HOUSTON, TX—The Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD) is pleased to announce that Dr. Tina Petersen has joined the GCPD Board of Directors. Appointed by the Harris County Commissioners Court, Dr. Petersen replaces Commissioner Adrian Garcia, who has served in this role since the creation of the GCPD in 2021. Dr. Petersen’s term is set to expire on June 16, 2027.
Dr. Petersen is the Executive Director of the Harris County Flood Control District, where she oversees the planning, implementation, and maintenance of flood risk reduction projects that serve over 4.5 million residents in the nation’s third-largest county. In addition, she currently serves on the Executive Committee of the San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group and is a board member of the National Association of Floodplain and Stormwater Management Agencies and the Texas Water Conservation Association. Previously, she served as Deputy General Manager of the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District. Dr. Petersen earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Baylor University, and her master’s and doctoral degrees in Environmental Engineering from the University of Houston.
“We are grateful for Commissioner Garcia’s service and invaluable contributions to the Gulf Coast Protection District,” said Mayor Michel Bechtel, GCPD President. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Petersen join the Board, as we will benefit greatly from her extensive experience delivering large-scale flood risk reduction programs in Harris County and along the Texas coast.”
The GCPD is governed by an eleven-member Board of Directors. The Commissioners Courts of Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, and Orange counties each appoint one director. The Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints six directors as follows:
- Two directors to represent Harris County, in addition to the member appointed by the Harris County Commissioners Court
- One director to represent a municipality in the District
- One director to represent ports
- One director to represent industry
- One director to represent environmental concerns
Check out more information about the Board of Directors.
About Gulf Coast Protection District
The Gulf Coast Protection District was created in 2021 by the 87th Texas Legislature to oversee the implementation of an integrated and comprehensive coastal resilience strategy for the upper Texas coast. Specifically, this includes assuming the role of non-federal sponsor for major portions of the federally funded and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers–led Coastal Texas Project and Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Project. The GCPD covers approximately 5,220 square miles of land across Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, and Orange counties. For more information, visit https://www.gcpdtexas.com/.
