Anna Macnak has been named Executive Director of Mitchell Lake Audubon Center in South San Antonio, bringing public health experience and a passion for nature to a major urban conservation site; the appointment grounds the center’s role as a community resource, highlights Macnak’s ties to Southeast Alaska and to San Antonio, and signals new energy for environmental education and access in the Central Flyway.
Anna Macnak arrives with more than a decade of experience in public health and community program work inside the City of San Antonio, where she managed initiatives focused on neighborhood resilience and food security. Her background centers on building trust with residents and forging partnerships between governments and community groups, skills that translate directly to running a nature center that serves people as much as wildlife. That mix of civic know-how and environmental enthusiasm makes her a strong fit for Mitchell Lake Audubon Center’s dual mission.
Most recently Macnak served as Health Program Manager for the City’s Healthy Neighborhoods Program, where she led community-driven projects using a Community Health Worker model. That approach emphasized direct engagement, listening to residents, and creating programs shaped by real neighborhood needs rather than assumptions from the top down. Those principles are a natural match for a nature center that aims to open doors to historically underserved communities around South San Antonio.
Her environmental story has deep roots. Raised in Southeast Alaska, Macnak spent childhood years exploring the Tongass National Forest, logging long hikes and camping trips that sparked a lifelong commitment to stewardship of wild places. Now a Texas Master Naturalist, she combines that hands-on love of the outdoors with formal study, holding a Graduate Certificate in Public Health from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Science from Bastyr University. That blend of lived experience and academic training gives her a practical, empathetic leadership style.
Mitchell Lake Audubon Center sits along the Central Flyway and is widely recognized as one of the state’s top urban birding and wildlife destinations, a watery refuge inside San Antonio that draws both migratory birds and local families. The center’s value extends beyond bird lists and boardwalks; it’s a teaching ground for habitat restoration, a place where kids can discover ecology firsthand, and a hub for volunteers working to restore native landscapes. For many local residents, Mitchell Lake is where environmental education becomes personal and accessible.
Audubon Texas leaders welcomed the hire with clear enthusiasm. “We’re thrilled to have Anna join the Audubon team, bringing her lifelong passion for connecting people with the natural world to the organization,” said Lisa Gonzalez, Vice President and Executive Director of Audubon Texas. That endorsement signals organizational confidence that Macnak will nurture both the center’s conservation goals and its community ties.
Under Macnak’s leadership the center is likely to expand programs that bridge health and nature, from outdoor learning opportunities to projects that address food security and neighborhood well-being through green space. Expect more emphasis on hands-on experiences that meet people where they are, whether that means school programs for local children, volunteer restoration days, or events designed for families who have not historically visited nature preserves. The aim is practical: increase access and make nature an essential part of community life.
Mitchell Lake’s role in conservation is practical and measurable, with habitat work that supports migratory routes and biodiversity while also creating educational platforms for residents across South San Antonio. Volunteer networks and partnerships with local groups will be crucial as the center grows its footprint and programming. Macnak’s track record of coalition-building suggests she will push those collaborations further, leveraging city resources and neighborhood knowledge to strengthen the center’s impact.
Community members should expect more outreach and a thicker schedule of events tailored to local needs, from seasonal bird walks to workshops that connect environmental health and human health. The center’s continued focus on historically underserved neighborhoods will make those offerings especially important, turning Mitchell Lake into a place that not only conserves wildlife but also helps people thrive. That practical orientation reflects a modern view of conservation tied to social equity and everyday life.
Mitchell Lake Audubon Center now has leadership with a foot in both worlds: public health systems and hands-on naturalist practice, a combination that could reshape how urban nature centers operate in South San Antonio and beyond. As programming expands and partnerships deepen, the center is positioned to serve as both wildlife refuge and community asset, giving residents new reasons to visit and new tools to steward the landscape that sustains them.
