Who we are
Sarah Rountree Schlessinger
Chief Executive Officer
Sarah Rountree Schlessinger is the CEO of Texas Water Foundation. She previously worked in groundwater policy and regulation and has experience with international nonprofits and disaster response. Sarah currently serves as an appointed member of the Water Conservation Advisory Council, the Texas + Water Advisory Council, and as a board member for Texas Water Trade. Sarah holds a Master of Science in water science, policy and management from the University of Oxford.
Beth Hood
Director of Operations
Beth Hood is the Director of Operations for Texas Water Foundation. She brings with her a decade of experience working in the nonprofit sector. Prior to joining the Texas Water Foundation, she was the Operations Director for the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, whose focus is on groundwater policy and management in Texas. She has previously worked for ClimateWorks Foundation, Neighborhood Centers, and The American Cancer Society. Beth holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in History.
Brianna Fuller
Campaign Director, Texas Runs on Water
Brianna is the Campaign Director for the Texas Water Foundation, leading efforts for the statewide water campaign. She brings proven experience in leading statewide environmental campaigns and developing strategic communications that uplift Texan voices, bridge partnerships, and inspire sustainable impact. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric & Writing from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Leadership Austin alum.
Colin McDonald
Senior Policy Analyst
Colin is the Senior Policy Analyst for the Texas Water Foundation. He previously worked for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on endangered species issues coordinating state funded research with stakeholder needs. Prior to that he was a newspaper reporter focusing on environment and water issues especially the Rio Grande and Edwards Aquifer. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Journalism from Western Washington University.
Ashley Van Arsdale Kjos
Director of Strategic Partnerships and Development
Ashley joins the Texas Water Foundation team with two decades of experience in Development and Communications, most recently with National Audubon Society. Her passion for conservation and education drives her to connect individuals, corporations, and institutions with meaningful work that aligns with their values. Ashley graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism, Broadcast Sequence.
Marissa Rodriguez
Development & Communications Associate
Marissa Rodriguez is the Development and Communications Associate for the Texas Water Foundation. She joins us from Waterloo Greenway Conservancy and has previously enjoyed positions with the Texas House of Representatives and SXSW. Marissa holds a Bachelor of Sociology and a certification in the Public Policy Bridging Disciplines Program from The University of Texas at Austin.
Josh Sendejar
Program Manager, Texas Water Leaders
Josh Sendejar is a Corpus Christi native with almost a decade of experience in conservation. Beginning in environmental education, Josh has also held positions with the Texas Water Development Board and Hill Country Alliance where he served as the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network Manager. Josh now joins TWF as the Texas Water Leaders Program Manager, lending his skills and expertise to stewarding new Water Leaders and fostering the network of Water Leader alumni. Josh is a graduate of the 2022 Texas Water Leaders class.