About

The mission of the Memorial Park Conservancy is to preserve, restore, and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow.

The Conservancy

Memorial Park’s sheer size (1,500 acres, nearly twice the size of Central Park) and central location – in the heart of Houston –  make it distinctive nationally. Further distinguishing Memorial Park is its cultural history as a former WWI training camp – Camp Logan – where 70,000 soldiers trained for battle. It is the only such camp remaining in the United States that has not been developed and is an archeologically protected site because of its role in WWI and the archeological features that remain. Memorial Park is where the sport of jogging was popularized nationally by Seymour Lieberman, the namesake for the Park’s locally-popular and nationally-acclaimed jogging trail.

Memorial Park Conservancy is a private, nonprofit organization that operates and maintains 1,100 of the Park’s 1,500 acres. The Conservancy’s mission is to restore, preserve and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow.

Founded in 2000, Memorial Park Conservancy aspires to implement principles of exceptional park management and stewardship in a successful public-private partnership with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD). In 2015, Memorial Park Conservancy took over the day-to-day operations and maintenance of 1,100 of the 1,500 acres of Memorial Park.

Memorial Park Conservancy advances our mission through the following areas of focus:

  • Conservation

    Including restoration of native ecosystems, stormwater management, improving  soils through the BioCycle Program, managing the Native Grow-Out Program, reforestation and tree care, watering and irrigation, invasive species control, wildlife conservation and fire protection zones.

  • Amenity Design, Construction and Maintenance

    Including new and existing trails, new buildings and construction, and existing facility maintenance.

  • Community Involvement and Education

    Including volunteer conservation and forestry work, community events, newsletters and social media, and advocating for Park needs.

  • Leading an Informed Master Plan

    In collaboration with Houston Parks and Recreation Department and Uptown Development Authority, built on the guiding principles of restoring the Park’s ecological systems and creating greater resiliency; reconnecting the Park’s land, waterways, trails, and people; consolidating compatible uses together in appropriate areas; tending to the land and the Park’s cultural history, maintaining balance through responsible management; and enhancing the overall Park experience and amenities.

