Jonathan Smith is an architect and outdoor enthusiast who spent his youth in the hills of rural Travis County hiking and mountain biking. While earning his architecture degree from the University of Texas, Jonathan spent summers as a mountain guide in New Mexico where he saw first hand the transformative impact of nature on people’s lives. Jonathan seeks to continue this ethos in his work as an architect where his projects seek to bring people in closer appreciation with their natural surroundings. Jonathan is a partner at Smithdish Architecture where he works alongside his wife Cameron Standish to create timeless handsome spaces that draw inspiration from local climate, context, and their clients’ unique personalities.”
Gary Candy—FoGC Treasurer
Gus Starkey—FoGC Director
Gus is a project architect at Lake|Flato Architects. He enjoys design that not only speaks to its surrounding landscape, but also to a client’s interaction with that landscape. Gus grew up in the Texas Hill Country and has an appreciation and love for the local hills and rivers. He earned a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University and a Master of Architecture at the University of Washington. Here his architectural design approach was shaped with an emphasis on sustainability and place-specific craft and design.
Gus enjoys biking, running, wood working and spending time with his wife and two children.
Project Architect
Lake|Flato
Kelley Meyer—FoGC Secretary
Kelley first fell in love with the outdoors as an “outside kid.” She would spend countless hours roaming the fields with her siblings, building forts, spelunking caves, and hiking miles, coming home only when darkness fell. Today, she volunteers regularly at Government Canyon, advising hikers about safety before leaving on a trail, leading or supporting organized hikes, and educating the public about the importance of conservation and how Government Canyon State Natural Area’s most important mission is to protect natural resources. She thinks being a middle school teacher helps her feel young and active when not spending time outside.