Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Catarina Gonzales to the Environmental Flows Advisory Group for a term to expire at the pleasure of the Governor. The Advisory Group was created by the 80th Texas Legislature in recognition of the importance of the ecological soundness of our riverine, bay, and estuary systems and riparian lands has on the economy, health, and well-being of our state.
Catarina Gonzales of Austin has served as a Commissioner for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality since February 2024. Previously, she was a budget and policy advisor for the Office of the Governor and was in private practice at law firms in Austin and Houston. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and on the executive committee of its Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section. She is a former board member of the Cossaboom YMCA Board of Directors and the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, former volunteer for Dachshund Rescue of Houston, and former member of the Easter Seals Greater Houston Young Professionals Advisory Board. She has been recognized for her leadership in the environmental and government fields by the Houston Business Journal as a recipient of their “40 under 40” award and as a League of Women Voters “Rising Star” award honoree. Gonzales received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Trinity College, Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law, and a Master of Laws in Energy and Environmental Law from the University of Houston School of Law. Additionally, she was a visiting student at The University of Texas School of Law, where she was on the board of the American Journal of Criminal Law.