs include the Hot Science – Cool Talks Series. In his free time, Jay enjoys ultimate Frisbee.
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Brent Bellinger, Ph.D.,  Aquatic Ecologist, Austin Watershed Protection Department​

Brent Bellinger is an aquatic ecologist. He studies and monitors ecosystem conditions and linkages as influenced by anthropogenic activities. The goal of his research is to provide managers with enough understanding of what is driving conditions to make informed decisions that will enhance ecosystem services being provided by the aquatic environment.
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Nathan Bendik, M.S., Austin Watershed Protection Department

Nathan Bendik works for the City of Austin, Texas on monitoring and conservation of the City’s three endemic Eurycea salamanders. Originally from Pennsylvania, he completed his B.S. in Biology at the Pennsylvania State University (2002) and then received an M.S. in Biology at the University of Texas at Arlington (2006). His primary research interests include ecology, natural history, and evolution of central Texas spring and cave salamanders
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Andrew Clamann, M.A.Geo., Surface Water Team, Watershed Protection

Andrew Clamann escaped Abilene, Texas in 1991 to go to UT for his Bachelor's Degree in Biology. He was a high school science teacher for four years, and then worked in the private industry as an Environmental Consultant for five years. He got his foot in the door working for the City of Austin as an Environmental Inspector but quickly transferred to an entry-level biologist position with the Surface Water Team with the Watershed Protection Department. He got a Master's Degree of Applied Geography in Environmental Management at Texas State just for fun. He has been in faithful and devoted relationship with Watershed Protection for over 18 years, loves his job and plans to die at his desk. Oh, and he has a couple of kids and a wife and stuff like that too.

Justin Crow, Fish Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 2 San Marcos Aquatic Resource Center

Justin has experience in marine and freshwater biology and aquaculture systems. His work includes captive prorogation and husbandry of several federally listed amphibian and fish species. Justin’s research focuses on the environmental factors that affect aquatic animal physiology.
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Ed Crowell, Author at Texas A&M University Press and Freelancer for Texas Co-op Power Magazine

Ed Crowell is a former journalist who is currently a board member at Save Barton Creek Association and author at Texas A&M University Press. Ed Crowell moved to Austin in 1977 and lived a short distance above Barton Springs where he frequently swam with his family. He worked as an editor at the Austin American-Statesman in charge of the city, state and features desks. Texas A&M University Press published his book “Barton Creek” in 2019. He spent more than two years researching the creek’s natural and political history and interviewing scientists, conservation land protectors and property owners along the 50 miles of creek. The book discusses continuing development threats upstream of Barton Springs that could endanger the health of the creek and its 109-square-mile watershed.

Marisa Flores Gonzalez, MPA, Program Manager, Austin Water

Marisa Flores Gonzales leads the Water Resources Team at Austin Water and serves as the project manager for Water Forward, Austin's 100-year Integrated Water Resource Plan. ​Ms. Flores Gonzalez has eleven years of experience working in local government and utilities in multiple areas including water supply, water distribution, wastewater collection, and stormwater management planning. Ms. Flores Gonzales brings a holistic approach to water planning, with a belief in the value of community engagement and adaptive management to create a resilient and equitable future for the Austin community. Ms. Flores Gonzalez holds a B.A. in Geography and the Environment from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master's in Public Administration from Texas State University. 

Nico Hauwert, Ph.D., Professional Geoscientist, Program Manager, Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, Austin Water

The Austin Water Balcones Canyonland's Preserve is 14,000 acres of preserve to protect forest and cave ecosystems and our water supply. Nico's Austin-area studies since 1990 included conducting the first direct groundwater tracing to discover groundwater flow across the aquifer occurs within days instead of years, the first detection of widespread groundwater contamination in the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer in 1994, and most precise measurement of recharge over the Edwards Aquifer in the Austin area using a climate tower coupled with other methods of verification. He has been involved with restoring filled caves that are widespread across the Austin area, mapping their extent, and tracing their water sources since 1979. The restored caves can serve as preserves for wildlife and can present opportunities for the public to experience their natural heritage.
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Sara Heilman, M.S., Conservation Program Coordinator, Austin Watershed Protection Department

Sara Heilman is a conservation program coordinator for the City of Austin’s Watershed Protection Department and has been working in outdoor education for over 15 years. Sara coordinates Hydrofiles, a water quality education program for Austin area high schools with field investigations including caving into the Edwards Aquifer and monitoring local creeks. She holds a master’s degree in environmental science from Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi and enjoys trail running, gardening, and spending time with family.
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Dean Hendrickson, Ph.D., Curator of Ichthyology, University of Texas at Austin, Department of Integrative Biology

