Paula Paciorek
Galveston Bay Foundation - Water Resources Manager
Paula joined Galveston Bay Foundation in October 2015. Paula works through the Texas Living Waters Project to increase public awareness of the importance of freshwater inflows to the health of Galveston Bay. She works to build a cadre of Houston-Galveston area citizens, organizations, businesses, and local governments to support and employ water conservation efforts as a means to help ensure sufficient freshwater flows reach the Bay. Paula has experience in water management and policy, program development, stakeholder engagement and outreach. She received a B.S. in Psychology and a M.S. in Applied Geography with concentration in water resources management from the University of Louisville in 2010 and 2014, respectively. Paula’s experience and expertise is in water resources management, policy, outreach and program development. In her spare time, Paula enjoys reading about water issues, kayaking in the Bay, doing yoga and finding a way to escape to the beautiful hill country and to remote parts of the world.
Annie Schmitt
Counsel, National Wildlife Federation
A former private practice attorney, Annie uses her past legal experience to represent wildlife and bring a voice for Texas’ rivers, streams and bays to the negotiating table. Her work focuses on legal challenges and policy analysis in an effort to encourage more environmentally protective laws and policies so that everyone can enjoy the river flows and wildlife of the natural waterbodies of Texas. A lifelong environmental enthusiast, Annie is a water lawyer, conserver and general fan. Annie attended Stanford University, earning degrees in English and history, and UT – School of Law in Austin. She spends her free time as a water commissioner for the City of Austin, mentoring law students, and traveling as much as possible, visiting different bodies of water.