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Suzanne Scott

State Director, Texas Chapter

San Antonio, Texas

Headshot of Suzanne Scott, State Director of The Nature Conservancy in Texas.

Suzanne Scott In late 2020, Suzanne Scott joined TNC as the new Texas State Director. © Suzanne Pack

Areas of Expertise

Water quality, watershed health, flood protection, public policy, nature-based solutions

Scheduling Contact

Samantha Joiner
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Biography

As State Director for The Nature Conservancy in Texas, Suzanne Scott establishes conservation strategy and public policy leadership to protect the state’s cherished landscapes and support ecology, economy, public health and equity. Working closely with a talented and diverse staff, she oversees the execution of landscape-scale conservation efforts, freshwater protection initiatives and critical marine protection measures in the Gulf of America, as well as the development of sound science and policy solutions to address climate change.

Scott has dedicated a significant portion of her life to protecting and restoring the environment, connecting communities with the natural resources around them and spearheading on-the-ground projects that support social, environmental and economic values. Prior to joining TNC in November 2020, Scott spent more than two decades with the San Antonio River Authority and was appointed its general manager in 2007. There, she steadfastly elevated the agency’s crucial role and impact and implemented more than $600 million in highly visible projects, including work on the Museum Reach and Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Improvements Project and San Pedro Creek Culture Park.

She also guided the development of successful programs to improve flood protection, water quality, habitat, nature-based recreation and access to the river and its tributaries. A regional leader on water, Scott chaired the South Central Texas Regional Water Planning Group and the Guadalupe and San Antonio Rivers Bay and Basin Area Stakeholder Group. Most recently, she was chosen to lead the Interregional Planning Council, created by the Texas Water Development Board.

She obtained her undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University and a Master of Science in urban administration from Trinity University. A true San Antonian at heart, Scott was raised near the San Antonio River and, in her spare time, can be found exploring rivers and national parks, reading about American history and spending time with her husband, Parker, and daughter, Genevieve.

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In the News

Read through Suzanne Scott's commentaries on all things land, water, wildlife and way of life in Texas. Please note that some of these articles require a subscription to their respective publication.

  • Skyscrapers tower over a bustling city filled with concrete streets.

    San Antonio—Austin: The Emerging Mega-Metro

    KLRN Special—PBS | Jul 12, 2023

    Rapid growth along the 79 miles between San Antonio and Austin is merging the two cities into a "mega-metro" that will be one of the biggest economic powerhouses in the world. Listen to Suzanne Scott comment on this growth beginning at 26:26. Listen to the Podcast

  • Water falls over limestone covered with moss to feed a small pond with clear water.

    The Natural Infrastructure of the Texas Hill Country—Webinar

    Hill Country Alliance | Jul 05, 2023

    In this webinar, the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network convenes a special briefing on the newly released Hill Country Land, Water, Sky, and Natural Infrastructure Plan—a shared conservation vision for the region. Hear Suzanne Scott at 8:47. Watch the Webinar

  • Rushing rapids over rocks.

    Opinion: It's time for a water session at the Legislature

    Austin American-Statesman | Jan 15, 2023

    The time to invest in new water legislation is now. Lawmakers need to establish and finance a new Land and Water Conservation Fund so that we can ensure that Texas has enough water to support its communities, natural places and wildlife. Read More

  • Yellow wildflowers bloom in a bright green field against the Dallas skyline on a clear, sunny day.

    Allow nature to do the work for a more sustainable Dallas

    The Dallas Morning News | Jul 18, 2022

    Dallas has a unique opportunity to invest in a greener future, one in which nature-based solutions—and their many layered benefits—are incorporated into the very fabric of the city's infrastructure. Read More

  • A group of cattle stands around a trough.

    Commentary: How cattle ranchers can combat climate change

    San Antonio Express-News | Nov 30, 2021

    Well-managed grazing lands offer key benefits, from absorbing and filtering water to storing carbon to providing a home for plants and wildlife native to Texas. Read More

  • Aerial view of a river cutting through a dense green forest.

    Commentary: Make room for nature, protect water

    San Antonio Express-News | May 16, 2021

    Nature is not a nice-to-have amenity; it's a must-have investment that makes our communities more livable and equitable, benefits public health and helps boost our resilience to climate impacts. Read More

  • A river runs over rocks.

    Q&A+Water: Suzanne Scott

    Texas + Water | Apr 25, 2021

    Texas+Water Editor-in-Chief Dr. Todd Votteler interviews TNC Texas State Director Suzanne Scott about the state of water in Texas—and what The Nature Conservancy and partners are doing to help. Read More

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By Topic

Rocky cliffs covered in brush, cut through by a blue river.

Forever, for Texas: Krause Ranch

Meet Gary Krause, a Texas landowner who is preserving the beauty and natural resources of the Hill Country through conservation easements held by TNC.

A white bird flys over a lake with dense cypress trees in and around its waters.

In the Balance: Shaping Texas’ Water Future

TNC is collaborating with farmers and ranchers to find solutions to our water challenges, providing incentives in exchange for access to water rights and management decisions during times of drought.

The sun rises over a vast expanse of green brush and a blue river.

