Christy Muse

Independent consultant, “Contract work for a Better Planet.”

Christy Muse is a conservation nonprofit professional with expertise in land and water policy, land protection, development best practices and planning. Her recent clients include the Property Rights and Pipeline Center, Commission Shift, Save Barton Creek Association, Respect Big Bend and Westcave Preserve. In addition to serving the Science Mill, she is a volunteer founding board member helping to launch two new non-profits: The Travis County Parks Foundation and the Friends of the Pecos River. 

From 2016 to 2020, she served as the Chief External Relations Officer & Director of Strategic Alliances for the Shield Ranch, a private ranch located in Travis County southwest of Austin. The ranch is of regional significance, protected by conservation easements protecting six miles of Barton Creek, native habitat for wildlife, endangered birds and quality of life benefits derived from a large protected open space in a rapidly urbanizing area. While working at the Ranch, she was also the Executive Director of the Shield Ranch Foundation, a private operating foundation that oversees outreach and educational programming including El Ranchito. 

In 2004 Christy co-founded the Hill Country Alliance (HCA) a regional non-profit dedicated to regional planning in the Hill Country region to protect its beauty, character, heritage, wide-open spaces, and spectacular water features. Christy served as the Executive Director of HCA from 2005 through early 2016.

Christy grew up in Riverside, Illinois one of the first ever planned communities, designed in 1869 by Frederick Law Olmsted, the “Father of Landscape Architecture”.  She attended Western Illinois University and received a bachelor’s degree in business.

In 1985, Christy moved to central Texas and currently resides in Spicewood near the south shore of Lake Travis with her husband Marty.