Executive Board

Joan Swartz – President

I grew up in Atlanta, GA and spent my youth camping and fishing in the North Georgia mountains with my family.     My mother was an early advocate for women fly fishing and a founding member of Georgia Women Fly Fishers, and to this day remains my role model for being a leader.

Joan is a retired IT consultant and had the opportunity to work and live in several international locales including London, Paris and Bruges, Belgium before heading back to Pittsburgh, PA and then settling in Austin in 2005.    Since retiring, Joan has taken her time and talents to several local non-profits and schools as a volunteer and board member. 

Joan is passionate about leaving the world a better place than she found and is always looking for opportunities to share her love for the outdoors and fishing with others.   She is a volunteer fly fishing instructor and river helper for Casting for Recovery retreats, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Aquatics Education instructor and is a graduate of Sweetwater Travel’s guide school.

While a self-admitted “trout snob” for over 40 years, Joan has been having a blast since rejoining TWFF in 2020 learning to fish for every warmwater and saltwater species she can chase!

When not fishing and tying flies, Joan can be found spending time with her husband, Peter, and her 2 teenage boys; fostering neonatal kittens for Austin Pets Alive; playing electric bass with The Velvet Joanz and 3 Short and creating culinary delights and failures in the kitchen.

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Dani Rose – First Vice President (Fundraising)

“I started conventional fishing with my grandfather since as early as I can remember. Those fishing memories with him are treasured. I had seen fly fishing and always wanted to try it. A planned business trip to Estates Park several years ago gave me an opportunity to pursue it. I was frustrated, perplexed, and confused with casting and all the terminology, but I loved it. This was something that would provide continued growth opportunities for the rest of my life. My adult daughters are now my fishing buddies and I hope to impart those cherished memories to them that my grandfather did to me.

I am committed to diversity and inclusion, on and off the water. I recently relocated to the DFW metroplex from Houston.”

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Julie Sieh – Second Vice President (Membership)

“Hi, I am Julie Sieh.  I wanted to be outdoors more and joined outings with the Becoming An Outdoor Woman (BOW) program through Texas Parks and Wildlife.  I became very interested in fly fishing, fly tying, and kayaking through their programs. About that time, Texas Women Fly Fishers became an off-shoot from it. I joined the TWFF group to find out more about fishing and where to fish in Texas. Since then I have been in and out of being an active member with commitments to family and my business. There is nothing better than standing in or kayaking on a stream or river and enjoying nature.  The challenge of the cast and understanding the fish in its habitat make fishing ever-changing.  Also, having like-minded women to explore new areas to fish and share in the excitement is a huge plus.

I am married to a spin-caster Brent who you may see at some of the outings.  We have two married sons, wonderful daughter in-laws and a baby granddaughter.   I have an orthodontic practice located in Temple.  We live on Lake Belton.”

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Britta Hebert – Treasurer

“I grew up in a farming area in Acampo, California surrounded by vineyards.  I attended high school in Lodi, CA which you may recognize now by all its excellent wines we can enjoy today! I played a lot at the Mokulemne river in the summers as a child, but never fished as it was not something that anyone in my family ever did. I went to college at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and then travelled to over 30 countries on 6 continents in my 11-year Air Force stint as a KC-135 navigator.  Had I known about fly fishing back then, what neat areas I could have fished!

After the Air Force, I ended up back in San Antonio, Texas where my husband Greg and I have lived since 2001. During a visit back home, my sister treated Greg and I to an introductory fly fishing class, and I was hooked!  I joined TWFF in 2010 and have enjoyed being part of the club as a member, a trustee, and now as the treasurer. I’ve seen more of Texas than I ever imagined thanks to fly fishing, and more importantly, I’ve made many fabulous friends along the way! Thank you, TWFF!”

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Paula Fink – Secretary

I took up fly fishing in 2016, although I have fished since I was a child. My husband, Doug, and I live in Bryan, Texas, and have both recently retired. I joined Texas Women Fly Fishers after visiting their booth in Athens in 2017. We fish locally at friends’ tanks and ponds. We also get to fish in Kenai, Alaska, and Springfield, Oregon each summer when visiting family. This photo was taken at our 2019 Guadalupe River outing. This beast took almost 10 minutes to land. What an honor it was to land this beauty and then release him to fight another day!

I am learning so much at the TWFF outings and look forward to many years with the group. What an amazing and talented group of women!

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Cathy Case – Trustee

“Just love to fish, love to Dutch Oven Cook,  and love to travel to places to fish.  I have been an outdoorswoman for over 40 years.  Fly fishing became a passion along with fly tying years ago.  I retired and moved to Texas in 2014 near Ray Roberts lake.  I have a great fishing boat and a kayak and enjoy sharing with anyone who wants to get out on the water. 

The first club I joined here was the Red River Fly Fishers, and through them, I found TWFF and Dallas Fly Fishers.  I believe in the power of volunteering and giving my knowledge and help to others.  There are so many of us that want to get out and enjoy the outdoors with other like-minded women.  I see TWFF as a great fit for me.”

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Christine Murrell – Trustee

“Hi,  I’m Christine Murrell a born and raised Texan and I work as a dental hygienist. I am the wife and mother to nonanglers so finding TWFF has been a true blessing. I had been living in Austin for 10 years before I knew people who went fly fishing in Texas. I’m thankful that my husband supports my fly fishing addiction and has been very encouraging. I started fly fishing in the summer of 2017 and joined TWFF the same year. Anyone that speaks with me for more than 5 minutes gets an earful of how much I love to fish. This sport has meant so much to me. I count the days until the next time I can get on the river. I typically 1-2 times a week. I have so much to learn and I am happy to have found a wonderful group of women and men to learn from.“

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Alex Huffman – Trustee

“My grandfather tried to teach me to fly fish fifteen years ago, and being the methodical teacher he was, we didn’t get much farther than the front yard practicing casting at 10 and 2. I was getting into my career as a mental health professional, and he was getting older. Time just got away from us, and although he is no longer here to teach me, I held onto the starter rod and reel kit and PVC rod holder he made hoping I’d pick it back up at some point! That started to happen when I began volunteering with Casting for Recovery as a wellness coordinator. I learned about casting, flies, reading the water, and most importantly, the connection between the outdoors and mental and emotional wellness. About a year ago, I really wanted to give myself time on the water to develop my skills and just catch fish. I’ve been pretty hooked since then and fish around Dallas as much as I can! I’ve found so many great teachers at TWFF outings, meet new friends, and look forward to learning more and meeting more anglers.“

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Jenny Carroll – Outings Coordinator

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Lisa Averbeck  – Newsletter

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Kelsie Miller  – Social Media

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Amy Setter – E-Line Message Moderator

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Lindsey Reyes – Webmaster

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Sylvia Carcia – FFI Texas Council Representative

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To view a list of the ladies who have served as officers and board members of our club over the years, download by clicking the button below.

Thank you ladies for your vision and your generosity. We would not be what we are today if it weren’t for your efforts, your faith, and your passion for the sport of fly fishing. We are grateful for all you have done for TWFF.