Our Staff

Administrative

Administration

Shellye Arnold

President and Chief Executive Officer

Chris Ballard

Chief Operating Officer

Meghan Moore

Executive Assistant

Finance

Yuliana Martinez

Staff Accountant

Richard Meza

Bookkeeper

Rocio Feusier

Controller

Human Resources

Elizabeth Taylor

Human Resources

Engagement

Engagement

Holli Clements

Vice President of Engagement

Janelle Bludau

Director of Communications & Marketing

Development

Desiree Alejandro

Stewardship & Relationship Management Specialist

Karishma Patel

Major Gifts Officer

Monica Clem

Major Gifts Officer

Chelsea Kuzniar

Director of Development

Idahlia Rodriguez

Development Associate

Caitlin Fredette

Digital Annual Giving Coordinator

Kaitlin Bunsen

Annual Giving Manager

Katy Barber

Assistant Director of Development Operations

Programming

Erika Valdez

Programming Events Coordinator

Visitor & Volunteer Services

Xavier Leon

Parks and Events Attendant

Jay Johnson

Volunteer Engagement Supervisor

Matt Hwang

Visitor Services Associate

Rosie Villegas

Park and Events Attendant 

Sarah Hernandez

Visitor Services Associate

Park Operations

Park Operations Leadership

Suzanne Formanek

Director of Park Operations

Courtney Hall

Manager of Conservation Operations

Clayton Emery

Manager of Park Operations

Forestry & Arboriculture

Adrian Scroggins

Forestry Conservation Technician

Cedric Zavattiero 

Arboriculture Technician

Eric Hollenbeck

Forestry & Arboriculture Conservation Supervisor

Jacob Turner

Arboriculture Coordinator

Anderson Booker

Arboriculture Technician I 

Forest Warren

Forestry Conservation Coordinator

Adam Seroka

Forestry Technician I

Grasslands

Jacob Smith

Grassland Conservation Supervisor

Horticulture

Faythe Stewart

Conservation Horticulture Technician

Lauren Webb

Conservation Horticulture Technician

Taylor Westra

Conservation Horticulture Technician

Adriana Glick

Conservation Horticulture Technician

Helen Harkey

Conservation Horticulture Technician

Brooke Maxfield

Conservation Technician

Ayesha Sheikh

Conservation Technician

Tyler Hollis

Conservation Technician

Nursery

Russell Stoker

Conservation Production Supervisor

Park Operations

Jimmie Cummings

Park Operations Technician

Simon Zavala

Park Operations Technician

Edgar Sorto

Park Operations Technician

Napoleon Bonilla

Park Operations Technician

Jose Arroyo

Park Operations Supervisor

Hannah Hickox

Park Operations Technician

Luke Knight

Park Operations Technician

Garrett Arnold

Park Operations Technician

Yetsibel Munoz

Park Operations Technician

Turf & Grounds

Corey Randall

Turf & Grounds Operations Supervisor

Julian Alfaro

Grounds Operations Technician

Jessie Maldonado

Grounds Operations Coordinator

Timothy Scruggs

Grounds Operations Coordinator

Jesus Velazquez

Grounds Operations Technician

Theo “T” White

Grounds Operations Technician

Alex Guerra

Irrigation Operations Coordinator

Glenn Mull

Turf & Grounds Operation Technician

Jesus Ortiz

Turf & Grounds Operations Technician

Maintenance & Mechanic Operations

Adrian Suarez

Maintenance & Mechanic Operations Coordinator

Rene Flores

Maintenance & Mechanic Operations Technician

Fidel Gomez

Maintenance & Mechanic Operations Technician

Want to Join Our Team?

Careers

Board of Directors

Chair
Veronica Chapa Gorczynski

Vice Chair
Lissa Gangjee

Treasurer
John Briscoe

Secretary
George Johnston

President & CEO
Shellye Arnold

Directors
Rogene Gee Calvert
Kalinda Campbell
Claire Caudill
Philip Croker
Sarah Flournoy
John Garibaldi
Bobby Heugel
Kenneth Huewitt
Elizabeth Howley
Joshua Ibarra

Sabrina Kirwin
Louie Layrisson
Bob McDowell
Jorge Munoz
Tanya Pal
Anna Peikert
Townes Pressler
Dhiren Shethia
Rob Saltiel

Executive Committee
Veronica Chapa Gorczynski – Chair
Lissa Gangjee
John Briscoe
George Johnston
Kalinda Campbell
Claire Caudill – At Large
John Garibaldi
Ken Huewitt
Joshua Ibarra
George Johnston
Tanya Pal
Carrie Pepi – Immediate Past Chair

Engagement Committee
Kalinda Campbell – Chair
Rogene Gee Calvert
Sarah Flournoy
Anne Hamman
Bobby Heugel
Janet Hobby
Joshua Ibarra
Anna Peikert
Townes Pressler
Beverly Rideaux
Carl Salazar

Master Plan Implementation Committee
John Garibaldi – Chair
Claire Caudill
Philip Croker
Ken Huewitt
Jorge Munoz
Sarah Flournoy
Sarah Newbery

Park Operations Committee
Joshua Ibarra – Chair
Claire Caudill
Elizabeth Howley
George Johnston
Rob Saltiel
Dhiren Shethia

Governance Committee
Ken Huewitt – Chair
Rogene Gee Calvert
John Garibaldi
Joshua Ibarra
Louie Layrisson

Finance Committee
Tanya Pal – Chair
John Briscoe
Lissa Gangjee
Jennifer Hazelton
Sabrina Kirwin
Bob McDowell

Financial & Legal

Download our Memorial Park Conservancy Press Kits

Memorial Park
Fact Sheet

Download

Master Plan
Fact Sheet

Download

Ten Year Plan
Project Partners

Download