The Houston Parks Board celebrated its annual luncheon Oct. 14 outside the George R. Brown Convention Center. The afternoon program included a farewell to outgoing president and CEO Beth White, as well as the announcement of her successor.

The overview

In May, the Houston Parks Board, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding, improving and protecting parks and green spaces in the Houston region, announced that White will retire at the end of 2025. White joined the organization in 2016 and has been a part of its largest initiatives, including:
  • Working on the Bayou Greenways plan
  • Revitalizing more than 30 neighborhood parks
  • Spearheading ongoing regional projects such as MacGregor Park and Hill at Sims
According to a May 21 news release on her retirement, White has also helped garner nearly $300 million in investments for projects, maintenance and conservation work.

“Houston Parks Board would not be in the position it is today without the guidance and leadership of Beth White," HPB chair Cullen Geiselman Muse said during the luncheon. “As we commemorate her throughout this year, we are grateful that Beth’s vision has helped transform our organization into a regional and national leader for parks and greenspace."

Zooming in


After White announced her upcoming retirement, the Houston Parks Board began a nationwide search for her successor. On Oct. 14, Muse shared that the board chose HPB's former chief program officer, Justin Schultz.

According to the news release, Schultz joined the board in 2022, where he served as the chief planning and strategy officer, leading the strategic planning process approved by the board in 2023, a plan that included a five-year goal post to focus on enhancing the Bayou Greenways system, investing in neighborhood parks, creating regional destinations and finding public-private partnerships.

Schultz was later promoted to chief program officer in 2026, where he began to oversee the organization's research and development, planning, capital projects, land acquisition, maintenance and conservation work. He also holds a master's degree in urban planning from New York University and a bachelor's degree in government and history from The University of Texas at Austin.

“In my three years with HPB, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for the breadth and depth of work we do across the region, and it is a true honor to take this next step with HPB,” he said. “As a native Houstonian, I feel a deep responsibility to help strengthen and expand our city’s parks and greenspaces—one that I am excited to embrace. I also want to express my appreciation for Beth White, whose invaluable leadership has evolved Houston Parks Board into a national parks and greenspace leader.”


White said she is confident in the direction that Schultz and the HPB board of directors leadership.