Houston Chapter of the Native Prairies Association of Texas

Meet the Team: How NPAT Staff Support Prairies Across Texas
by Colin O'Neal, Clare Fields, Rachel Weaver, Andy Olson

Join us for an inside look at the people behind the prairies! NPAT staff will share an overview of their statewide roles and how they work together to protect, restore, and engage communities in prairie conservation. From development and land management to volunteer coordination and on-the-ground stewardship, you’ll get to know the team supporting NPAT’s mission across Texas—with a special focus on ongoing work at Deer Park Prairie. Presenters include Colin O’Neal (Development Director), Clare Fields (Lands Manager), and our two newest team members, Rachel Weaver (Volunteer and Education Coordinator) and Andy Olson (Stewardship Specialist).

Join us for an inside look at the people behind the prairies! NPAT staff will share an overview of their statewide roles and how they work together to protect, restore, and engage communities in prairie conservation. From development and land management to volunteer coordination and on-the-ground stewardship, you’ll get to know the team supporting NPAT’s mission across Texas—with a special focus on ongoing work at Deer Park Prairie. Presenters include Colin O’Neal (Development Director), Clare Fields (Lands Manager), and our two newest team members, Rachel Weaver (Volunteer and Education Coordinator) and Andy Olson (Stewardship Specialist).

Colin O'Neal - Growing up just four miles from NPAT headquarters in Buda, TX, his love for nature led him from teaching science with Teach for America to earning an M.S. in Neuroscience and Education from Columbia University. He’s combined his
passion for conservation and storytelling into a career in nonprofit fundraising, most recently as Development Director at the Nature Discovery Center in Houston. A dedicated volunteer with Armand Bayou Nature Center, Galveston Bay Foundation, and the Exploration Green Conservancy, Colin is excited to help conserve and restore Texas prairies by using the neuroscience of storytelling to inspire others.

Clare Fields - I’m NPAT’s Lands Manager—I oversee the 11 properties we own across the state and also work on conservation easement acquisition. I received my Bachelor’s in Plant Science from the University of Tennessee in my hometown of Knoxville, and my Master’s in Environmental Conservation from the University of Wisconsin. I’ve been in and out of Texas my whole life, and it’s my favorite state!
I started my conservation career with The Nature Conservancy at Texas City Prairie Preserve, then spent some time restoring pine savannas in Virginia before returning to Texas to work for NPAT. I live in Austin with my husband and our 14-year-old hound dog.

Rachel Weaver - Rachel grew up north of Houston in Spring and has lived in Denton for 16 years. She earned a master's in environmental philosophy and a bachelor's in social sciences from the University of North Texas. Since 2012, Rachel has gained experience in nonprofit programming and environmental education while working at small farms, nature centers, ecological research projects, farmers markets, creative reuse centers, and arts centers. They are an active Elm Fork chapter Texas Master Naturalist, a Trinity Forks chapter Native Plant Society of Texas member, and a certified environmental educator with the Texas Association of Environmental Education. Rachel volunteers in her community at a local community radio station, with local arts organizations, and leads activities with The PETAL Project - a local environmental education initiative she recently started with fellow nature-lovers with native plant hikes, community garden plots, litter clean-ups, nature journaling, and creative events that focus on local ecology. They enjoy learning about native plants, birds, and soundscape ecology, and love learning new ecological topics to understand the interconnections of our local environments and to get communities excited about nature. Rachel has a passion for Texas prairies and is excited to bring their creative community-building experience to help grow NPAT's impact!

Andy Olson - I'm NPAT's Stewardship Specialist and came on board a couple weeks ago. I'm from Iowa and have a background in public history but have primarily worked in the conservation field. I was the Tallgrass Prairie Center's (based out of the University of Northern Iowa) Prairie on Farms Program Manager and helped landowners with the Conservation Reserve Program, which meant mostly seed-based restoration on row-crop conversions.