KAB provides resources and education to inspire individuals &
the Austin community toward greater environmental stewardship

Team KAB Alumni

TEAM KAB - Alumni (page started summer 2010)

Ixchel Granada de Rayo
Volunteer Coordinator - January 2009 thru May 2010
 
 
Ixchel worked with Community Programs supporting community cleanups in creeks, schools, public spaces and  neighborhoods.  Prior to working with KAB, she had eight years experience working in environmental regulation and conservation.  She worked with diverse hands-on conservation groups including Honduras Conservation Corps, Earth Conservation Corps of the Pacific Northwest, and now Keep Austin Beautiful is part of the resume too.
 
Previous to KAB, Ixchel worked with the Lower Colorado River Authority as an Environmental Coordinator working closely with community partners to protect endangered species habitat.  She earned her bachelor's in Plant Biology from North Carolina State University.  She enjoys keeping chickens and watching chicken television, and after a year and half of supporting KAB's volunteers transitioned into new roles as a mom and AISD teacher.

 

Emily Fitzgerald

Green Teens Instructor - September 2009 thru May 2010

 

Emily brings a diverse background to the Green Teens Educator position. She has worked with children in rural Bali to install organic gardens; and over the past few years she has worked in the Bay Area teaching ecology and gardening to youth and working as an art group facilitator for low income children. Emily is also a photographer and active gardener. She recently completed an extensive course on permaculture and is looking forward to testing her gardening know how this spring along with building and racing solar cars with students.

 

 

  

Paula Fox

Operations Coordinator/ Project Coordinator-- June 2010 thru May 2011

Paula came to KAB as a recent graduate. She served as a Community Programs Intern for the first four months of 2010 and was hired on as a full-time employee June 2010. Paula hails from south Austin and stayed close to home receiving her BPA from Texas State in San Marcos where she majored in Public Administration and graduated with the highest honors. Things most important to Paula include delicious food and great friends, and she attempts to keep an ample amount of both in her life at all times. Paula still calls Austin home and hopes to do everything she can to keep it as beautiful as she has always known it to be. She spends most of her time with her two dogs, Lola and Klaus, and her husband Corey.

 
 
 
Sona Shah
Community Programs Assistant -- January 2011 thru July 2011

Sona worked in community programs processing cleanup request forms and providing support to volunteer groups in organizing cleanups. Previous to KAB she worked with several nonprofits in the Austin area on a variety of issues ranging from domestic violence, bicycle advocacy to social justice and independent media. She also graduated from a master's program in International Development & Social Change in Massachusetts where she was actively involved with a community garden learning how to grow food organically.  Sona is moving on from KAB to work at the University of Texas at Austin's Center for Asian American Studies Program. She continues her interests in environmental work by volunteering as a National Wildlife Federation's Habitat Steward and also helping her partner start and operate a small scale organic farm in East Austin.

 

 

 

 

Jessica Wilson
Community Programs Manager - February 2005-August 2011
 
Jessica has worked with a variety of non-profits with a wide range of issues ranging from animal welfare to affordable student housing to environmental conservation.  Jessica worked with Keep Austin Beautiful for 6.5 years to develop and grow ongoing programs and signature events to enhance Austin’s natural beauty. 
 
Jessica received her BA in Humanities with Special Honors and a focus on Conservation Biology, Geography, and Science Education from the University of Texas.  She loves volunteering as much as she loves working with volunteers and can regularly be spotted at various committee or board meetings, and getting her hands dirty at community improvement projects.  In 2011 Jessica accepted a position with the City of Austin's Watershed Protection Department to oversee their education and outreach efforts. 

 

 

Interns

 

Joseph Dowdy

Fall 2011

Joseph is a native Austinite and is thrilled to be interning at Keep Austin Beautiful!  His main responsibility thus far has been assisting with this year's Award Luncheon and he is very excited to attend the event later this October.  Previously, Joseph studied economics, with a focus on economic development, as well as Geology at Cornell College in Iowa where he was also an avid community volunteer.  As a cyclist and someone who has a passion for being outdoors, this has been a great way to get involved with and give back to the city he has enjoyed for most of his life!