Meet Our Advisory Board
John P. Cyrier
John Cyrier served in the Texas House of Representatives for House District 17 for four terms. This district included Lee, Bastrop, Caldwell, Gonzales and Karnes Counties. He previously chaired the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission and the House Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism. Prior to his four terms representing the sprawling district east of Austin, John was appointed to and served as a Caldwell County Commissioner and County Judge Pro Tem. He is a 1995 graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. Him and his wife, Rachelle, live on their ranch just outside of Lockhart. John is an avid outdoorsman and conservationist.
John Shepperd, Texas Foundation for Conservation
John D. Shepperd is a sixth generation Texan, born in Austin and raised in San Antonio. He graduated from University of Texas in Austin with a degree in American Studies. Although Shepperd learned to hunt and fish at an early age, it was during college when the writings of Edward Abbey, Henry David Thoreau, John McPhee, and Aldo Leopold shaped his appreciation for the natural world. After college, Shepperd worked as a Policy Analyst for the Texas Senate Natural Resources Committee, then joined the Texas A&M University System as a Research Associate in the departments of Forest Science, Rangeland Ecology and Management, and Agricultural Economics. He planted trees, worked in a laboratory, restored coastal habitat, modeled financial impacts of flood events, surveyed wetlands and saltwater marshes, built the first nursery in Texas dedicated to growing dune plants, and worked as a liaison between the Army Corp of Engineers, Texas A&M University Department of Agriculture Economics, and dozens of South Texas ranchers and farmers. John now serves as the Executive Director of the Texas Foundation for Conservation and the Texas Coalition for Conservation where he focuses on the political, educational, and grassroots outreach of conservation.
Randy Nunns, Devils River Conservancy
A lifelong conservationist, Randy received his Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management from Texas A&M University. After spending 40 years in the surgical device business, he is now retired. He served as President of the Devils River Conservancy, a 501c3 committed to treasure, preserve, and protect the Devils River and the lands within its watershed for future generations. He now sits on the Board of Devils River Conservancy.
Jen Mock, JMS Natural Resource Strategies
Jennifer M. Mock was born and raised in the Houston area, and every family vacation involved hunting, fishing, or both – which was the origin of her passion for fish and wildlife management. She graduated from Texas A&M University-Kingsville with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, a focus on Range and Wildlife Management and a minor in biology, and a Master of Science degree in Range and Wildlife Management. During an undergraduate class on wildlife policy and administration, she found her passion for the laws that enable fish and wildlife conservation across Texas and the nation. She worked for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in Washington, DC for 19 years. She has over 20 years of experience working to create conservation opportunities for private landowners and agricultural producers. She now serves as Principal of JMS Natural Resource Strategies and continues to focus on education, outreach, and advocacy on policy, laws, and programs that affect the conservation of fish, wildlife, and their habitats.
