Board of Directors
President
Josh Carney
When I was four, my parents bought three acres on a lake in northern Wisconsin. Since then, I've felt more at home out in the open than under a roof. The vocational pinnacle of my outdoor aspirations happened when I was fortunate enough to work as a part-time park ranger in Cameron Park during graduate school. This experience made the opportunity to serve on the GTG board a no-brainer.
I currently serve as the chief of staff at the Waco Family Medicine Foundation. As a healthcare professional at an organization that strategically considers ways to help our community overcome the social determinants of health, I can't stress enough the importance of GTG's work.
In my free time, I play ultimate frisbee, basketball, read, and mountain bike. My wife and I have taken our four children to more than twenty national parks and hope to visit all of them someday.
Vice President
Julia Robinson
I am a Baylor Master of Public Health alumni currently working for the State of Texas, helping with the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m passionate about all things public health, especially empowering underserved communities who experience disproportionate health issues. Being active outdoors has been a core part of my childhood, as well as how I maintain my physical, mental, and spiritual health. GTG Outdoors combines many of my personal and professional passions and I am delighted to serve on its Board of Directors and to help advance it’s mission. One of the things I love about GTG Outdoors is that it encourages kids and families to live more active, healthy, and fulfilling lives and includes those who have traditionally not felt like they belong outdoors.
My favorite outdoor activities are climbing, hiking, camping, and anything that gets me in the water! Some of my other hobbies besides being outdoors are reading all kinds of books, playing guitar, and traveling. I love sunny days, Disney movies, and theological discussions, and my life verses are Colossians 3:23 and Philippians 2:3-4.
Treasurer
Steven Velasquez
“I joined the board of directors for GTG Outdoors because I am devoted to the mental and physical health of underprivileged communities, which aligns with the mission of the company. As a healthcare professional, I have seen young children whose suffering was overwhelming. I connected with these children through sports, teaching them to play basketball and soccer, talking about their favorite sports teams, and seeing them experience momentary spurts of joy. I have seen how impactful it was for them to be outside, doing activities they loved. Interacting with children and watching them cherish their childhood gives me an indescribable feeling of complete fulfillment. As a director of GTG Outdoors, I get the privilege of contributing my perspective to an organization that values promoting individual well-being while nurturing family principles. The organization will have a mutual, meaningful impact on nature and the people in it.”
Lindsey Breunig-Rodriquez
Hello, and Sic’Em Always! I am thankful and humbled to be serving as president of GTG Outdoors. My love for the outdoors began at a young age but expanded in college when I signed up for my first backpacking trip. At work I keep close a quote by Lady Bird Johnson, it states “the environment is where we all meet.” I believe firmly in her words and believe that being outside reaps more than physical health benefits. It is at our local parks or on a bike ride where we are able to gather with friends and family, spiritually grow, and become even more aware of the environment we live in. I am eager to serve alongside the GTG Outdoors team as we aim to remove barriers our community faces when pursuing the outdoors. Here is to a new generation of outdoor adventurers: there is space for everyone!
Kyle Dietz
As a Waco native, I’ve always loved spending time on the trails of Cameron Park or paddling on the Brazos. Experiencing outdoor adventure has become even more meaningful to me over the years as I’ve gotten to share that joy with my wife and daughter. I believe connection with nature can teach lessons through its beauty and that spending time outdoors can promote greater self-awareness and confidence. My hope is that our youth discover a call to purpose within through exploration of the natural beauty all around.