HOUSTON, TX — Coalter Baker, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD), will step down effective Dec. 31, 2026, to pursue other opportunities. Baker will continue to lead the District’s day-to-day operations through Dec. 31, working closely with the Board of Directors to ensure a smooth handoff of ongoing work, including progress on the Coastal Texas Project and Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Project.
The Board will provide an update on next steps at a future public meeting.
“Coalter brought focus and credibility to this District at a pivotal time, and we are grateful for his service. Our commitment to protecting the homes, businesses and infrastructure of the upper Texas coast is unchanged,” said Roger Guenther, President of the Board of Directors, Gulf Coast Protection District. “The Board is actively managing this transition, and we are confident in the team and the plan in place to keep GCPD’s work moving forward.”
The GCPD Board of Directors hired Baker as Executive Director in March 2025. He succeeded Nicole Sunstrum, who had served in the role since GCPD was established in 2021. During his tenure, GCPD approved engineering design contracts that moved two major features of the Coastal Texas Project into design, established the Coastal Texas Research Council in partnership with Texas A&M University, Rice University and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, and secured $6.75 million in federal funding for fiscal year 2026, a milestone that also included the project’s first appearance in the President’s budget for fiscal year 2027.
“It has been a privilege to work on something this consequential — a project that is designed to reduce storm surge risk for millions of people and one of the most economically vital regions in the country,” said Coalter Baker, Executive Director, Gulf Coast Protection District. “I’m proud of what this team has accomplished and grateful to the Board, our partners at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas General Land Office, and the communities we serve. GCPD is well positioned for the years ahead, and I look forward to watching this project continue to move forward.”
For more information, visit gcpdtexas.com.
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About the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD)
The Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD) was established by the 87th Texas Legislature in 2021 to lead a unified and comprehensive coastal resilience strategy for the upper Texas coast. As the non-Federal sponsor for major elements of the Coastal Texas Project and the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Project, GCPD plays a pivotal role in delivering large-scale storm surge protection and coastal restoration. Responsible for safeguarding approximately 5,220 square miles across five counties, GCPD is at the forefront of advancing the largest coastal protection initiative in U.S. history.
To learn more, visit www.gcpdtexas.com.
