While TPWF works to conserve the wild things and wild places of Texas, Austin Chapter Stewards of the Wild member Brianna Fuller is busy advocating for the water that brings our many wild wonders to life. As the campaign director of the Texas Runs on Water® campaign for the Texas Water Foundation, she leads the effort for this vital statewide initiative that links the value of water to our shared pride in all things Texas.
Brianna’s current role at Texas Water Foundation is just her latest in a burgeoning career of championing Texas-wide causes across myriad local communities. And it’s a path she was born to blaze. “Growing up in a multigenerational Texas family with deep roots in San Antonio, I always felt the pull to get involved in the community from a young age,” says Brianna. Even in high school, Brianna was active in local social and cultural causes through her volunteer work for the National Hispanic Institute, where she encouraged her peers and rising Texas high school students to do the same through leadership training and outreach initiatives.
Shortly after graduating from UT Austin with a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric and writing, Brianna landed a communications position with Keep Texas Beautiful, where she first entered the dynamic field of Texas conservation. “I was responsible for developing strategic communications tools and resources for 300 local affiliates and got to work with folks from all walks of life, from small towns to big cities, who were committed to enhancing their communities. It gave me a deeper appreciation and understanding of our state.”
This challenging role perfectly positioned her for a move to the Texas Water Foundation in 2020. “With the classic ‘Don’t Mess with Texas’ campaign as our North Star, Texas Water Foundation wanted to achieve that same level of success, but for Texas water.” What emerged is Texas Runs on Water, a cultural movement that invites all Texans to rethink how they value water. Much like her charge at Keep Texas Beautiful, Brianna is strategically directing Texas Runs on Water as a statewide umbrella campaign that can be tailored to local communities and help address local water challenges.
Given Brianna’s strong ties within the Texas conservation community, it was only a matter of time before she crossed paths with Stewards of the Wild’s very active Austin Chapter. “I joined in 2022, and it has been such a positive experience all around. Everyone has been so open and welcoming from the beginning, and the Advisory Council works so hard to make every event worthwhile.” Since joining, Brianna has participated in two mentored fishing trips, and she is getting ready for her first mentored hunt, a white-tailed deer hunt at King Ranch.
“What I love most about Stewards of the Wild is that it’s a low-stakes, non-intimidating investment to get involved and gain greater access to the outdoors. As someone who did not grow up camping our exploring Texas’ wild places, the community component is so important to experiencing this world. I know that I would not have ever sought out what ended up being an amazing fishing trip at Powderhorn, or signed up for my first hunt, had it not been for the Stewards program.” And though Brianna’s demanding career and her new pursuit of a master’s in public affairs at UT Austin is keeping her calendar pretty full, she fully intends to continue carving out time for Stewards. “I’ve made some really great friends here, and it continues to be a very fun and rewarding experience to be a part of such an active group of conservation-focused Texans.”
