Smitty has served as state director of Public Citizen since 1985 and serves on the boards of Clean Water Action, the Texas Wind Power Coalition, Texans for Public Justice, Campaigns for People, the Clean Energy Project of CEERT, a nature preserve, and a solar energy company.   He has recently received the Thomas Paine award from Campaigns for People, 2001 Austin Chronicle's critics choice award for "Best People's Lobbyist" as well as an U.S. EPA "Environmental Excellence Award."

Public Citizen is a consumer and environmental group active in issues concerning energy, environment, ethics and campaign finance reforms, trade agreements with Mexico and other countries, and urban sprawl.  During his tenure at Public Citizen, Smitty has served on four commissions that looked at the future of the utility industry in Texas and has testified on more that 100 occasions on environmental and energy policy. His proudest accomplishments are: helping to pass laws requiring Texas to develop 2,000 MW of renewable energy; and creating the Texas Emissions Reductions Plan, which reduces emissions from Texas’ dirtiest diesels, gives incentives for purchasing the cleanest new cars and trucks, requires political subdivisions to reduce their energy use by 25% over the next 5 years and requires all new homes or commercial buildings to meet new tough energy use standards.

Smitty hails from Illinois.  He graduated from Valparaiso University in northern Indiana and became a Texan by choice in 1974. Before joining Public Citizen, he worked as a legal aid, as a legislative aide, directed the Houston Foodbank and ran an anti-hunger advocacy program.

Ryan started working for Public Citizen in March of 2008.  His current focus is on the coal block campaign, working to halt the construction of new coal-fired power plants in Texas and throughout the country.  He also works to improve the websites and public interaction with the organization through multi-media.  He moved to Austin in September of 2007 and worked in the film industry there for 5 months before joining Public Citizen.  Ryan has a background in film and theater work, carpentry, environmental activism and history.  He graduated from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA with a BA in Communication Arts and worked with Ohio Citizen Action in Cleveland, OH, his home town.  He is a member of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and sailed with them for 9 months, protecting marine animals and environments. 

Matthew Johnson recently completed his masters degree in sustainable development through the SIT Graduate Institute.   His areas of interest include policy analysis and advocacy in energy, environmental, and sustainability issues.  At Public Citizen he works on all aspects of policy advocacy related to energy efficiency, renewable energy and nuclear power including writing, lobbying, organizing, and strategizing.

Andy Wilson works on global warming and campaign finance issues for Public Citizen.  Born in San Diego, California, he has lived in many different places, including Delaware, Northern Virginia, Utah, New York City and 2 years in Southern Russia.  He has a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Brigham Young University, where he first became interested in campaign finance issues working with Dr. David Magleby researching BCRA.  He then pursued a Masters Degree from Fordham University in Campaigns and Elections, where he also worked with Global Strategy Group, a top political consulting and polling firm.  Before coming to work with Public Citizen, Andy also worked for Unity08 as National Volunteer Coordinator.  He currently lives in Austin with his wife and two children.

Carol Geiger has been involved with the non-profit sector since the 1970s in various capacities.   While her educational background was in molecular biology, her desire to work for the greater good has directed her career path. She has been involved with organizations as varied as the People's Community Clinic, the Women's Advocacy Project, Wild Basin Urban Wilderness Preserve, Texas Bicycle Coalition and the Center for Public Policy Priorities.  She has been with Public Citizen's Texas office since 2005.  For this vast array of organizations she has served in various capacities from volunteer, to board of director member, and as staff. 
In her spare time, she has raised a son; involves herself in the arts (taking classes and workshops in metal sculpture, life drawing, and clay); and is an associate producer on the documentary "Tattooed Under Fire" for ITVS which was released in the fall of 2008.

Melissa is a native Texan and is back after being gone for six years. She joined Public Citizen in February 2009 as Administrative Assistant. She graduated in 2006 from Oberlin College with a degree in Comparative American Studies and then lived in Philadelphia, PA for two years working in the non profit sector. Melissa has a background in social justice activism with a focus on outreach to Latino and LGBTQ communities.

Trevor Lovell has been working for Public Citizen since the summer of 2007.  In that capacity he has co-founded ReEnergize Texas, a coalition of students and non-profits working together to make Texas a leader in the fight against global climate change.  The coalition sponsors statewide events to provide training, inspiration, and the proliferation of ideas among students with the goal of promoting policies to address climate change at the campus, city, state, and federal levels.

Paul Rolke is the founder of Robertson County: Our Land/Our Lives organization. This is a grassroots group located in Franklin, TX, which Paul organized when he saw the need to fight the proposed coal-first power plant at Oak Grove. He is committed to being a good steward of the land and volunteers in the Public Citizen office in Austin, Texas, to help in the COALBLOCK Campaign efforts by staying “up to snuff†on what other grassroots organizations are doing across the USA.

Originally from Memphis, TN, Melissa is a sophomore at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX working towards a BA in Political Science with a special interest in political theory and philosophy.

Active in social justice work since high school, and more recently environmental activism at college, Melissa is currently involved with Students for Environmental Action and Knowledge, Student Peace Alliance, Alpha Phi Omega, Rotaract, and various peer mentoring programs.

Melissa plans to pursue a masters in education and ultimately teach high school social studies and continue working on social and environmental justice issues.

Andrew is a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin in the Liberal Arts Honors College pursuing a double major in Geography and Government. His interest in environmental work and the natural world has let him to intern with Public Citizen to get real world experience working against those who initiate and accelerate environmental degradation in the sphere of public policy.

Andrew hopes to use his degrees and experience to pursue a graduate education and advocate important environmental causes in the future. He considers himself dedicated to a cause that is much greater than himself and believes it is his duty as a citizen of the United States and the world to help promote policy decisions that will move us toward a healthier world in the decades and centuries to come.

Kate McGahee is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin and will be completing her majors in International Business, Plan II Honors, and Latin American Studies in May 2009.  She has previously worked with Oxfam-UT and the Texas Fair Trade Coalition, and has historically focused on trade justice and economic development issues.  Her environmental work began abroad, where she participated in the Zero Waste Program in Kaikoura, New Zealand.  Though she is originally from the Houston suburbs, Kate decidedly calls herself an Austinite.

A native of Texas, Patrick began college at the University of Colorado at Boulder to study sustainable architectural design.  In order to bring his environmental interests back to his home state (which he felt is the state most in need of progressive environmental reform) he transferred to the University of Texas at Austin where he is currently matriculating as a Junior. 

Patrick has studied sustainability in theory and in practice and has worked in several student organizations, including World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms in New Zealand bringing home a new perspective for the future of sustainable development in the United States. His continued work in the environmental movement drives him to do what he can to curb global climate change and spread awareness about sustainable resource use and efficiency.

Jenifer Wilde is currently a senior at the University of Texas and will graduate in May with her BA in Geography and the Environment.   She is the organizing intern for ReEnergize Texas and is helping plan the summit.  Jenifer is a part-time runner and a full-time food enthusiast.