Our People

Laura Russell graduated from Florida State University with a B.S. degree and a Certificate in Special Event Planning.  Upon graduation, she started her career in public service by working for the Florida Senate serving Senate President Jeff Atwater and Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff.  She currently works with her family’s company, Cheney Brothers, an independent food distribution company.  Laura is the immediate past president of the Junior League of the Palm Beaches and serves on the National Board of Directors for the FSU Alumni Association. She is a board member of the Palm Beach County Food Bank.  A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Laura now lives in Jupiter with her husband, Byron and step daughters Skyler and Regan.

Laura is an avid angler and all-round outdoorswoman.

Joshua Kellam is the President of the Florida Division of The Garcia Companies. He was recently a Commissioner at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as well as a member of the Water Resource Advisory Coalition of the South Florida Water Management District for 10 years.

Kellam has a broad background in the areas of agriculture, renewable energy initiatives, governmental affairs, management, construction, operations, site development, strategic planning, and real estate development.

He resides in Palm Beach Gardens and is an active member of his community.

Kent Shoemaker is CEO of Lipman Family Farms, the nation’s largest network of local growers, fresh-cut processors, and distributors. Thousands of acres of farms in Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, California, and Mexico, along with hothouses in Canada and Mexico, allow Lipman to grow and ship fresh produce 365 days a year.

Kent is the first non-family member to run the fourth-generation, family-owned company that has been in business for over 80 years. He has the honor of leading a team of thousands who make Lipman an industry leader.

Kent graduated from Florida State University.

In addition to working with Lipman, Kent serves on the boards of The Schostak Companies and West Side Beer. He is a member of the Florida Council of 100.

Kent is proudest of being married since 1984 to his wife Lynn. They have two grown children and two amazing grandsons. Kent spends his free time saltwater fishing. His passion for preserving Florida wildlife is based on a lifetime of enjoying the outdoors. He was certified to scuba dive at 12 years old in John Pennekamp State Park and caught his first sailfish as a teenager off of Stuart. He now lives in Naples and fishes for snapper and grouper often.

Seth McKeel recently concluded a long and distinguished career in public service that began in 2000 with his selection to the Lakeland City Commission at the age of 24. Seth was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2006 and re-elected subsequently until the conclusion of his eight-year term limit in November of 2014. A Tampa Bay area native, Seth’s among the fifth generation in his family to call Florida home.

Early in his legislative career, Seth tackled tough issues including higher education reform as well as energy, agriculture, and natural resources policy. A strong commitment to fiscal responsibility earned Seth the trust of House Speaker Will Weatherford. In 2012 the Speaker tapped Seth to be the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee where he led the Florida House’s efforts to balance the $77billion budget of the third largest state in the Union. Under his leadership, Florida maintained AAA bond rating and set aside more than $3 billion in healthy reserves.

As a former City Commissioner, Seth understands regional issues and excels at achieving local consensus. Legislative colleagues trusted Seth to chair the Polk County Legislative Delegation, Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation for two years in a row, and larger 9-county Bay Area Legislative Delegation.

A graduate of the University of Florida (UF), Seth recently was awarded the Presidential Medallion, one of the university’s highest awards, for his contributions and service to UF and higher education in our state. Seth is a Graduate of Leadership Florida, Leadership Lakeland, and a member of Florida Blue Key – “Florida’s oldest and most prestigious Leadership Honorary since 1923.“

Seth credits the YMCA’s Youth in Government program for sparking his interest in public service and his respect for civic engagement. Seth has a knack for solving problems and excels at building relationships.

Seth and his wife Kim, who’s also a Tampa Bay native, live in Lakeland with their two children Seth, III and Caroline.

Following a law degree from NOVA Southeastern University in 2014, Spottswood has worked at the intersection of the law and real estate, including environmental resource permitting. In addition to his current position as president at Spottswood Management Inc., he serves as their general counsel and partner at Spottswood, Spottswood, Spottswood & Sterling, PLLC in Key West.

“I am thrilled to join the board and further my father’s work of conserving nature and outdoor recreation in Florida,” Spottswood said. “I am committed to ensuring that my daughters have the same formative experiences I did growing up in the Keys. I want them to be able to dive around healthy corals, marvel at manatees and fish from abundant fisheries. Keeping Florida wild is a family business, and I look forward to working with the Foundation to do so.”

Richard A. Corbett, Aquinas Class of 1956, is a native of Rochester.  He graduated from the University of Notre Dame and went on to receive an MBA from Harvard Business School.   He was a presidential aide in the John F. Kennedy administration and subsequently was employed by the Kennedy family in managing their real estate trust portfolio in New York City.

Richard “Dick” Corbett began his career as a real estate investor and developer in New York City.  He later relocated to Tampa, where he acquired various real estate assets throughout the state and at one time owned the NASL Tampa Bay Rowdies Soccer Team.

