Andrew Sansom: A Life in Conservation

Public relations counselor and former financial journalist Raun focuses her biography of Andrew Sansom on his environmental-management career. Her book shows that he grew up in Lake Jackson, TX, spent considerable time outdoors, and was an organizer and speaker at the first Earth Day in 1970. His first government positions in the Department of the Interior and Federal Energy Administration shaped his networking skills. Working on conservation campaigns, such as Puerto Rico’s Isla de Mona, Sansom learned how to court good press and raise money. Sansom supported what were then burgeoning environmental causes in alternative energy, home construction, community parks, and water rights. Best known for his work in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, he succeeded in protecting half a million acres of land in the state known for valuing private property. He made many influential friends along the way, including Dick Cheney, Ann Richards, and the Bush family. Raun credits Sansom’s successful leadership across many agencies, academic centers, and nonprofits to his vision, his practical solutions, and ability to find common ground with a wide variety of stakeholders.