Chief Operating Officer

Frances Deviney

Frances has called Austin home since 2002, bringing over two decades of leadership experience and an unashamed nerdy love of nonprofit systems to her role at TTC. While she didn’t grow up in Austin, this is where she found her people, her purpose, and a deep sense of belonging. From running an urban farm to shaping public policy and guiding nonprofits through growth and change, she’s known for building strong teams, streamlining systems, and turning bold ideas into real-world impact. You’ll often find her on the Butler Trail—catching up with old friends, making new ones, or simply soaking up the joy of a city she loves and a space that connects us all.

Chief Development Officer

Caroline Newman Phillips

Caroline comes to The Trail Conservancy with a deep connection to the mission, both personally and professionally.  A lifelong runner, outdoor enthusiast, and mentor, she views the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail as her second home in Austin.

Caroline brings nearly 20 years of experience in the Austin philanthropic sector to the Chief Development Officer role, leading teams and raising major funds for causes such as youth homelessness, public education, and affordable housing.  Most recently, Caroline served as the Senior Director of Philanthropy at LifeWorks.  She has a Master’s in Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT-Austin and a Bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College. In her free time, Caroline enjoys traveling, going on adventures with her sons and husband, and plotting to adopt their next dog.

She is thrilled to help increase accessibility and enjoyment of the Trail for all.

Chief of Projects and Programs

Charlotte Tonsor

Charlotte is a native Texan with over 19 years of experience in landscape architecture and project management in Austin and across Texas. She has led and designed projects ranging from parks to corporate campuses and sports venues to children’s gardens. A country girl at heart, she is passionate about outdoor spaces in the city for everyone to use and enjoy. She believes that The Trail and Lady Bird Lake are the crown jewels of our city and that experiencing nature can change people’s lives, as it did hers when she started walking The Trail in 2000. She spends her free time pretending to be a Food Network Star, singing in her car, searching for perfect plant combinations, and road-tripping with her husband and two kids across the country (lots of times in a travel trailer).

Chief of Park Operations

Grady Reed

Chief of External Affairs

Deena Estrada Salinas

Deena has called Austin home for nearly 20 years. Her career has spanned local government, the nonprofit sector, and private industry, with much of her work focused on public service, community engagement, and navigating complex civic issues.

Deena spent nearly 11 years with the City of Austin, including roles with Council Member Bill Spelman, the City Clerk’s Office, and as Chief of Staff to Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis. She later served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Travis County Judge Andy Brown before moving into the private and nonprofit sectors.

Today, Deena serves as Chief of External Affairs for The Trail Conservancy, where she leads government relations, communications, and marketing efforts in support of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake. Her work focuses on strengthening public and community partnerships, advancing policy and organizational priorities, and connecting the Conservancy’s mission and impact with the broader Austin community.

Deena’s love for Austin, its parks, and its natural spaces continues to shape both her professional and community involvement. Outside of work, Deena is usually reading a book, spending time with her family, or doting on Tito, the family dog. She lives in South Austin with her husband, Jim, their son, Rudy.

Capital Projects Director

Nick Blok

Nick joined The Trail Conservancy with four years of experience in both public and private development in Central Texas. His greatest passion lies in creating public spaces where people can have experiences that help them to write their own stories and create memories. With a background as a landscape architect, Nick has a strong understanding and appreciation for the urban and natural environments along the Trail and the value that each brings. In his spare time, Nick is an avid birdwatcher and photographer.

Finance Director

Beth Rindfuss

Beth comes to the Trail with over 14 years of experience in non-profit accounting. Having moved to Austin in 2000, Beth and her family have enjoyed the extensive outdoor spaces in the city. When not on the Trail, Beth may be found cooking, cheering on her student athlete, or finding new hiking and camping excursions with her family.

Development Director

Lila Weatherly Rivera

Development Manager

Kayla Brown

Kayla joins The Trail Conservancy with a background in events, membership management, and donor relations. She is passionate about preserving Austin’s outdoor havens and leverages her experience to support conservation efforts and community engagement. Kayla holds a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School at the University of Texas and a Bachelor of Arts in Arts Management from the College of Charleston in South Carolina. When she’s not working, you might find her cooking a Bon Appétit recipe, singing car karaoke, or road-tripping with her husband and pup.

