Mr. González has worked in the Greater Houston, Texas, and national conservation, environmental education, resilience, and nature equity spaces for 26 years, including as the Urban Green Director at the Student Conservation Association (2024-Present, the Houston Health Cities Director & Community/Equitable Conservation Director a The Nature Conservancy in Texas, (2018-2014), the Community Conservation Director/Conservation Eduation Director at the Coastal Prairie Conservancy (2006-2018), and as an Interpretive Naturalist and inaugural Conservation Lead at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center (1998-2005). 

Mr. González earned a M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction-Science Education and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Houston. He has also earned a Texas Educator Certificate (Science, Grades 4-8) from the Texas Educational Agency, expert certificates in environmental education and civic ecology from the Civic Ecology Lab at Cornell University, the Certificate in Environmental Communication from the Nicholas School for the Environment at Duke University, the Climate Change and Health Certificate from the Yale School of Public Health, and the Operationalize One Health Certificate from the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.
 

Awards & Honors
Houston Visionary, Center for Houston’s Future
November 2022, Featured as 1 of 12 Houstonians recognized for visionary leadership

Prairie Champion Award, Katy Prairie Conservancy
December 2021, A regional conservation award which recognizes conservation/education about Coastal Prairies.

Texas Trailblazer, Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine
August 2021, Featured in Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine as a “Texas Trailblazer”. This featurette spotlights Texans making a difference for nature and their communities.

Eddie Award, Folio:
October 2019, A national communications award won in the essays and criticisms (Associations/Nonprofit) category for the essay “Nature Every Day” featured in The Nature Conservancy Magazine.

Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Houston College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
April 2019, in recognition of exceptional professional achievement, involvement in the community, and demonstrated innovative change to improve the lives of others 

Nancy Benedict Memorial Award, Native Plant Society of Texas
August 2018, in recognition of an individual, group, or organization for a specific act of conservation or public service in the field of Texas native plants.

Catalyst Award, Houston Tomorrow
October 2015, in recognition of actions and ideas that significantly improve the quality of Houstonians’ lives

Grassroots Leader Award, Texas Children in Nature
April 2015, in recognition of regional leadership (Greater Houston) in the Texas Children in Nature movement.

Wild Partners Award, Houston Wilderness
February 2015, in recognition of work regional leadership in nature-based tourism 

Prairie Preservationist Award, Native Prairies Association of Texas
May 2014, in recognition of outstanding efforts to preserve Texas native prairies

Alban-Heiser Award, Houston Zoo, Inc.
November 2011, in recognition of preserving Texas' heritage of living creatures and their environment.

Elizabeth Hull Abernathy Award, Garden Club of America
March 2011, in recognition of outstanding contributions to environmental education of youth.

Army & Sarah Emmott Conservation Award, Citizens Environmental Coalition Houston 
November 2009, in recognition of outstanding efforts to conserve native prairie.