Featured Speakers
John Coalter Baker, Jr.
Panelist - Panel 2 Coastal Texas Update
Gulf Coast Protection District Executive Director
Coalter Baker is a seasoned public policy expert who currently serves as the Executive Director for the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD). His career has been marked by a series of high-level roles in government, nonprofits, and political campaigns.
Previously, he served as Senior Director within the public policy department of the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP), where he helped to lead federal and state advocacy efforts.
Before taking positions in Houston, Coalter spent significant time in Washington, D.C., where he worked for Governor Greg Abbott as Deputy Director of the Office of State-Federal Relations. There, he played a key role in managing the state’s relationship with the federal government. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under Secretary Dr. Ben Carson. In this capacity, he was responsible for overseeing communications, budget, and disaster recovery efforts, all of which were crucial during the administration’s work, particularly given the impacts of hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria on Americans.
Before his time at HUD, Coalter was the Press Secretary at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) within the White House under Director Mick Mulvaney. His role at OMB required a keen understanding of the intricacies of federal budget and policy issues, making it an important stop in his public service career.
Coalter’s career in public service began even earlier, during the 2015-2016 election cycle, when he held several leadership positions in various political campaigns. This hands-on experience in the field of electoral politics laid a strong foundation for his future roles in government.
Earlier in his career, Coalter worked for former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, where he spent five years as a policy aide, focusing on key issues in the Senate. After Senator Hutchison’s retirement, Coalter continued his work in policy as an analyst for East Africa issues at the International Republican Institute for another two years.
A sixth-generation Texan, Coalter grew up in Houston and later graduated from Texas Tech University. He now resides in Houston with his wife, Brittany, and their goldendoodle, Austin. Coalter continues to contribute to the community serving on the board of the non-profit, BakerRipley, while he advances his career in public policy.
Dr. Sam Brody
Keynote Speaker
Professor & Director of CTBS, Texas A&M Galveston
Sam Brody studies coastal environmental planning, flood and natural hazards mitigation. His findings have been published in numerous scientific journals and in 2011 he authored “Rising Waters: The Causes and Consequences of Flooding in the United States.” In addition to teaching graduate courses in environmental planning and sustainable/resilient coastal development, he works in the public and private sectors to help local coastal communities develop environmental and flood mitigation plans. He has a joint appointment as a professor of urban planning at Texas A&M in College Station and holder of the George P. Mitchell ’40 Endowed Chair in Sustainable Coasts in the Department of Marine Sciences at Texas A&M at Galveston, as well as director of the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores there. The Center for Texas Beaches and Shores was established in 1993 by the Texas Legislature to address beach erosion and wetlands loss throughout the state. This center helps conserve and protect the Texas shoreline, bays and waterways through innovative research in cooperation with government and private sector agencies. Center staff focus on developing comprehensive, holistic approaches to Texas coastal research and restoration solutions while incorporating natural, economic and political processes. Brody earned a bachelor’s in environmental studies and anthropology from Bowdoin College, a master’s in resource policy and behavior from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The Honorable Larry Taylor
Moderator - Panel 3 State and Federal Keynote Speaker
MoakCasey, Vice President
Larry Taylor joined MoakCasey in 2024 as Vice President. For two decades, Taylor has been a dedicated public servant and a steadfast advocate for Texas students and teachers. He served in the Texas Senate for five legislative sessions, including four as Chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
Before his election to the Texas Senate in 2012, Taylor served five terms in the Texas House of Representatives. He was integral to the 2019 passage of House Bill 3, the $11.6 billion school finance overhaul that boosted per-student funding and reduced property taxes.
He is the former owner of Truman Taylor Insurance Agency in Friendswood, an independent agency started by his father more than 50 years ago. In addition, Taylor has served as a Director and Chairman of the Board for Texan Bank