Forever Wild: Shield Ranch

One Texas family’s journey in protecting their land while continuing to foster kinship with nature for future generations.

A pond surrounded by trees and towering plateaus is illuminated by fireflies and stars.

The Making of a Million

Celebrating the protection of 1 million acres of land in Texas.

A bird with a yellow head and black and white feathers sits on a branch with its beak open in song.

A Bounty of Biodiversity

Exploring the rare, threatened and endangered species of Texas and the legacy of the Endangered Species Act.

Three women and one man walk on a path with flowers in a green park.

Greener Gulfton

TNC, partners and community members are using nature to improve physical and mental health, adapt to climate change and support people and wildlife in Houston's Gulfton neighborhood.

A green river lined with dense green trees.

Honey Creek Ranch: Sweet Conservation Spot of the Texas Hill Country

This 515-acre acquisition in Central Texas will help protect the headwaters of Honey Creek, preserve water quality and expand recreational opportunities at nearby public parks.

Aerial view of an expanse of green forest and twisting dirt roads with a lake in the middle.

Palo Pinto Mountains State Park

The first new state park in North Texas in nearly 20 years will open in 2025—and it all began with a hunt for the perfect parkland by Nature Conservancy staff.

A man wearing a cowboy hat rides a white horse, herding a group of cattle through a grassy pasture.

Texas Working Lands

In collaboration with ranchers, farmers and landowners, TNC is finding solutions to support a growing population, clean and abundant water supplies and healthy working lands.

A massive tree with a twisted trunk casts shade over a man and woman walking.

Rooted in Restoration: An Opportunity to Build Back Montezuma Cypress

A love letter to the Montezuma cypress, the iconic national tree of Mexico, and its return to Texas.

Fiver people stand together near an expanse of wetlands and water.

Can Blue Carbon Be a Climate Solution in Texas?

Why protecting and restoring wetlands can slow climate change and protect vulnerable coastlines.

Seven members of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas stand ready in their protective gear before a prescribed burn.

Ensuring a Legacy of Longleaf

An in-depth look at the longleaf pine and its interwoven relationship to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas.

A TNC Texas fire crew member ignites a prescribed burn to consume plant fuels on the forest floor using a drip torch, while two fire practitioners sit on ATVs in the background.

How We Work with Fire in Texas

Prescribed fire is the most important land management and stewardship tool we use for conservation. Learn more about how TNC's Texas Chapter works with fire to help people and nature thrive.

Turquoise waters flow and fall over stacked rocks surrounded by greenery.

Texas Water Program

The Nature Conservancy in Texas has worked to protect and preserve the state's water supply since 1964. As Texas grows and prospers, securing our water future remains a critical priority.

Three kayakers paddle on a blue river lined with trees.

El Rancho Cima: A Campfire Tale of Conservation and Community

Together, TNC and Hays County protected 535 acres of land with Blanco River frontage, which will soon become a public park.

Closeup of an ocelot standing on a branch and looking at the camera.

Ocelots in Texas

Ocelots were once found across much of the Lone Star State, but today, fewer than 100 of these wild cats are thought to survive in the United States, roaming between south Texas and Mexico.

Two young volunteers plant native seedlings in Houston, Texas.

Planting the Seed for Future Generations

Find out how TNC is leveraging native seeds and ecological know-how to restore Texas’ lost coastal prairies.

View of towering rocky mountains lined with desert shrubs and small trees.

Big Bend National Park

In the 1980s, The Nature Conservancy helped transfer 57,000 acres in the Rosillos Mountains to expand one of Texas' most treasured national parks.

A dome of pink rock towers over green fields with trees.

Enchanted Rock: A Texas Treasure

In 1978, The Nature Conservancy purchased Enchanted Rock, setting into motion the permanent protection of one of Texas' most beloved landmarks.

A thin stream of water flows between large blocks of rock with ferns in the cracks between the slabs.

Edwards Aquifer Protection

TNC and partners have protected significant acreage above the Edwards Aquifer, which is one of the most important water resources in Texas.

A small brown turtle crawls along wet sand.

Safeguarding South Padre Island

Working with the USFW and other partners, The Nature Conservancy has acquired more than 6,200 acres along part of the last unprotected stretch of South Padre Island.

A large group of brown pelicans take flight, skimming the ocean surface.

Shamrock Island Bird Rookery

One of the most important bird breeding sites in the Gulf—frequented by pelicans, ducks, reddish egrets, white-faced ibises and more—is threatened by erosion.

Thousands of bats fly across the evening sky.

Bracken Bat Cave

TNC and partners worked together to secure a 1,521-acre property that protects the largest bat colony in the world, local water supplies and habitat for endangered species.

Two men stand on a boat on the ocean using a machine to draw oysters out of the water.

Turning the Tide for Texas Oysters

The Nature Conservancy is turning the tide for Texas oysters, using an innovative restoration approach to revitalize Gulf oyster populations for ecology and economy alike.

A woman with binoculars stands in waist-high grass in a scrubby landscape.

Reconnecting the Bahia Grande

Since 2017, The Nature Conservancy has worked with partners to protect thousands of acres within the Bahia Grande coastal corridor in South Texas.

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