TREAD FOUNDATION

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TREAD FOUNDATION AND OUR WORK

The Texas Real Estate Advocacy & Defense (TREAD) Foundation is a 501c3 that provides education and resources to help landowners and the general public know more about their private property rights and how to best protect their land and Texas’ natural resources.

We partner with professionals and organizations that advocate sound public policy and maintain a bipartisan commitment to evaluate and prioritize issues through good science and economics. TREAD is a voice of reason representing landowners at the Capitol.

Our rights are individual, but it takes a coalition to defend them. That’s where TREAD comes in. You can get involved by 1) becoming a member, 2) giving to the advocacy and education, 3) giving to the PAC to keep legislators in office who support TREAD’s mission and want to protect landowners.

TREAD Foundation Board

The Tread Foundation Board is comprised of passionate landowners dedicated to protecting our finite natural resources and upholding landowner rights, for existing Texans and generations to come. Armed with an array of diverse backgrounds and experiences, each board member brings a unique perspective to the challenges we face today.

C3 Board

Desi Tyrpak, Board Chair

AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY

Desi Tyrpak

There are many associations that landowners can join; however, those associations are typically narrow in scope to a specific area of interest. The one thing that binds all landowners is the land. TREAD was initiated to protect the land and the landowner’s rights, uniting multiple areas of interest into a stronger lobbying voice. The land is precious in many ways and needs good stewards to preserve and protect it for future generations. Water is essential to life. Both are often treated like commodities to be exploited. I have to do my part so that my children and my children’s children will be able to enjoy the natural beauty of the land and water as I have in my lifetime. My grandfather taught me many things. Because of him, I share his love of the land. He would say, “Take care of the land and it will take care of you.” To this day, I firmly believe in his words.
EMAIL DESI TYRPAK

Kay Pence

COMFORT, KENDALL COUNTY

Kay Pence

My love for rural life began in my hometown of rural Pearland where my parents taught me the importance of being a good steward of the land. After graduating from Texas A&M, I began my 35-year career in banking, specifically Trusts and Investments. My passion for the land and the Hill Country started in 2008 when my daughter and I moved to a ranch in Bandera. In 2014, I retired and planted a 10-acre vineyard at our home in Fredericksburg. My husband and I now split our time between Fredericksburg and our ranch in Comfort, where we like to escape to enjoy the beauty of the Hill Country. I currently serve on the board of Peterson Hospital in Kerrville.
EMAIL KAY PENCE

Beryl Armstrong, Treasurer

DRIPPING SPRINGS, HAYS COUNTY

Beryl Armstrong

I am a fifth generation Texan with roots to ranching and farming communities. I am an owner and principal of Plateau Land & Wildlife Management, and have spent most of my professional life working with landowners to help them become better stewards of the land. I consult with private, public, and non-profit organizations to further protection of habitat for rare Texas wildlife. A few years ago, the creek I live along was filled with silt by an upstream neighbor's non-permitted dam construction. My neighbors and I found the pollution levels did not rise enough to require remediation and there was no way to compel the clean-up of our creek. I decided then that Texas law needed to change to take into account the prior condition of a creek when determining if a polluting event had occurred. A single landowner's voice is rarely heard, so I have joined with a group of like-minded landowners, and I know that if we stand together, we can protect and enhance our natural heritage for the benefit of our communities as a whole, while protecting our rights as landowners.
EMAIL BERYL ARMSTRONG

Lucy Johnson

SAN MARCOS, HAYS COUNTY

Lucy Johnson

Growing up on a Texas ranch, I have always had an appreciation for both the joys and challenges of rural America. As the mayor of Kyle from 2010 – 2014, I helped navigate my hometown through a period of heavy growth and development as it shifted from a small farming and ranching community to a prosperous, energetic city within the greater Austin metropolitan area. In 2014, I spent two years as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach for the U.S. Department of Education, providing a voice for education stakeholders in rural communities and representing national education interests on the White House Rural Council. Now back in Central Texas, I look forward to donating my time to lifting up and celebrating the region’s diverse voices and heritage.
EMAIL LUCY JOHNSON

Jessica Karlsruher

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jessica Karlsruher

Jessica Karlsruher joins TREAD with almost 20 years of experience with trade associations and nonprofit organizations. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and began her career at the Texas Capitol. After graduation, Jessica worked at the Texas Association of Realtors® (TAR) in the Government Affairs department where she coordinated lobby days and other grassroots efforts, hosted leadership and PAC conferences and lobbied on behalf of TAR. Jessica left the Realtors® after four years of service to work in Washington, DC in state society management for the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), including board development, volunteer recruitment and state advocacy efforts. She transitioned into nonprofit fundraising, raising awareness and funds for patient advocacy organizations during the rest of her time in DC. In 2013, Jessica moved back to Texas and has served as the Director of External Relations for the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), where she was responsible for fundraising, events, marketing and outreach. Most recently, she served as Executive Director for the Texas Association of City & County Health Officials (TACCHO) representing local health departments around the state.
EMAIL JESSICA KARLSRUHER

PROGRAMS

Educational Workshops

The TREAD Coalition organizes educational workshops across the state to educate property owners and real estate professionals on issues affecting their land, communities, and pocketbook. The purpose of these workshops is to bring together people in communities affected by legislation, development, or other property-related matters that fall in TREAD’s purview. For example, we organized more than 40 workshops in Central Texas centered around a pipeline that was being built through the hill country, impacting natural habitats and private properties during its construction. These workshops have been crucial to building our membership base, spreading awareness, and sharing the tools necessary for landowners to advocate on their own behalf.

TREAD Talks

TREAD Talks provides information and insight on rural issues by inviting seasoned experts and thought leaders to participate in a panel discussion and provide an overview of the history and background of a specific topic in Texas and discuss ways that landowners can work together with industry to find solutions while being partners in that process. Additionally, panelists speak about the role their individual organizations have in supporting rural landowners and their approach to tackling critical issues that rural communities face. These talks are streamed on Facebook live, and they are archived on our YouTube page as well as through our membership portal as a benefit of support.

Legal Expertise

The TREAD Foundation works with attorneys and experts who can help navigate what to do if you in encounter a landowner issue that might need legal expertise or litigation. We are here for you and will be sure you have a seat at the table when decisions are being made that affect you and your property. We will help you advocate for and protect your private property rights.

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DONATE BY CHECK

Checks can be made payable to TREAD and mailed to:

Tread Foundation
11601 W Hwy 290 W
Suite A101-368
Austin, TX 78737

Your donation is tax deductible by the full extent of the law. Thank you for your support.

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