Anna Macnak

Anna (she/her) is the Center Director and grew up in Southeast Alaska with the Tongass National Forest (literally) in her backyard. Kayaking to forest service cabins and hiking around the Mendenhall Glacier shaped her lifelong love of nature.

After moving to San Antonio in 2009, Anna began her career as a registered dietitian in healthcare before transitioning in 2015 to work in local government as a public health professional. Her career has shaped a systems-level perspective grounded in data, equity, and collaboration, always with an eye toward sustainable outcomes that benefit both people and place. She now brings that perspective to Mitchell Lake, helping foster meaningful connections between people and the natural world.

Anna’s work is guided by a belief that public health and conservation are deeply connected: that what is good for the birds is good for human health, too, as wild spaces also support mental, physical, and community well‑being. This philosophy informs how she approaches her work, blending environmental stewardship with positive human health outcomes. In 2025, Anna completed her training as a Texas Master Naturalist (Hill Country Chapter) and is a lifelong learner of the natural world.

Anna enjoys cultivating partnerships across public, private, nonprofit, and community sectors. She is known for building trust, translating shared goals into action, and bringing people together around a common purpose.

Outside of work, Anna enjoys quilting, restoring vintage sewing machines (specifically featherweights - if you know, you know!), and spending quiet time in nature.