Charles Irvine, President - Charles graduated from the University of London with a M.Sc. in Conservation. He worked for five years in Greece as a program leader on environmental projects that protected sea turtles and marine mammals in coastal areas. During this time, he participated in extensive efforts to design and establish protected areas, eventually resulting in a new National Park. As an independent consultant, he researched and wrote comprehensive management plans for seven protected coastal areas under contracts with the World Wildlife Fund and European Union funded initiatives. As a technology consultant, Charles specialized in online information realization with clients in several countries. Before entering law school, he was Executive Director of Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides.

Martin A. Reiner PhD, Secretary - Dr. Reiner, former Executive Director of Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides, has considerable experience in the not-for-profit and government world as well as private enterprise. His experience includes ten years working with transit agencies in Houston and Chicago, and subsequently serving for ten years as Executive Director of the South Main Center Association, an economic development group in Houston focusing on Midtown, the Museum District, Hermann Park, the Texas Medical Center and the Reliant Stadium/Astrodome complex. Currently he is an owner and officer of Organic Growing Systems Inc., a company dedicated to an organic approach for feeding the soil and plants in the home, lawn and garden community as well as agriculture.”

Brad Hendricks , Treasurer - City of Houston, Forester. Brad was born in Illinois and after graduating with degrees in Forestry and Agriculture, he "came to his senses" and moved in 1979 to Texas. Always working in the tree service business, he sprayed trees for insects. Starting a part-time business in the early 80s spraying various chemicals for pest control, he was fully licensed by the Structural Pest Control Board. He even contemplated starting a business fumigating grains for transport aboard large ships. Shortly thereafter, he noticed shaking hands. After some medical treatment, all dealings with pesticides was stopped. Nonetheless, it took several years to cleanse his body of chemicals.
Brad has furthered his study of commonly used pesticides, and is acutely aware of their deleterious effects. He is an urban forester for the City of Houston, concerned primarily with the planting of trees. He
often speaks to groups about the many benefits of trees, and the need to reduce or eliminate, the use of pesticides.

Kay Harnden – Real Estate

Eddie Holik - Director of the Cockrell Butterfly Center

Jack Mazow, MD – Allergist, Baylor College of Medicine

Jay Porter - CEO of Environmental Coalition, Inc. Jay is committed to using integrated pest management (IPM) in his commercial pest control service.

Gordon G. Waggett, P.C. - Gordon has participated on Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides’ (TAP) board since 2001, previously serving as TAP’s president and secretary. He holds a degree in chemistry and biology from SMU and a Master of Science from the Dept. of Environmental Science and Engineering at Rice University. Gordon held an appointed position for years on UNICEF’s Advisory Panel regarding The United States Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. He owns a law practice focused on the protection, enforcement, licensing and commercialization of patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, unfair competition, non-competition and other intellectual property law matters. Gordon enjoys outdoor and sporting activities with his family, including organic gardening, participating in inner city sports programs, recycling old into new, and believes strongly in the protection of our environment.

STAFF

Charlotte Wells, MS - Executive Director of Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides (TAP).  Charlotte brings to the community a background in education, marketing management, and database and website management.  Her broad commitment to environmental issues and causes has included focusing on the impact of pesticides, deterioration of sensitive wetlands and air quality issues on a broad scale.  Recognizing the sensitivity of our environment, Ms. Wells is a Texas Master Naturalist and in that capacity shares her knowledge with individuals and organizations seeking to protect the environment closer to home.

Prior to becoming TAP’s Executive Director, Ms. Wells was the operator of the bookstore/educational resource center Baytime Books for Children and was a certificated teacher (University of Houston – Clear Lake - Master of Science) in LaPorte and Dallas, Texas’ third, fourth and fifth grades.  She was the information coordinator for the Galveston Bay Conservation and Preservation Association.  It is these experiences and this background that now successfully underpins the efforts of TAP.