James Grover | President
James Grover grew up in the suburbs north of San Antonio. Upon moving back to the city after college, he struggled to find an affordable, walkable neighborhood before discovering Alta Vista. James, his wife, and his giant white dog have lived in Alta Vista for three years. He loves the proximity to downtown and the ability to walk to restaurants and coffee shops. He is a high school history, literature, and economics teacher at a charter school on the far West Side. He spends his free time walking his dog around Alta Vista and trying to keep his 100-year-old house from falling apart.
Elizabeth Allen | Secretary
Elizabeth Allen is director of external communications at University Health. She previously served on the AVNA board for four years but that was BC (before Covid) and it seems like a million years ago, and wasn’t it fun the first time around? So she’s back and enjoying the connection to community that such participation provides. It’s a labor of love for Elizabeth, whose vision of Alta Vista is to hold onto its uniqueness even as it inevitably evolves with new families, new stories and new dreams.
Jen Khoshbin | Director
Jennifer studied art and sociology at UT Austin and is a professional artist, working mostly in Texas and New York City. Jennifer lived in Austin and then landed in San Antonio, where her husband pursued his career as a philosophy professor at the University of the Incarnate Word, and she continued her work as a professional artist. Along with gallery exhibitions, Jennifer’s public artwork can be seen throughout San Antonio and the region. Khoshbin also runs the Alta Vista Micro Garden, where anyone is encouraged to come plant or harvest at any time.
Michael Reynolds | Director
Master Coach Reynolds has over 25+ years of martial arts experience in many different styles and systems. He has certifications in police defensive tactics and military close quarter combatives where he has instructed military, law enforcement, security professionals, and civilians.
Anne Ferguson | Director
Working for the Area Foundation, Anne is a nonprofit professional with experience in libraries, museums, and community foundations. Passionate about urbanism, history, education, art, and architecture, Ferguson is a great asset to the AVNA community.
Leif Endresen | Treasurer
Leif’s highly developed communications, and interpersonal skills have enabled him to cultivate positive relationships and valuable strategic alliances. He is knowledgeable about current affairs, politically active, and a huge music lover. Leif is multicultural and multilingual: Spanish, Norwegian, and German, and holds an MBA.