The Board of Directors selects and retains an Executive Director for managing the day-to-day operations for the Authority. The Executive Director when so authorized by the Board or the Executive Committee executes contracts, obligations, conveyances, and other instruments, prepares for the review of the Finance Committee an approval by the Board an annual budget for the Authority. The fiscal year is from September 1 – August 31 of each year. The Executive Director must be a certified governmental investment officer and oversees the investment of the funds of the Authority.

The Executive Director employs administrative and operations personnel to conduct the activities of the Authority. The number of employees is entitled by the annual operating budget.

As a student in Robinson ISD attending an elementary school field trip to the water treatment plant in nearby Waco, John realized he wanted a career in the water industry. After high school he continued his education at Texas State Technical College graduating with an Associate of Science in Environmental Engineering, University of Houston-Victoria with a Bachelor of Arts/Sciences with emphasis in Management and attending graduate school at the University of Texas San Antonio’s School of Public Administration. John has served as Assistant Director of Public Works – Operations for the City of San Angelo, Director Water/Wastewater for the City of Victoria, Director of Water Production for the San Antonio Water System, and Assistant Director of Utilities for Wastewater for the City of Corpus Christi. John also worked in the private sector serving as Vice-President – Water Transmission for Jindal Tubular, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

John is a Class “A” Water and Wastewater Operator in Texas. He is past president of the Texas Water Utilities Association. He is currently a member of the American Water Works Association, the Water Environment Association, and the Texas Water Conservation Association.

In May of 2019 John began as the Executive Director of the Nueces River Authority. During the first 3 years of his leadership, he completed the construction of the Leakey Regional Wastewater System, formed the Utilities Operations Division, and created the Project Administration/Management division assisting governmental entities within 17,500 square mile Nueces Basin with planning, financing, design, construction, and operation of needed public infrastructure.

John led the effort to develop the first Strategic Plan for the Authority with emphasis on identifying needs within the basin and creating economic solutions to address those needs. He is currently leading the challenge of creating the Division of Flood Plain Administration.

John realizes the importance of education in protecting our water resources. He is guiding the organization in expanding the Authority’s Resource Protection and Education Division with the goal of providing every 5th and 7th grade student within the basin with the Up To You (↑2U) Education Program. This program stresses the critical aspects of water quality and how they relate to personal choices we make each day. Realizing how a presentation on water treatment and quality influenced his career decision at an early age drives his passion to educate our children on the importance of doing our part in protecting our precious water resources. John is committed to using these and all other resources of the Nueces River Authority to reduce the twenty-nine streams currently listed on the state’s list with impacted water quality.

John and his wife Sandy live in Medina County where they enjoy their church, golf, travel and time with their children, grandchildren.

Lorie Flores began working as the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director for Nueces River Authority in June 2022. Lorie has many years of customer service and accounting experience. She is excited to start a new journey with Nueces River Authority. Lorie and husband Marcos have lived in Uvalde for many years and have four beautiful children. Lorie says, “My Family is my world.”

Lorie handles administrative issues for the Executive and Deputy Executive Director which includes investigation of customer issues, complaints, and request for information. She directs those issues to the proper department for response.

Travis Pruski has experience both as a public official and a public administrator. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Texas in 2002, Travis returned home to Poth, Texas where he served as Mayor from 2004 to 2013. In 2017, he was appointed by Governor Gregg Abbott for a six-year term as a Member of the Nueces River Authority’s Board of Directors. In 2020, Travis resigned from the Board and soon became the Authority’s first Director of Planning.

Travis was recently named NRA’s Chief Operating Officer and serves as the Political Sponsor for the Region N Water Planning Group, and the Region 13 Flood Planning Group.

Travis, his wife Denise and their two daughters reside in Poth, Texas.

Robin Murray is a Corpus Christi native who grew up enjoying family outings on the Nueces River. She graduated from Calallen High School and attended Corpus Christi State University and received a BA in Psychology. She also received her Texas State Teacher Certification in elementary education.

Robin began her career while attending college running the finance department of her father’s A/C and Refrigeration business. Upon graduation from college, she began her teaching career in Robstown, Texas. She went on to become an elementary principal and Executive Director of the Tuloso-Midway ISD Education Foundation.

She has served on many nonprofit boards and served as Education Director and Interim Executive Director of the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History prior to moving to Uvalde and joining the NRA as CFO in December 2022.

Robin has a love and passion for education and enjoys spending time outdoors. She has one daughter, Angela, the love of her life!

Frankie graduated from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, now Texas State University, with a Bachelor of Business Administration – Finance in 1982. She joined the Nueces River Authority in 2007 as Assistant to the Executive Director and promoted to Director of Finance.

Prior to being employed by Nueces River Authority, Frankie worked for seven years in banking, six years with accounting firms and have 12 years of office management & bookkeeping with retail and service companies.

Jessica Wright graduated from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi with a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Chemistry and co-authored a Master’s thesis Relating Riparian Evaluation Methods in Oso Creek.

She worked as Chemist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for several years assisting with unexploded ordinance remediation, general sampling inquiries, environmental site assessments (phase 1), lead based paint assessments, and asbestos surveys.

With Nueces River Authority, she collects water samples North of Uvalde all the way down to the Valley.

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon