The Board Members
JOHN S. JACOB began serving our board in 2008. He is a Coastal Specialist for water quality environmental issues and coastal community development. John directs the Texas Coastal Watershed Program to provide education to local governments on the impact of land use on water quality. John's professional interests include watershed management, sustainable urban development, wetlands, runnoff pollution, natural resource mapping and assessment, and soil science. John received a BS in Soil Science and an MS in Soil Science (Pedology and Mineralogy) from Texas Tech University, and a Ph.D. in Pedology from Texas A&M University.
VANESS HAMILTON is a liberal arts graduate of the University of Houston - Clear Lake with a B.A. in Humanities. As a Master Naturalist, Vaness is active in the commuity, having served two terms on the Clear Lake Shores City Council. Vaness currently sits on the League City Parks Board and joined the Board of Galveston Baykeeper in 2008.
SHARRON STEWART began serving on the Board in 2009. She is a coastal advocate and educator based in Lake Jackson, working as principal consultant for Quintana Environmental Services. She has worked with many national, state, and local agencies to preserve and protect the coastal environment, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in its effort to protect examples of the Columbia Bottoms hardwood forests. In the non-profit realm, Sharron has served on the boards of the Galveston Bay Foundation, Gulf Coast Fisherman's Environmental Defense Fund, San Jacinto Lung Association, Texas Committee on Natural Resources, Texas League of Conservation Voter, and the Texas Environmental Coalition.
NATALIE O'NEILL served on the city council for Taylor Lake Village, Texas from her election in 1996 until she was elected Mayor in 2001. She stepped down from her mayoral duties and now concentrates on her volunteer activies. Natalie served on the Board of the Galveston Bay Conservation and Preservation Association. She joined the Board of Galveston Baykeeper in 2010 and currently chairs the fundraising committee.
Charlotte Cherry has been a grassroots organizer since 1998 on multiple issues that impact the health of Galveston Bay as well as community health issues. She has served on a number of boards and panels over the years, i.e., El Jardin Community Association, Seashore Citizen Advisory Panel (SEACAP), Port of Houston Citizen Advisory Panel, and Galveston Bay Conservation and Preservation Association. In addition, she has spoken on Texas air quality issues at a number of national press conferences, including the premiere of "Trade Secrets" in Washington D.C. at the invitation of the Environmental Working Group. In 2000, she submitted the first successful application to the Waterkeeper Alliance from the state of Texas and became the first Galveston Baykeeper.
