October Scenic Citizen: Amy Reed, Keep Houston Beautiful

For more than a decade, Amy Reed followed a passion-filled path to become the Executive Director of Keep Houston Beautiful (KHB). Amy’s dream became a reality in 2018, and she now spearheads the organization’s efforts to empower Houstonians to create a cleaner, safer, and healthier city. Our October Scenic Citizen highlights Amy’s leadership and steadfast dedication to enhance the scenic character for all 637 square miles of Houston.

Amy manages this enormous task by carefully selecting projects that satisfy KHB’s three core focus areas: beautification, litter reduction, and recycling education. “By enhancing the aesthetics of a community, we build economic vitality,” Amy says, “The fact that it looks pretty, that’s the cherry on top.” Volunteers and interns provide extra hands, and an active social media presence captures their tireless work.

On any given day, Amy and her team arm themselves with gloves, trash bags, and picks to dedicate a few hours toward periodic litter cleanups. A hunt for trash can fill 30+ bags which helps keep Houston’s public spaces clean and attractive while improving the quality of life and health for Houstonians.

KHB furthers its education efforts through its annual conference held in June. The event connects hundreds of statewide like-minded organizations and affiliates that benefit from networking, exposure, and helpful info that inspires new ways to push their own mission forward back home. Speakers touch on subjects such as litter mitigation, community engagement, and professional development.

With its large urban sprawl, Houston provides KHB with never-ending opportunities. Amy’s calendar is full of appointments at the Mayor’s office, presentations for civic groups, and public engagement appearances. “There’s power in numbers,” Amy says of her network with comparable organizations. She sits on the board of directors for Keep Texas Beautiful and several committees for Keep America Beautiful. By fostering these relationships, KHB can carry out its mission with a supportive network at its side.

“That’s why we align so well with Scenic Houston,” Amy says, “We both have missions that work to make Houston a better place to live, work, and visit.”

Know a Scenic Citizen? Let us know by e-mailing chris@scenichouston.org