FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2026
Trinity River Audubon Center Announces Amaris Alanis-Ribeiro as new Center Director
Environmental Leader with Two Decades of Conservation Experience to Guide Dallas's Gateway to the Great Trinity Forest
DALLAS—The Trinity River Audubon Center (TRAC) is pleased to announce Amaris Alanis-Ribeiro as its new Center Director. An accomplished environmental changemaker with 20 years of experience in conservation, environmental education, and STEM, Alanis-Ribeiro will guide the Center's programming and conservation strategy.
"As a naturalist and educator at heart, I'm excited to embark on this new journey with Trinity River Audubon Center," said Alanis-Ribeiro. “TRAC is rooted in a long history of ecological change and strengthened by decades of community support, a legacy I look forward to building upon. I’m thrilled by the warm welcome from supporters, community members, leaders, and Audubon staff, and I look forward to strengthening TRAC’s role in Dallas' environmental landscape."
Alanis-Ribeiro joins TRAC from the Hispanic Access Foundation where she served as Director of Forestry, collaborating with municipalities and nonprofits across the United States and Puerto Rico to strengthen climate resilience, including leading a successful $25 million federal urban forestry grant initiative. She also previously directed the North Park Village Nature Center under the City of Chicago's Park District. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, Alanis-Ribeiro holds a bachelor's degree in Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is currently pursuing a master's degree in science education.
"Audubon is thrilled to welcome Amaris as the newest member of our team," said Audubon Texas Vice President and Executive Director Lisa Gonzalez. “Her deep skills and experience across education, conservation and community building are a welcome addition to our stellar team at TRAC. I look forward to working with Amaris to continue growing Audubon’s impactful community programs and conservation work happening in North Texas and beyond.”
Located just ten miles south of downtown Dallas, the 120‑acre Trinity River Audubon Center serves as the premier gateway to the 6,000‑acre Great Trinity Forest—the largest urban hardwood forest in the United States. Once an illegal dump site, the land has been transformed through long‑standing partnership with community members and the City of Dallas into a thriving sanctuary for hundreds of bird species and other wildlife. Today, TRAC provides nature‑based experiences, community programs, and environmental education to tens of thousands of North Texans each year.
For more information, visit trinityriver.audubon.org .
Thank you!
MEDIA CONTACT
Jennifer Croy
