We're excited to announce the 2025 Texas Women in Conservation Honorees: Susan Alvarez of Dallas, Pam Nelson Harte of Fort Davis, Ayanna Jolivet McCloud of Houston, and Carolyn Vogel of Dripping Springs. These remarkable leaders are recognized for their outstanding contributions to protecting Texas’s natural resources and advancing conservation across the state. 

Now in its 10th year, the Texas Women in Conservation Program celebrates the vital role women play in Texas conservation and environmental stewardship. Each honoree receives the Terry Hershey Award, named after the late conservationist who dedicated much of her life to ecological conservation efforts in Houston and throughout Texas. Terry Hershey was known as a trailblazer in the field for her fierce advocacy, dedicated volunteerism, and steadfast work to improve the Texas environment. 

The 2025 honorees embody the spirit of Audubon’s mission by protecting working lands, restoring resilient coastal ecosystems, advancing climate solutions, and creating bird-friendly communities—work that strengthens Texas’s connection to the broader conservation efforts across the Americas. 

“We are so thrilled to honor these incredible women who have dedicated themselves to conservation and environmental stewardship,” said Audubon Texas Vice President and Executive Director Lisa Gonzalez. “True leadership in conservation is measured not just by the habitats restored or policies shaped, but by the generations inspired. These honorees embody the courage, commitment, and vision needed to protect Texas’s natural legacy—and to light the way for those who will follow.” 

Through community collaboration and a shared purpose, the 2025 Texas Women in Conservation reflect Audubon’s vision: to creating a healthier, more resilient future for birds, people, and the places we share. 

Learn more about Texas Women in Conservation honorees below: 

 Susan Alvarez serves as Director of Environment and Development at the North Central Texas Council of Governments, where she oversees programs focused on water resources, materials management, regional codes, public works, and climate action. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Rice University. 

A Texas Professional Engineer, Certified Floodplain Manager, and Texas Master Naturalist, Susan brings over 40 years of experience in environmental restoration across Texas, the Pacific Northwest, the desert Southwest, and Charleston Harbor. She recently contributed as a chapter author for the Southern Great Plains section of the 5th National Climate Assessment and has led key local initiatives, including the Dallas Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan, the Dallas Urban Forest Master Plan, and the DFW Air Quality Improvement Plan. Susan’s work has shaped regional policies and on-the-ground actions that are building more resilient, sustainable communities throughout Texas. 

 Pam Nelson Harte, born in San Antonio, grew up with a deep respect for nature, instilled by her grandparents and parents—artists, science teachers, and conservationists. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Texas A&M University, a degree in French Literature and History from the Institut Catholique, and professional training as a Licensed Massage and Physical Therapist specializing in brain and spinal cord rehabilitation. 

Pam has served on the Texas Parks & Wildlife Diversity Advisory Committee, the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society, the Texas A&M University Press Advancement Board, the Ossabaw Island Foundation Board, the Center for the Advancement and Study of Early Texas Art Board, the Project Coyote Advisory Council, and the Harte Research Institute Leadership Council. Her lifelong commitment to conservation, education, and the arts has made her a respected force for conservation and cultural preservation across Texas and beyond. 

Ayanna Jolivet Mccloud is a fourth generation Houstonian, where she currently lives and works as Executive Director of Bayou City Waterkeeper. By weaving together environmental advocacy, environmental education, and arts and celebrating the intersectionality of these threads, Ayanna breathes life into the community in new ways. 

Ayanna creates art that explores the environment through the lens of the African diaspora, weaving in broader themes of memory, geography, spatial studies, and materiality. Her practice is rooted across the Americas, with hemispheric exhibitions and residencies spanning the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America. Whether advocating for the protection of wetlands, expanding access to clean water, connecting biodiversity with cultural diversity through outreach programs, or strengthening regional science and policy efforts, Ayanna’s leadership sparks transformative change. 

Carolyn Vogel has devoted her life to the land, water, history, and heritage of Texas. Her passion for conservation is deeply personal, rooted in her family's long history of farming and ranching in Gillespie County, where they have maintained a working operation since the 1840s. 

Today, Carolyn is a Texas farm and ranch real estate agent with Moreland Properties Land and Ranch Division in Dripping Springs. Her previous roles include serving as Statewide President of Texas Conservation Connection, Founding Executive Director of the Texas Land Trust Council, and a nearly 30-year career at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. She continues her commitment to conservation through service on numerous boards, including Friends of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, Texas Alliance of Land Brokers, Native Prairies Association of Texas, and the Hill Country Alliance. 

Carolyn holds a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Parks Management from Texas A&M University. Her leadership has expanded the reach of private land conservation in Texas, advancing the use of conservation easements as vital tools to protect the state's natural landscapes and working lands for future generations. 

The award was established in 2015 in honor of the late Terry Hershey, who dedicated much of her life to ecological conservation efforts in Houston and throughout Texas. Mrs. Hershey was a former member of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission and a founding board member of Bayou Preservation Association, Houston Audubon Society, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Research Center, The Park People, and Urban Harvest. She was also a past board member for Audubon Texas, the National Audubon Society, National Recreation and Park Association, and The Trust for Public Land.