This Season of Thanks, we want to celebrate the incredible family we’ve built together within the Texas Master Naturalist community. We asked YOU, our fantastic family of volunteers, a few questions about why you love the TMN Program, and the amount of heartfelt responses were overwhelming! Join us as we share a few!
Meet Vanessa Pena, a Texas Master Naturalist in the South Texas Border Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: I love teaching people what I learn about insects, birds, plants, ecology, anything that could possibly spark an interest in that person and get them to think about things they’ve never thought of before.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: I joined TMN toward the end of COVID. Being in isolation for all that time had a negative affect on people. Then to begin emerging like a butterfly from it cocoon, getting together with likeminded people and sharing in interests to make our corner of the world better really changes you.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: I’m grateful for this opportunity to make a difference in our beautiful state. Not just with conservation but making lasting impressions on people. Teaching them and making it personally effect them so they can get involved too! We can all make a huge difference in our small corners of the world.
Meet Jean Stipelcovich, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Coastal Prairie Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: I love having so many options and ways to volunteer. Variety is important, as my interest changes, and sometimes my physical ability is limited.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: Assisting a girls scout troop with the assembly and installation of a bat house. The dedication and enthusiasm of the girls was something that I will always remember.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: I love the Texas Master Naturalist program for the endless opportunities to volunteer for conservation and community outreach. Also the sense of belonging among passionate nature enthusiasts is a treat that cannot be duplicated anywhere else.
Q: why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: It continuously builds a supportive community of like-minded individuals dedicated to environmental stewardship. The ripple effect is endless.
Meet Teddi Zonker, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Cross Timbers Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: I love educating others and sharing what I’ve learned. One of my favorite ways to volunteer is giving talks about planting for pollinators and helping others understand how small actions in their own yards can make a big impact.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: Being a Master Naturalist means helping our planet, a planet that truly needs us. It’s about protecting, restoring, and educating to make a real difference.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: I’m thankful for the like-minded people I’ve met, the sense of community, and the chance to be part of something bigger, making a difference together.
Meet Sue Ridnour, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Elm Fork Chapter!
Q: What made you join the TMN Program?
A: As someone who grew up in an outdoorsy family, after a long career at a desk job, I wanted to return to my roots, and know more about what I was seeing outside. I especially wanted to learn how to preserve our natural environment for future generations.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: I always learn something new when I volunteer, but it’s especially fun to learn from kids. At an outreach event, I had a fun conversation with a ten-year-old who knew way more about opossums than I did.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: I am thankful that the TMN program provides an opportunity for people to learn and have fun while protecting our natural environment.
Meet Ann Reynolds, a Texas Master Naturalist in the East Texas Chapter!
Q: What made you join the TMN Program?
A: The idea of finding a place to learn about organisms and the environment in and outside of the classroom, the ability to put into practice that knowledge and to be involved with like-minded people.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: My first volunteer project in 2009 which was Nature Fest at the Mineola Nature Preserve. Kids and their parents got to learn animal tracks…all because I learned about tracks first through the TMN Program
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: It means the future is bright! TMN is flooding our state with knowledgeable people that are working toward protecting our environment all the while learning and having fun.
Meet Robert Doyal, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Alamo Area Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: I love volunteering with the Texas Master Naturalist Program because it brings together everything I care about—nature, learning, community, and stewardship. Each opportunity gives me the chance to share my passion for the environment, help others discover the natural world around them, and raise awareness to protect local ecosystems…It’s rewarding to see how small acts of service—like planting native species, participating in outreach events, or making observations—can inspire others to care for our shared spaces.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: One of my favorite memories with the Texas Master Naturalist Program was volunteering at the San Antonio Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival. Watching children (and adults!) tag and release monarchs while learning about their migration was an awesome experience.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: I’m thankful for the Texas Master Naturalist Program because it’s given me a deeper sense of purpose and community. It’s allowed me to turn my love for nature into meaningful action—through service, outreach, education, and conservation—and to connect with others who share the same passion. I’m especially grateful for the friendships, learning experiences, and opportunities to grow as both a naturalist and a volunteer. TMN has strengthened my connection to the natural world and shown me the power of people coming together to care for the places we love.
Meet Scott Kiester, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Elm Fork Chapter!
Q: What made you join the TMN Program?
A: Desire to make the world a greener place for my, at the time, future grandkids. We have 7 now, more reason than ever to keep going.
