A Houston native, Varunya spent most of her childhood collecting rocks at her neighborhood and city parks. Naturally, she went to study Earth Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin, where she went on many camping trips and park cleanups. She later met Alma and Spencer, with who she has shared many outdoor experiences with since coming back to Houston. She is excited to share her love for the outdoors with others!

Favorite Activity: Hiking and Stargazing

Favorite Park: Garner State Park

Originally from Kazakhstan, Alma moved to Texas to study Geology at the University of Houston. While there, she had the opportunity to visit parks like Big Bend, Glacier and Grand Canyon, which sparked her interest in the preservation of natural areas. Many years and dozens of parks later, she, along with her husband Spencer and her best friend Varunya, would set out to make a difference.

Favorite activity: Hiking

Favorite State Park: Colorado Bend State Park

Raised in Houston, Spencer grew up in a family that loved the outdoors. While attending the University of Houston, he would take up camping because he didn’t have much money and thought it would be a cheap hobby. He was wrong. After joining the State Parks Advisory Committee in 2018, Spencer saw an opportunity to combine his passion for talking a lot with raising awareness and resources to help support our parks.

Favorite Activity: Cooking by a Campfire

Favorite Park: Davis Mountains State Park