Since inception over 190,000+ participants have been served; the staff of Eco-Art Educators, Managers, and Technicians has grown from 2 to 15 members; and the annual budget has grown from $60,000 to $1.5+ million annually. Grant awards have been received from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, DeepWater Horizon Texas Implementation Group, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Education Agency, NOAA B-Wet, City of Galveston, Harris County Department of Education, Gulf of Mexico Foundation, Texas General Land Office, and the City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Anti-Gang Initiatives, Texas General Land Office Coastal Impact Assistance Program, National Academy of Science Gulf Research Program, and other smaller foundations.  The grant awards range from $2,500 to $5,300,000 for Eco-Art educational programming, conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems, and the land acquisition for establishment of the Coastal Heritage Preserve. She managed agreements with two developers (willing sellers) to sell land in lieu of development to protect 1,400 acres of relic dune / complex habitat on west Galveston Island from channelization and filling of wetlands. Completed 14 real estate transactions valued at $27 million dollars. Obtained, managed, and completed 10 federal awards in partnership with three state agencies as partners to conserve 1,039 acres. She collaborated on consistent level with federal, state, local foundations, and willing seller/landowners to leverage funds and resources to protect and acquire land in step-by-step fashion to form the contiguous acres of the Coastal Heritage Preserve on West Galveston Island.

Karla holds a Bachelor of Science, Graduated Cum Laude, December 2000, with a Major in Marine Biology fromTexas A&M University, Galveston, Texas; a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graduated Magna cum Laude, May 1992, with a Major in Drawing & Minor in Art History from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas; and an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts, May 1989 with Honors and Full Tuition to SMU from Richland Community College, Richardson, Texas. Her academic honors include: Individual – Environmentalist of the Year 2022 The Rotary Club of Galveston; Galveston.com Best of  the Island Award as Best Community Activist 2017; RICE University Leadership Institute for Non-Profit Executives 2012-2013 Class; Environmental Protection Agency Gulf of Mexico Program Gulf Guardian Award 2013; Toyota and National Audubon Society Together Green Fellowship Award 2012; City of Galveston Mayor’s Recognition Award as Visionary and Catalyst to Project SIT (Seawall Interpretive Trail)  2012; Yale Conservation Finance Course Scholarship 2011; State of Texas Commission on the Arts Artist in Residence 1994 – 1997; Dallas Community College District Full-Tuition Academic Scholarship to Southern Methodist University 1989-1992; Jones Artist Materials Scholarship; Texas A&M University Academic Scholarship 1999; William P. Rickers Scholarship 2000; The TAMUG Faculty Department of Marine Biology Award for Scholastic Excellence 2001; Dean’s Honor List; Golden Key Honor Society; and Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.