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: Satisfaction of knowing we make a difference and the comradery.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: Giving my first talk at an annual meeting. People came up afterwards to tell me that they learned something new that would stay with them as Master Naturalists.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: Because we make a difference in a world where many are indifferent. Remember that greener planet for the grandkids? I have whole lotta help reaching that goal and that is what I’m most thankful for.
Meet Carol Smith, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Central Texas Chapter!
Q: What made you join the TMN Program?
A: After retiring as a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, I felt I still had a lot to offer in educating the public about nature and conserving habitat for our wildlife. I still have the passion.
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: All my life I have loved getting out in nature and teaching about it. I love the friends I have made in the organization. I believe socializing is important for everyone. I love to see the smiles on children’s faces when they are learning about nature. Some have even expressed an interest in becoming a wildlife biologist themselves.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: The Texas Master Naturalist Program means that we have a program that can fill in the gaps of getting the message out on how important our natural world is to our own health and well-being.
Meet John Williams, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Alamo Area Chapter!
Q: What made you join the TMN Program?
A: I have an interest in plants and flowers and wanted to learn more about the benefits of natives. I also like most activities that take place in nature.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: It was a cool morning at the Centennial Garden just after we’d finished installing a round of new planting for the HEB Texas Pollinator award. A young family was walking by the garden with the kids being very excited to see and chase the butterflies around the Gregg’s Mistflower and Frostweed. That day reminded me why I do this: to create spaces where nature speaks to everyone, and where learning is joyful, accessible, and lasting.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: The Texas Master Naturalist program is more than a title or a badge—it’s a calling. It’s where my passion for conservation meets community, where knowledge becomes action, and where stewardship becomes legacy.
Meet Louise Ridlon, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Lost Pines Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: I love connecting people to the natural world, especially kids. And to get “credit” for doing things I love, like birding and botanizing, is a plus! Master Naturalists are amazing people!
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: Our first kayak/canoe trip with the Lost Pines Master Naturalists on the Colorado River. There were folks looking at birds, others looking at snakes and fish, some looking for fossils, many identifying plants, and I knew these were “my people.” My husband and I instantly felt like we belonged.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: I have an opportunity to share with others the value of nature, to explain best practices to preserve it, and hopefully make a difference in both the people and the places we are in contact with.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: I’ve made so many good friends in the program, it gives me a focus and a purpose to share the things I care about, and it’s so fulfilling and FUN!
Meet Bob Schmidt, a Texas Master Naturalist in the South Texas Border Chapter!
Q: What made you join the TMN Program?
A: Following in the footsteps of my wife and son who joined in 2023. Wanted to share in the experience as a family with our special needs daughter.
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: I believe there is no greater joy in life than to serve others. Serving others fills me with gratitude, connects me to my fellow human beings as well as to all of creation.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: Moments of awe and reverence at the created world around me occur on an almost daily basis. Most profoundly, helping a couple from Canada spot a Green Kingfisher at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands-World Birding Center last spring with my son was a source of great joy in both volunteering with my son, and the expressed gratitude of the couple we served.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: It gives me the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals in making our corner of creation a more vibrant and more beautiful place to be.
Meet Caryn Vorsas, a Texas Master Naturalist in the East Texas Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: We should all give back to our communities, and whether it’s teaching the next generation about pollinators, or whacking and ripping out non native plant species, I’m there.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: I just went to my first TMN Annual Meeting in College Station. I learned so much from people who are passionate about the natural world and want to protect it.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: Community, knowledge, protection.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: It allows me to pass on my passion for nature to all ages.
Meet Diane Humes, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Galveston Bay Area Chapter!
Q: What made you join the TMN Program?
A: I wanted to know if there were like-minded people in the state of Texas.
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: We are such a dedicated group of folks and have accomplished many great projects together while learning much more about our Texas environment. These projects establish and enhance wetlands, test the water quality, and monitor and restore local prairies, to name a few.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: I have had the opportunity to use my botany/zoology background to help with projects and also translate information for fellow chapter members and I have grown my skills and confidence because of it.
Meet Tiffany Schroeder, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Alamo Area Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: It gets me outside doing meaningful work while continuing to learn as I do so.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: It gives me more drive and desire to keep working for our environment. It also renews some hope seeing how many people are working to learn and improve their local habitats, whether their front yard or local park.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: It’s opened my eyes to a lot of great opportunities and gets me outside doing the dirty work I miss so much.
Meet Cindy Frank, a Texas Master Naturalist in the South Texas Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: Diversity! And more diversity. I can help with field trips. Or bird clubs. Or docent guided walks. Or help maintain native plant gardens. Or write articles for the newsletter. Or dispatch for nesting sea turtles. What’s not to love?
