Leadership

Texas State Aquarium Facility Leaders

  • Jesse Gilbert

    President and CEO

  • Julio Flores, Jr., CPA

    Senior Vice President of Business Operations & Chief Financial Officer

  • Jennifer Vela

    Chief Government Affairs & Marketing Officer

  • Justin Sefcik

    Chief Operating Officer

  • Rita Stacey Vondra

    Chief Conservation and Science Officer

  • Nicole Andrade, SHRM-SCP

    Director of Administration and Human Resources

  • Cheryl Wolfe, CPA

    Director of Finance

  • Emma Gilbert

    Director of Animal Care

  • Jeff Vlach

    Director of Information Technology

2023 Board of Trustees

The Texas State Aquarium is honored to have the following members of our community serve on our Board of Trustees: 

Executive Committee

Darcy Schroeder, Board Chair
Catherine Hilliard, Board Vice Chair
Dr. Osbert Blow, Board Secretary
Charlie Zahn, Jr., Board Past Chair
Patt Hawn Wallace, Board Treasurer

Trustees

Aleisha Kolb
Andrew Mitton
Andy Saenz
Ben Donnell
Catherine Hilliard
Charles Zahn, Jr.
Chris Bush
Christina Hunter Villeda
Darcy Schroeder
Elizabeth Chu Richter
Hoelt Pohlmeier
Jeff Pollack
Joe Henkel
Judith Talavera
Jyoti Patel
Keleigh Sasser
Dr. Kelly Miller
Kevin Lassahn
Kristen Sterett
Loren Rock
Mark LaRue
Matt Barr
Mike Pusley
Nelda Martinez
Dr. Osbert Blow
Patt Hawn Wallace
Rajan Ahuja
Rhodes “Chip” Urban
Rob Hall
Sidney Evans
Stephen Raffaele

Trustee Emeritus

Amanda Hinojosa
Anne Thurwalker
Arther W. Zeitler
Barry Andrews
Bill Maxwell Jr.
Bruce Hawn
Celika Storm
Charles C. Butt
Charlie Hicks
Gloria Hicks
Ted Oakley
John F. Dorn
Judith Hawley
Julie McNeil
Larry Urban
R.C. Allen
Rick D. Tuttle
Thomas E. Dobson

Advisory

Sam L. Susser
Donna Lawson

Friends of TSA

Mark Meyer
Larry Meyers
Nathan Taggart

 

Institute for Wildlife Conservation

Trustees

Catherine Hilliard, Chair
Dr. Osbert Blow, Vice Chair
Patt Hawn Wallace
Keleigh Sasser
Charlie Zahn, Jr.

  • Past Presidents

    1978-81   Arthur W. Zeitler/Lillian A. Murray
    1981-82   Lillian A. Murray
    1982-83   Arthur W. Zeitler
    1983-84   Paula Butt
    1984-85   Elinor Donnel
    1985-89   John F. Dorn
    1989-90   Thomas V. Shockley, III
    1990-91   Luther Jones
    1991-92   Stephen W. Sullivan
    1992-93   Gary Miglicco
    1993-94   Charles Wade
    1994-95   Gloria Hicks
    1995-96   Paul Pearson, III
    1996-97   Gene Urban
    1997-98   R. B. “Randy” Cutlip
    1998-99   Sylvia A. Whitmore
    1999-01   Thomas R. “Tom” Dobson
    2001-02   R. Scott Heitkamp
    2002-03 Thomas Dobson
    2003-04   Mark Meyer
    2004-05   Eddie L. Garcia
    2005-07   Bruce Hawn
    2008-09   Rich D. Tuttle
    2009-11   Judy Hawley
    2011-12   Lee Jordan
    2013-14  Deneece Squires
    2015-2016 Larry Urban
    2017-2018 Rob Hall
    2019-2020 Julie Buckley
    2021-2022 Charlie Zahn, Jr.