Texas A&M alumna Joni Carswell, Class of 1999, has been CEO and president of Texan by Nature since 2017.
After earning her B.S. in Industrial Engineering at A&M, Carswell earned both her Masters of Business Administration at Kellogg School of Management and Masters of Engineering Management at Northwestern McCormick School of Engineering. Before her employment at Texan by Nature, Carswell worked at Polycom and Dell, and held the title of president and CEO of LivingTree.
Carswell’s current role at Texas by Nature, which was founded in 2011 by former First Lady Laura Bush, is to lead the mission to bring business and conservation together for long-term, sustainable impact.
Carswell said the opportunity to lead Texas By Nature was a perfect fit because it allows her to take her diverse backgrounds and skill sets and apply them to something she is passionate about.
“My professional background is varied … ultimately leading to being here at Texan by Nature,” said Carswell. “At Texan by Nature I can apply everything I’ve learned, from organization to developmental skills, in the non-profit contribution stage. A&M certainly prepared me for the variety of opportunities that I’ve had in my professional career.”
Texan by Nature focuses on Texas environmental conservation, but does so in a way that allows businesses and individuals to incorporate it into their already existing projects. Carswell said Texan by Nature offers a collaborative approach to helping others identify projects that need assistance and giving them that help in the conservation field.
“We work to accelerate and supply projects across Texas that are measurably beneficial to the people, prosperity and natural resources,” Carswell said.
Carswell served in many organizations and groups on campus during her time at A&M. A&M is a special place, Carswell said, due in large part to the service opportunities offered throughout the community.
“There are so many ways students can get involved, especially at A&M, which is such a special place for student involvement,” Carswell said. “There are opportunities that are there for leadership development and for volunteering in the community to help conservation.”
The Aggie Network and skills she learned at A&M have sparked conversations about how others can implement conservation in their life and work, Carswell said.
“Being an Aggie has helped me to get into this work and have those conversations,” said Carswell. “It’s helped me become a leader because of the opportunities and the Aggie Network. It’s also helped me open doors, particularly in conservation, that wouldn’t have opened if I had not been an Aggie.”
As an Aggie and a dedicated Texan, Carswell said she hopes current students will look for ways that they can help in conservation efforts within the community.
“I would encourage students to think about what makes them Texan by nature,” Carswell said. “I encourage students to get involved with conservation to get involved from a personal standpoint and thinking about how they can interact with their community and how they can make a positive impact for a better future.”