Christine “Chris” Smith is originally from Napa in Northern California. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Wildlife from Humboldt State University. She is fortunate to have lived and worked in some of the most beautiful and diverse places in the US, most notably: northern Michigan, on the Big Island of Hawai’i, and the Ruby Mountains of Nevada. Chris came to south Texas in 2005 as a field tech to work with Mark Kramer and George Regmund, restoring wetlands and prairie at Armand Bayou Nature Center. She left when her oldest daughter was born in 2010, and came back as the biologist in 2017 when her youngest started kindergarten. She is proud to call herself a member of the Prairie Liberation Army: burning, mowing, and by chainsaw are how they rescue that habitat! Transitioning from the field to the office, Chris is happy to be on the Houston Audubon team and is looking forward to doing her part in bringing the Bolivar Peninsula Nature Trail to life. Chris answered some questions so we can get to know her better.
1. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
I would choose the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It’s where we went camping the most when I was young. I love the scent of the pines, granite riverbeds, and cool summers.
2. If you could share a meal with any 4 individuals, living or dead, who would they be?
Joseph Campbell, Rachel Maddow, Steve Shell (storyteller: Old Gods of Appalachia), and my brother Keith.
3. In the evening, would you rather play a game, visit a relative, watch a movie, or read?
Once my chores are done, reading is my very favorite activity.
4. What is your favorite family vacation?
Visiting my brothers and sister out west (Portland, OR, and San Francisco, CA); our favorite way to escape the Houston heat for a couple weeks every summer.
5. What two radio stations do you listen to in the car the most?
90.1 KPFT, and 95.1 Sangeet Radio … great music.
6. What is your favorite book to read?
My very favorite book that I keep re-reading is The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown. It follows a young woman and her family as they leave Illinois for Oregon and join what becomes the Donner Party. Learning about the physiological effects of the journey and details about life at that time are fascinating to me.
7. What are your hobbies?
Bicycling, birding, hiking, kayaking, cooking, gardening, and exploring thrift stores.
8. List two pet peeves.
Dog owners that don’t pick up waste and drivers that don’t stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.
9. What’s the most interesting thing you can see out of your office or kitchen window?
I am fortunate to live on Exploration Green in Clear Lake, so I get to watch the wetlands out my back window. I can hear the Red-winged Blackbirds during the day and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks at night.
10. What was your first job?
My first real job was at Tower Records. We had a fun crew, and free CDs sweetened the deal.
Please join us in welcoming Chris to the team!
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