About Us
Staff Bios
Bob Stokes - President
Bob Stokes is a 1990 graduate of Yale University and a 1994 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. After practicing law for ten years, Bob joined the Galveston Bay Foundation as President in June, 2004. Bob had served on the board of the Foundation for five years prior to taking over as President and had served as the board's chair for the previous two years. Bob has also served on the Houston Wilderness Board of Directors since 2004 and on the Governing Board of Earth Share of Texas beginning in 2007.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x211
bstokes@galvbay.org
Courtney Smith - Vice President of Operations
Courtney Smith has been with the Galveston Bay Foundation since March 2002, and she currently serves as Vice President of Operations. Courtney has served in a number of roles with the Foundation, including Environmental Specialist, Habitat Restoration Coordinator, and Grants Administrator. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, where she was active in the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and participated in a low water expedition on the Amazon River. She recently joined the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center in Baytown.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x214
csmith@galvbay.org
Tiffany Anders - Conservation Technician
Tiffany Anders joined GBF in August 2009. She is currently project manager for GBF's oyster restoration projects and a living shoreline project in addition to assisting the President of GBF and taking on the roles as office manager, network manager, and web developer. Tiffany received a M.A. Geography in Resources and Environmental Studies from Texas State University-San Marcos and holds a B.A.A.S. in Technology and Performance Improvement. Prior to joining GBF, Tiffany worked for the Student Conservation Association as a conservation crew leader along the North Country National Scenic Trail and as a biological technician with USGS Western Fisheries Research Center (Seattle, WA) collecting habitat data on a threatened species of fish. She also spent two and a half years working under Texas State University's Government Partnership Program; her time there was spent working for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's storm water permitting division.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x203
tanders@galvbay.org
Della Barbato - Manager of Education Programs
Della Barbato has served as Manager of Education Programs for the Galveston Bay Foundation since March of 2007. She coordinates, evaluates and runs five different education programs for youth in the Galveston Bay area, half of which allow the students to get hands on and muddy in the Bay. Her duties include giving Bay Ambassador presentations to area schools and youth groups; continuing existing and developing other classroom environmental projects such as Get Hip to Habitat and student restoration projects; and co-writing grants for GBF’s education programs. Della comes from a science educator background, serving as middle school science and algebra teacher and developer of science curricula at an accredited Montessori school for five years. She worked in seed research, seed enhancement and quality control in various seed labs in California for six years prior. Della received her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in plant biology from Texas A&M University.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x212
dbarbato@galvbay.org
Janice Christensen - Accouting Manager
Janice Christensen joined GBF in April 2010. She graduated from St. Mary’s University (San Antonio, Texas) with a B.B.A. in Accounting. She has a diverse accounting background, having worked for several large organizations in San Antonio, Austin, and the Houston area. She is responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, grant billing, and financial statements. She is passionate about environmental causes and is thrilled to join the GBF team.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x202
jchristensen@galvbay.org
Emily Demmeck - Marketing and Membership Director
Emily Demmeck was born on Galveston Island and grew up in Nassau Bay. She received her B.S. degree from the University of Texas in 2003. After working in legal marketing and professional development for four years she joined the GBF staff in June of 2009. Emily is in charge of managing and recruiting members for the Galveston Bay Foundation and GBF's overall marketing efforts. She hopes that her love for Galveston and the Bay Area, and her marketing experience, will help to raise awareness for the Foundation.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x213
edemmeck@galvbay.org
Scott Jones - Environmental Policy and Outreach Specialist
Scott has been with GBF since September 2008. Previously, Scott worked for eight years at the Galveston Bay Estuary Program and on water quality issues for four years at TCEQ-Austin and the Galveston County Health District. As Environmental Policy and Outreach Specialist, Scott provides education and outreach on the importance of freshwater inflows to Galveston Bay, ensuring that diverse stakeholder groups and citizens at large have a voice in State water planning. Scott also facilitates GBF's Wetland Permit Review Committee, a group of volunteers that examine Corps of Engineers permit applications to ensure that impacts to our wetlands are avoided, minimized and/or mitigated. Scott received a B.S. in Aquatic Biology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1993.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x209
sjones@galvbay.org
Lisa Miller-Marshall - TMDL Outreach Specialist
Lisa Miller-Marshall joined GBF in November 2009 after working in consulting for three years and owning her own environmental education business for ten years. Lisa is responsible for facilitating stakeholder involvement to the TMDL Implementation Plan, assisting TCEQ in the drafting of the Plan, and coordinating associated outreach activities. She earned a BA in Political Science at Texas State University and an MS in Environmental Science at the University of Virginia.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x215
lmarshall@galvbay.org
Julie Mintzer - Director of Community Programs
Julie Mintzer enthusiastically joined the GBF team in July 2009. As Director of Community Programs, Julie's main focus is recruiting and training GBF's (fantastic!) volunteers as well as organizing group habitat restoration projects and coordinating GBF events--Bay Day, Marsh Mania, and Trash Bash. In addition to GBF volunteer and event coordinating, she is project manager for the Boater Waste Education Campaign, recruits volunteers for oil spill response, and serves as supervisor for GBF interns. Prior to GBF, Julie worked in the Assistant City Manager's Office in the City of O'Fallon, Illinois and as a 7th grade math teacher in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Julie earned her bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from Washington University in St. Louis and her Masters of Public Administration and Policy Analysis with an environmental focus, from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Born in Florida, Julie is thrilled to dedicate her talents to benefit the people and resources of the great State of Texas!
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x207
jmintzer@galvbay.org
Matt Singer - Conservation Lands Manager
Matt Singer signed on with Galveston Bay Foundation in March 2010. Prior to joining GBF, Matt earned his B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University in 2005 and spent 4 1/2 years as a wildlife biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Matt is serving as the land manager for the Foundation’s conservation properties. He is working to restore, enhance, and maintain natural habitats around Galveston Bay.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x206
msinger@galvbay.org
Philip Smith - Habitat Restoration Coordinator
Philip Smith joined GBF in May 2006. Prior to joining GBF, Philip worked as a contract employee to NOAA Fisheries (Galveston, TX and Panama City, FL) for 6 years focusing on commercial fishing data collection, data management, quality control, and at-sea safety. Philip is a 1997 graduate of the University of Alabama and received a B.S. in biology and marine science.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x210
psmith@galvbay.org
Lee Anne Wilde - Special Projects Coordinator
Lee Anne Wilde received a B.A. in Anthropology in 1990 from Texas A&M University - College Station and an M.S. degree in Marine Resource Management in 2005 from Texas A&M University - Galveston. Lee Anne has worked on the Foundation's annual Marsh Mania event for three years. In addition, she has recently begun working with private landowners on the Foundation's Living Shorelines Initiative, a program geared toward habitat restoration and enhancement on private lands.
Contact info:
(281) 332-3381 x205
lwilde@galvbay.org
