Robert A. Ayres

President, Shield Land Stewardship Group
President, Shield Ranch Foundation

Bob Ayres relishes the multi-faceted challenges and opportunities inherent in land stewardship. He is passionate about connecting people with the outdoors through the expanding programmatic offerings of the Shield Ranch Foundation. Bob has been an active member of the land trust community at the local, state, and national levels. He served on the founding board of the Hill Country Conservancy as well as the board of the Texas Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. Most recently, Bob served on the board of directors of the Land Trust Alliance. He is also a trustee of the Shield-Ayres Foundation.

Bob received his bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of the South. He holds a Master of Theological Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary and a Master of Fine Arts from the Warren Wilson Program for Writers. A native of San Antonio, Bob and his wife Margy moved to Austin in 1985, where they raised their two daughters Kathleen and Elizabeth. Bob enjoys exploring the Hill Country and the Davis Mountains of West Texas. He is an avid birder and loves visiting parks, nature centers, and wild places whenever he travels.