Our Board
Our board is committed to being an informed, engaged, and diverse Board with roles that use the strengths of the individual Board members to provide oversight of financial and program alignment with mission, and contribute financially.
Steven Morris, Board Chair
Steven Morris is the STEM Instructional coach and Outdoor Learning Specialist at an Elementary school in Southeast Austin. Throughout his 8 years of service to AISD, Steven has been a leading educator in connecting academic success to hands-on outdoor learning in communities throughout east and southeast Austin. PEAS was an early partner in his classroom and, as a board member, he is looking forward to continuing the promotion and support of all students' outdoor bill of rights across central Texas.
Elijah Kelley, Interim Board Treasurer
Elijah is an experienced leader at the intersection of strategy, operations, and finance. He has held multiple managerial positions in software firms, most recently serving as Senior VP, Strategy & Business Development for the innovation arm of a large healthcare system. Elijah advises multiple startups, consults on market research and strategy, and is a mentor for Texas Health Catalyst. He holds an M.S. in Technology Commercialization from UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business and a B.A. in English from the College of William and Mary.
Colleen Ketchum, Board Secretary
Gardening and cooking have always gone hand in hand for Colleen. Growing up, she had an active hand both in her mother's garden and in the kitchen, whipping up sugary treats often for friends and family. A former pastry chef, Colleen worked closely with urban farms like Hausbar Farm to procure fresh, hyper local produce for new restaurant dishes. She has also taught an after-school cooking class for elementary students with Sticky Fingers Cooking, bringing fresh ingredients and culturally specific recipes to young audiences. Watching kids grow and learn through hands-on activities is her favorite part about teaching. Currently, Colleen is an Account Executive for PRECISIONeffect, helping clients in the healthcare space "change the standard of care" by developing and executing successful PR strategies to elevate their important work.
Bekah Mata, Board Member
Bekah moved to Austin in 2008 to attend the University of Texas at Austin. She graduated with a BBA in Management, a BA in Plan II, and a JD. After law school, Bekah worked as a misdemeanor prosecutor for six years. She is now serving the community as a felony prosecutor at the District Attorney’s office. Bekah lives in east Austin with her fiancé. They have four chickens and love spending time outdoors.
Nona Evans, Board Member
Nona is a lifelong foodie and a collaborative crusader for healthy food as a human right. She believes that all children should experience the joy of nature while learning where real food comes from. With a decade of experience building and leading two nonprofit organizations focused on food equity, Whole Kids Foundation and Whole Cities Foundation, she is skilled in all aspects of the food business but loves strategic planning and experience design most. Nona is an avid gardener and beekeeper and loves sharing those passions with people of all ages.
Azalia Rodriguez, Board Member
Azalia is passionate about protecting endangered species and changing landscapes. As the Texas Representative, her work focuses on the Texas Hill Country landscape; community partnerships in underrepresented areas; Lights Out Texas; terrestrial and aquatic habitat conservation; and the protection of threatened and endangered species particularly to the Central Texas Hill Country including the golden-cheeked warbler and Texas blind salamander. Azalia leads the Defenders' affiliation group for BIPOCs and the Culture Working Group in her organization and is an active leader of Latino Outdoors. Before joining Defenders, Azalia served as a conservation engagement advocate for the Dallas Zoo where she empowered conservation-based actions for endangered domestic and international wildlife. She also led habitat restoration projects across Texas, assisted in leading the Lights Out Dallas campaign, and spent over 6 years in the biological research sector. Azalia holds an M.S. in Wildlife Biology from The University of Queensland-Australia (2019), a B.S. in Animal Science Production and Management from Eastern New Mexico University (2016), and an AS in Biology from Western Texas College (2014). Originally from Dallas, she now resides in Austin, Texas as an active community leader.
Tatianna Cannon, Board Member
As a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Tatianna earned her B.A. in Letters and an M.Ed in Adult and Higher Education. Tatianna has a wealth of experience in the nonprofit sector, including leadership and fundraising positions for the University of Oklahoma, Teach for America, and as a regional executive director with ALSAC/ St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Most recently she has been leading Solar Austin as its inaugural executive director and managing Aster Collaborative, which she initially founded to help maximize the scope and influence of nonprofit organizations for the greater good. Aster Collaborative now assists corporations and programs globally in the areas of education, health and human services, non-profit management, business development, anti-racism training, political consulting, and much more. Tatianna has assisted non-profit organizations as a consultant and as a keynote presenter on topics including fundraising best practices, public affairs and board management for nonprofits, diversity, equity and inclusion, generational philanthropy and workplace motivations, and educational issues as well as topics surrounding educational systems more broadly.
Zachary Carr, Board Member
Zachary Carr is an experienced professional in higher education, whose career has been dedicated to enhancing student engagement and success through innovative service learning initiatives and strategic partnerships with nonprofit organizations and community partners. With a robust background in creating and managing programs that bridge academic learning with real-world impact, he has successfully led efforts to integrate service learning into the curriculum, providing students with valuable hands-on experiences that also benefit the community. His expertise lies in developing partnerships that enrich educational outcomes while addressing community needs, particularly in areas of sustainability and education. This includes working directly with educational institutions, local nonprofits, and community groups to create programs that not only educate but also instill a sense of civic responsibility and environmental stewardship among students. Zachary's approach has always been collaborative, ensuring that all stakeholders are engaged and that programs are tailored to maximize impact. He is excited to share his expertise to further the mission of PEAS.
Lauren Vay, Board Member
Lauren Vay is an experienced marketing professional currently working and living in Austin, Texas. In her current role at the State of Texas, Lauren serves as the Marketing & Communications Program Manager for the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office where she assists in promoting the state of Texas as the premiere place for business. Lauren has experience volunteering her time for non-profits in Austin as well as Fort Worth. Lauren currently serves on the Marketing & Fundraising Committee for PEAS and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra. Other non-profit experience includes Marketing Chair, Leadership Fort Worth Annual Pull 4 LE Clay Shoot and Event Planning Committee, Business Assistance Center Inaugural Event in Fort Worth. Lauren received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Texas Christian University with a minor in Energy Technology Management. Lauren is a native Austinite and plant enthusiast.