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: Kneeling with over a hundred cold-stunned Green Sea Turtles—to realize I helped measure, and tag, and document those critters that would now have a chance to survive.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: The program is an essential part of my life. Without it, I would have less friends, less money (due to spending time on Amazon instead of being outside), and I would weigh more (sitting home eating instead of being outside walking).
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: I am thankful for the opportunity to have learned so much about Texas (since I am a native Californian). I am thankful for the people I have met. I am thankful for being able to share all the wonderful tidbits of information I have gathered!
Meet Jeanie Springer, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Lindheimer Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: I love the time I spend in nature, learning from Advance Training classes, plus my fellow volunteers, educating the public…it’s rewarding to give back.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: I grew up scared of bats and misunderstood them…now I’m a tour leader at Bracken Bat Cave. I love it. People want to hear what I know about bats!
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: It’s a great program for educating the public, improving and creating native landscape areas, great way to give back.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: In addition to my prior comments, I find my time spent as a TMN to be very fulfilling. Many people don’t know about their environment but they want to learn! Nature is beautiful!
Meet Don Locke, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Hays County Chapter!
Q: What made you join the TMN Program?
A: I’ve always been an outdoors spirit and interested in our natural world. We were new to Hays County and I was looking for a way to connect locally. I found a remarkable, ready made family of like-minded souls that have changed my life for the better.
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: Getting to see the incremental improvement of the environment in our project areas.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: It has given me a guiding purpose for my days.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: The excuse to be outside, to do good works, and to be surrounded by my tribe.
Meet Terry Venden, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Hays County Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: It gives me a lot of joy volunteering to do projects that benefit others.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: It’s an avenue that lets me do something beneficial for the community and the world.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: For the friends I’ve made through the Texas Master Naturalist Program and a feeling of accomplishment when we participate in projects.
Meet Brenda Martin, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Elm Fork Chapter!
Q: What made you join the TMN Program?
A: My deep love of nature and desire to help it.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: Hiking 4th graders through Clear Creek Natural Heritage acreage and seeing the awe and surprise as we talk about and see the 100 year old Pecan tree off the trail. Introducing children to nature who have never been on hiking trails.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: It’s how I can help save nature for other generations.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: I’m thankful to the program for opening my eyes to so many new and different ideas in nature.
Meet Jerrel Geisler a Texas Master Naturalist in the Heartwood Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: I love meeting others and educating them on various topics. I love to see other people’s perspectives and experiences.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: It means a lot to me to help people learn about various aspects of the environment and their surroundings. I enjoy meeting people each year at the
Annual Meeting and being a part of it when I present.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: It gives me an opportunity to stay active and be responsible for different things. Now that I am fully retired, I can spend more time volunteering and the TMN Program gives me that opportunity.
Meet Amanda Wyrick, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Good Water Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: I love the opportunity to help make a difference! From taking pictures of nature to hard labor and everything in between.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: Being a Master Naturalist means making a difference, teaching others, helping science and conservation, and to never stop learning.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: Not only is the program a place where we can continue to learn and grow, but it puts that into action by being out in the public, volunteering, and educating others.
Meet Amanda De Leon, a Texas Master Naturalist in the Rio Grande Valley Chapter!
Q: Why do you love volunteering with the TMN Program?
A: I love volunteering with the TMN Program because it allows me to serve in ways that are truly meaningful. My passion is creating opportunities for people—especially those with special needs—to experience and connect with nature. Every hike, program, and service project is a chance to educate, inspire, and include others in the wonders of our natural world.
Q: What is your favorite memory with the TMN Program?
A: One of my favorite memories was leading a program where children and adults with special needs were able to interact with wildlife up close. Seeing their excitement and curiosity reminded me why I do this work—the joy of connecting people to nature is unmatched.
Q: What does the TMN Program mean to you?
A: The TMN Program means community, purpose, and the joy of getting to service others. It’s a way to use my experience, passion, and leadership to make a real difference. It means connection, growth, and making a difference in the world around me. TMN is more than a volunteer program—we are a family, a classroom, and a way of life.
Q: Why are you thankful for the TMN Program?
A: I’m thankful for the TMN Program because it has given me the chance to combine my professional experience with my personal passion for service and outreach. It has allowed me to mentor, lead, and create inclusive opportunities for people to learn about and connect with the environment.
Does this sound like something you want to be a part of? Join Us! Find your local chapter and get involved here.