Leadership
Garry Merritt
Garry brings to Great Springs Project a unique combination of business development savvy, real estate law expertise, government service, and longstanding commitment to conservation of Texas’ natural resources. A former Real County Judge, Real County Attorney, and corporate counsel, Garry’s legal expertise includes real estate transactions, real estate finance, water rights, business development, and contract negotiations.
Garry Merritt – Chief Executive Officer
Garry brings to Great Springs Project a unique combination of business development savvy, real estate law expertise, government service, and longstanding commitment to conservation of Texas’ natural resources. A former Real County Judge, Real County Attorney, and corporate counsel, Garry’s legal expertise includes real estate transactions, real estate finance, water rights, business development, and contract negotiations. He is Board Certified in Farm and Ranch Real Estate Law, a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and holds degrees from Rice University and The University of Texas School of Law. After a stint as a corporate and real estate attorney in Houston and Team Counsel for the Houston Rockets, Garry returned to the Texas Hill Country to practice law and engage in public service in his rural hometown of Leakey. Garry has served as Board Chairman of the Hill Country Alliance, the Middle Rio Grande Development Council, and the Southwest Area Regional Transit District. Prior to joining Great Springs Project, Garry served as General Counsel and Legislative Director of the Texas Association of Counties which represents all 254 counties in Texas with over 2,500 elected officials. An avid river guide and mountain climber, Garry cares deeply about Texas and our beautiful Hill Country and conserving our natural resources for generations to come. He has two children, Luke and Sarah.
Emma Lindrose-Siegel
An experienced fundraiser with a demonstrated history of working in non-profit development and managing successful capital campaigns, Emma has raised over $34 million for Texas organizations and brings a proven track record of success and first-hand conservation experience with one of Texas’ four great springs, Barton Springs.
Emma Lindrose-Siegel – Chief Development Officer
David Bemporad
Initially joining Great Springs Project as its first intern while completing a master’s in urban planning at Harvard, this lifelong cyclist and nature-lover has dedicated his career to active transportation and greenways. David previously consulted on major infrastructure projects, including the San Antonio Bike Network and the New Braunfels Street Safety Action Plan. His expertise in trail alignment and strategic conservation is instrumental in securing land and accelerating the development of a connected regional greenway.
David Bemporad – Chief Programs Officer
David Bemporad serves as Great Springs Project’s Chief Programs Officer. David joined GSP in 2020 as our first intern while completing his master’s degree in urban planning at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He was our first trails planner, routing many of our first trail alignments and helping bring strategic parcels into conservation.
David’s work on the 2022 San Antonio Municipal Bond helped make trails like the Eastside Greenway Phase 1 a soon-to-open reality. He then spent three years at RS&H, consulting on parallel projects to GSP, such as the San Antonio Bike Network & Vision Zero Plans and the New Braunfels Street Safety Action Plan. The expertise plans, studies, and projects all supported his work over the last year alongside GSP on our Trails Corridor Study, which will soon produce major updates and selected trail projects for design.
A lifelong cyclist and nature-lover, David has dedicated nearly his entire career to active transportation, greenways, and making the communities we love more livable. His role at GSP will strengthen our land and trails teams as we secure more land for conservation and get more trails on the ground.
Staff
Bill Barker, FAICP
Drake Blanchard
Marjesca Brown
Ryan Cox
Mikey Goralnik
Alejandro Hernández
Tony Kimball
Madison Lozano
Courtney Lyons-Garcia
Darcie Schipull
Kristi Shepperson
Kenny Skrobanek
Carmen Whitten
Laisha Alvarado
Sheridan Ray
