Our Team
Natalie Hausman-Weiss Executive Director
natalie@thewoodsproject.org
Natalie joined The Woods Project in February 2016. She brings nearly two decades of experience in the areas of non-profit management and development and comes to TWP with a passion for making a real difference in the world for the well-being and personal growth of disadvantaged populations and communities. Read More
Adriane Arnold
Finance & Operations Director
adriane@thewoodsproject.org
Adriane joined The Woods Project as Finance Operations Manager in October 2018, after serving as a TWP volunteer in various capacities. She is a Houston native who adores the outdoors. She majored in art history at Dartmouth College and has an MBA from the University of Houston. Read More
Jessi Manley
Development Director
jessi@thewoodsproject.org
Jessi joined The Woods Project in 2013. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a Bachelor’s of Arts & Science in Exercise Science. She is excited to be part of The Woods Project and be part of positively impacting the lives of so many Houston students. Jessi enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, bowling, and being outside – doing any & everything.
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Michael Valdez
Program Director
michael@thewoodsproject.org
Michael joined The Woods Project in July 2018. While a native of Houston, his true home has always been amongst the surrounding trees and hills of the city. His liberal arts degree from the University of St. Thomas, with an emphasis in education and English, benefited him as he worked as a special needs teacher with students with neurological differences for nearly a decade.
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Diana Liga
Volunteer & Operations Manager
diana@thewoodsproject.org
Diana joined The Woods Project in January 2023. She received her degree in Horticulture from Texas A&M and has worked as a horticulturist in varying degrees for two decades. Her emphasis has always been on food production, sustainability, and sociohorticulture. She spends her free time rock hunting, hiking, crafting, and gardening.
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Jess Merino
Program Development Manager
jmerino@thewoodsproject.org
Jess joined The Woods Project as Program Development Manager in 2021, after serving as a TWP school coordinator and volunteer for five years. Jess has a background as an educator and a scientist. She previously taught Environmental Engineering at Energy Institute in Houston ISD, and before that she was as a Seismology Data Scientist with IRIS.
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Manny Salas
Program Manager
manny@thewoodsproject.org
Manny joined The Woods Project in January 2022 as a TWP Alumnus and recent graduate from Colby College. After his 2016 Summer Trip to Yosemite with TWP, he decided to pursue a career in the earth sciences. After receiving the Posse Scholarship to Colby, a small liberal arts school in central Maine, he majored in Geology and minored in Environmental Studies and Computer Science. Read More