Events & Engagement Manager

Maddy Milla

Maddy earned a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Administration from Texas State University. While at Texas State, she helped orchestrate the school’s annual Bobcat Build event each year – the largest service project on campus where students volunteer through projects such as landscaping, planting, or clean-ups at local schools, parks, and neighborhoods.  Maddy is passionate about the mission of The Trail Conservancy and actively builds community along the Trail through programming and community engagement.

Environmental Programs Manager

Jonatan Salinas

Jonatan comes to The Trail Conservancy with experience in ecology, restoration, and community engagement. He is passionate about creating inclusive green spaces for everyone to enjoy the outdoors. As a fellow Austinite, he enjoys walking the Greenbelt, exploring neighborhood parks, and eating breakfast tacos.

Grants Manager

Traci Stone

Traci joined TTC in 2023, bringing her experience in grant administration from her previous work in human services. She has been a resident of Austin since 1996 and loves the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. Traci has been using the Trail for years, starting with walking her children in strollers and now enjoying family walks, bike rides, and runs. She considers it an honor to be able to contribute to the Trail and Austin through her role as the Grants Manager for The Trail Conservancy.

Restoration Manager

Riley Wade

Riley’s an Austin native who’s made a career of environmental restorative work and ecology education for public and private clients for the last 19 years. After 7 years as a project manager from Environmental Survey Consulting, he’s excited to return to the trail he remembers from childhood to put what he’s learned into practice. In his free time, he pursues illustration and painting, various plant experiments, and spends time hiking with his Malinois/German Shepherd pup, Max.

Marketing Supervisor

Bailey Armosky

Bailey earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from St. Edward’s University in 2024. She brings experience in social media management and graphic design to the team. Her passion for serving communities started while working for a Texas public education policy and advocacy non-profit. Now, she hopes to continue positively impacting lives at The Trail Conservancy. Outside work, Bailey loves trying new coffee spots in town, going antiquing, and exploring museums and aquariums.

Park Grounds Supervisor

Justin Hayes

Justin has been in the landscaping industry for 28 years. He got his start running his own lawn care company in Lubbock, Texas, and then, in 2008, moved to the Austin area where he worked as a gardener, crew leader, and eventually Supervisor for Landscape Services at U.T. Austin. For 7 years, he helped build and manage the Dell Seton Health District Landscape, a SITES Gold status landscape which also achieved Re:wild Platinum status. He has worked and specializes in native meadows, rooftop gardens, riparian restoration, pervious pavement systems, bioswales, electric equipment, compost and compost tea, non-chemical invasive management, and organic soil and care practices. He is also an Accredited Landcare Professional through NOFA and is certified as Level 4 with the Native Plant Society of Texas. He achieved Best Turf in Texas with the Texas Turf Association in 2012 for his work on the entrance to the University of Texas. He has a passion for caring for soil and plants and enjoys microscopy to see all the living critters in the soil.

Stewardship Supervisor

Holly Thoden

Holly has spent her career in the relationship business, and putting a smile on people’s faces is something she takes quite seriously! As TTC’s Stewardship Supervisor, she is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with donors and supporters, ensuring proper acknowledgment and recognition, providing project updates, and helping with events. The Trail is a place that Holly and her family have loved since they moved to Austin 20 years ago.

Park Grounds Coordinator

Thomas Minucci

Thomas is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Environmental Science (CES) and a minor in Ecology.  He has experience in environmental regulation, sustainable landscaping, and invasive species management and his goal is to help enhance and protect the green spaces shared and loved by everyone!  When he’s not working, Thomas likes to explore Austin’s great live music, stand-up comedy, and food scenes.  He also enjoys watching football (go Packers!) in the fall, and enjoying the wildflowers in the spring.

Restoration Coordinator

Alicia Rusthoven

Alicia is a native Austinite and UT alumna who has worked in several public parks and gardens around town. She has experience in land management across many capacities—food production, conservation, restoration, and formal gardening—and is happiest with dirty hands. Alicia is passionate about helping people feel connected to and part of the natural world. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, camping, playing the drums, dancing, playing sports, and taking absurdly long walks.

Park Grounds Technician

Sarah Nelson

Ecological Restoration Intern

Almalena Hinojosa

Events & Programs Intern

Reyhan Kilic

Reyhan is a Communication Studies student at The University of Texas at Austin with a background in non-profit work and experience as an employee with the City of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department. Deeply connected to the Austin community, she resonates with The Trail Conservancy’s mission and is passionate about supporting the city she loves and calls home. Outside of school and work, Reyhan enjoys exploring new places and traveling whenever she can.