Dean Hendrickson, Ph.D. is the Curator of Ichthyology at the University of Texas at Austin, Department of Integrative Biology (Texas Natural History Collections). Dean earned his Ph.D. at Arizona State University. Before moving to Austin and U.T. in the 1990s, Dean served as the Native Fish Biologist for the State of Arizona. Currently, Dr. Hendrickson works on the Fishes of Texas project, including research on American eels in Texas streams, with an emphasis on connecting science to conservation and sustainability.
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Ingrid Karklins, MNRD, CERPIT, Restoration Ecologist & Conservation Program Coordinator, Austin Watershed Protection Department

Ingrid is a Restoration Ecologist and a Conservation Program Coordinator for the City of Austin Watershed Protection Department. She is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner (SER), holds Bachelor of Science in Ecological Restoration and Master of Natural Resource Development degrees
from Texas A&M University and has served for many years on the boards of the Texas Society for Ecological Restoration and the Texas Riparian Association. She manages riparian restoration projects throughout the city and works extensively with partner organizations such as Keep Austin Beautiful,
TreeFolks, Austin Civilian Conservation Corps and other City departments on restoring riparian ecological health and function. She has been actively promoting an equity-driven and inclusive focus on project development and implementation.
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Lee Mackenzie, Co-Founder Austin Bat Refuge

As a carpenter, then a nationally-acclaimed design build remodeler, Lee has been humanely dealing with a variety of small mammals in structures his whole career. A wildlife worker for over 20 years, now co-founder of Austin Bat Refuge, he creatively combines rehabilitation and permaculture, providing the highest possible quality of life in their “bat gardens”, an Austin Bat Refuge original concept and the first of its kind.
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Kim McKnight, MSHP, AICP, Austin Parks Department

Kim McKnight is a program manager at the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department and leads the Historic Preservation & Tourism Program, which seeks to identify, protect, restore and promote the historic resources of the Austin park system.

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Bill Oliver, Mr. Habitat

With over twenty years of concerts, campfires, and cafeterias, Bill’s programs are educational and entertaining, engaging and motivating. In schools, National Parks, and river-side celebrations, his songs bring to life the vital issues of Habitat conservation.
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Dianne Odegard, Co-Founder, Austin Bat Refuge

After 12 1/2 years as Education and Public Outreach Manager at Bat Conservation Onternational by day, and bat rehabilitator by night, Dianne has now gone full-time as co-founder of Austin Bat Refuge. Dianne has been a wildlife rehabilitator since 1990, working with animals that live in close proximity to urban areas and human structures and educating people about ways to live harmoniously with wildlife. She considers bat care to be service work benefiting both bats and humans.
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Abel Porras, Supervising Engineer, City of Austin Watershed Department

Originally from Rio Grande, Texas, Abel is a supervising engineer of the City of Austin Watershed Protection Department. At work, he focuses on machine learning and mathematical models to assess water quality for Austin's water resources. At home, he enjoys reading, watching movies and eating out with his wife and two daughters. He also enjoys running and hiking.

Mary K. Priddy, Conservation Program Manager, City of Austin's Office of Sustainability

As the Conservation Program Manager for the City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability, Mary K. Priddy's primary focus is education and outreach to Austin-area schools and businesses. In this capacity, she manages the City’s Bright Green Future Grant Program, which awards K-12 schools with grants of up to $3,000 for on-campus sustainability projects. She also manages the Austin Green Business Leaders Program, which recognizes businesses for their sustainable actions and is the Co-Chair of the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee (ESAC) for the Austin Independent School District.
In her spare time, Mary is a stand-up comedian and passionate animal advocate who co-founded DenMar’s Animal Refuge Network (DARN), a non-profit dedicated to helping rural shelters and rescues across Texas. Mary was the 2015 recipient of the Keep Texas Beautiful Sadie Ray Graff Youth Educator Award.​

Brian Smith, Ph.D., P.G., Principal Hydrogeologist, Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District

Brian has a Bachelor’s degree in geology from Rice University (1979) and a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Texas at Austin (1986). He has been exploring and studying caves since 1971, mostly in the southeastern United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Since graduating from the University of Texas, he has worked on numerous environmental sites and karst studies in many parts of the U.S. and in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Colin Strickland, M.A.Geo., Cave Biologist, Austin Water Balcones Canyonlands Preserve

Colin Strickland is a second-generation caver that grew up going caving all over the U.S. and Mexico. His love of the natural world led him to pursue a Bachelor of Science in biology (Ecology, Evolution & Behavior) from the University of Texas at Austin, graduating in 2010, additionally he got a Master of Applied Geography (Geographic Information Science) at Texas State University in San Marcos in 2016. He currently works at the City of Austin Balcones Canyonlands Preserve as a cave biologist. One of his main goals is to shed light on Central Texas cave organisms through photography and videography.