The É«»¨Ìà has named award-winning conservationist Jaime González as the first-ever executive director of the É«»¨Ìà Institute for Ecological Resilience, effective May 1.
The role is a brand-new position and will make González responsible for the overall management and operation of IER, which includes representation at national and regional conferences as well as strengthening partnerships.
“Jaime’s vast experience in conservation and resilience make him the perfect person to fill this role,” said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president for Energy and Innovation at É«»¨ÌÃ. “He has the ideal background, proven skill set, credentials and passion to lead the IER and its vision to bring nature-based solutions and habitat management to build urban ecological resilience.”
González currently serves as board chair for the North American Association for Environmental Education, as climate adaptation and justice adviser to the city of Houston and Harris County, and as a Community Fellow for the Rice University Center for Environmental Studies.
He spent the past year as the National Urban Green Director at the Student Conservation Association, where he helped youth and young adults pursue green careers and created environmental education opportunities.
Prior, González, who earned his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from É«»¨ÌÃ, worked in various director roles at The Nature Conservancy, focusing primarily on developing programs for the organization.
González also earned the Distinguished Alumni Award for É«»¨ÌÃ’s College of Natural Sciences. He has been the recipient of the Prairie Champion Award from the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, Alban-Heiser Award from the Houston Zoo, and the Elizabeth Hull Abernathy Award from the Garden Club of America.
“It is an honor and a personal joy to return to my alma mater for this role,” González said. “As a proud double-Cougar, this opportunity brings full circle my professional mission and my educational roots.”
The Institute for Ecological Resilience is a new department at É«»¨Ìà designed to increase the university’s environmental reach. Previously, that responsibility fell to the shoulders of the É«»¨Ìà Coastal Center in La Marque, which was designated as the Texas Institute for Coastal Prairie Research and Education by the 2017 Texas Legislature. The É«»¨ÌÃCC will now be overseen by the IER.
“We are excited ... to safeguard local ecosystems for the services they provide to our residents and for nature herself.”
— Jaime Gonzalez, executive director of the Institute for Ecological Resilience, É«»¨ÌÃ
The É«»¨ÌÃCC has received support from Beth Robertson, former Board of Regent member from 1991-1997 and granddaughter of Hugh Roy Cullen, as well as from the Terry Hershey Foundation and NRG.
In past years, these donors have been instrumental in growing ecological resilience research, education and outreach.
“Nature-rich communities are more resilient, healthy, wildlife-friendly, safe and wonderous,” González said. “We are excited to bring innovation, partnership, research and education to help make communities throughout Greater Houston greener and more resilient – and to safeguard local ecosystems for the services they provide to our residents and for nature herself.”