About the Authors

Suzanne Simpson is  a Houston-based ecologist working to protect the natural landscapes that define Texas. The first Texan in her family, she claims to have toddled to Houston shortly after her birth in Chicago and never left. 

Simpson holds a B.S. in Biology from Texas A&M University and a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Ecology from the University of Florida, with a concentration in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. She maintains a certification as a professional Ecologist from the Ecological Society of America and is a trained Texas Master Naturalist. 

When not outdoors for her job, Simpson usually finds herself outside for some other reason, including hiking, backpacking, and herping.  Her favorite moments outdoors include hiking with her hound and finding snakes, but not at the same time. 

John Williams is a sixth generation Texan, born and raised in Victoria. Surrounded by a big family that enjoyed just every outdoor activity, from birding to hunting to ranching to fishing, he was introduced to wildlife at an early age. During that early age Williams developed his lifelong passion for reptiles and amphibians, dubbed “herps,” even to the point where his mother would stop him at the door before coming in for dinner to do a “toad check” of all pockets and hands.  

The passion for herps grew a passion for wildlife and led Williams to pursue a Wildlife and Fisheries Ecology Degree from Texas A&M University. A certified wetland delineator, Williams is currently with one of Texas’ premier environmental and restoration companies, working as a lead biologist to support biological studies, threatened and endangered species assessments, environmental planning, and stream/wetland mitigation. 

Williams spends as much time in the field, on and off the clock, as possible to further understand and appreciate the incredible biodiversity of the Houston area, camera in hand. An advocate for citizen science, Williams is in constant pursuit of data to further our understanding of Texas wildlife, and contributes to citizen, university, and state studies.  

A long-time member of the East Texas Herpetological Society, Williams has had photos printed in several natural history books and been published in peer-reviewed journals. He enjoys sharing his passion for all things outdoors with his wife and two children.