Corbett has been a successful catalyst for effective, broad-based public and private projects and policies affecting  Florida.  His contributions to Florida’s economic development, agricultural systems, K-12 education and growth management have been substantial and lasting.   Through his memberships on state and local governing agencies and boards, Dick has demonstrated that he is a leading and recognized strategic thinker who is committed to working with others to address the array of Florida’s dynamic and distinctive public policy issues.  He is committed to improving the quality of life and the economic vitality for people who live in Florida.

Dick’s commitment to economic development and growth management are reflected in complex real estate ventures he has financed, developed and constructed.  They have all involved crafting delicate political and financial relationships with local and national financial institutions, investment partners and government bodies.  In 2001, his most ambitious and acclaimed achievement was International Plaza – a mixed use retail, office and hotel development located at the Tampa International Airport, which attracts over 18 million visitors a year. It has generated thousands of permanent jobs, hundreds of new commercial sales entities, office space, adjunct hotels and restaurants and produces hundreds of millions of dollars annually for the regional economy, yielding substantial tax revenues that benefit the community.

Dick has played a two-pronged, vital role in the development and preservation of large agricultural systems in Florida.  He co-owns Pinckney Hill Plantation, a 16,000 acre farm and natural wildlife preserve in Jefferson County, FL.  Since 2003 he has served as one of seven commissioners appointed by the Governor to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and he is currently Chair.  He is very involved and plays an active role with the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, a new program jointly sponsored by the FWC and the Wildlife Foundation of Florida, which leads the effort to reconnect Florida’s children with traditional outdoor activities.

Dick’s role in promoting the value and quality of K-12 education is reflected in one of Florida’s most respected elementary schools, the Corbett Preparatory School in Tampa (formerly the “Independent Day School”).  Dick and his family were intimately involved in the design, financing and construction of this award-winning school.   He has played the pivotal leadership role in the fundraising for the newly constructed downtown riverfront Tampa Museum of Art, which is intended to interface directly with K-12 schools in the region to improve the quality and appreciation of art among young people.

In addition, Dick has served as a Trustee on the Board of Directors of the Tampa General Hospital and on the Tampa General Hospital Foundation Board.   In recent years he has also served on several other boards, including the Tampa Museum of Science and Industry, the Hillsborough Education Foundation, the Florida Council on Economic Education, Boy Scouts of America, two Tampa Super Bowl Host Committees, the National Finance Committee Member of the recent Romney Victory Campaign and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.

In 2013, Dick and his wife, Cornelia, were inducted into the Florida Council on Economic Education Hall of Fame.

Dick is married to Cornelia and has three grown daughters, a son and four grandchildren. His hobbies are snow skiing, hunting, fly-fishing, golf and yoga.

(Term ends 9/18/18)

Paul E. Avery is an avid outdoorsman with a deep appreciation for wildlife management and the great outdoors. He serves currently as CEO of Elevated Brands and has been CEO and Principal of Avery Management Group since February 2010.

Much of Mr. Avery’s career has been with OSI Restaurant Partners LLC, where he played a leading role in the growth of Outback Steakhouse from three restaurants to seven brands in 23 countries, serving as chief operating officer of OSI from 2006 to 2009 and as president of Outback Steakhouse of Florida, Inc. from April 1997 to March 2005.

Mr. Avery is a director of Health Insurance Innovations, Inc. and serves on the board of directors at Suntrust Bank – Tampa Bay and as a trustee for Paul Smith’s College in New York.

Mr. Avery’s career in charitable work is no less distinguished.   He is chair of the board of directors of the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) and was chair of Take Stock in Children, Inc., which provides 13,000 Florida children and teens from low-income backgrounds with adult mentors (Mr. Avery being one) and scholarships as a way out of poverty.  Other organizations with which he’s been involved include Great Outdoors Conservancy, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Hillsborough Education Foundation, Tampa Bay Watch and the Muscular Dystrophy Association as a member of its national board.

Mr. Avery has an associate degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Middlesex County College in New Jersey and a bachelor of science degree from Kean University in New Jersey.  He and his wife Suzanne have two daughters and live in the Tampa Bay area.

Keenan Baldwin is a fifth-generation Tampa native with a diverse range of experience in investment management, real estate, hospitality, and technology. After graduating from the University of South Florida, Keenan acquired the rights to Yogurtology of Florida, a self-serve frozen yogurt brand with nine locations across the state. He successfully developed and operated nine locations across the state. In addition, Keenan has also been actively involved in the investment management sector. He is a shareholder in Baldwin Beach Capital, a family investment vehicle focused on supporting early-stage entrepreneurs based in Tampa. Keenan has also served in a lead role overseeing all of the investment opportunities, estate and tax planning, and recreational assets for Shibumi Capital Partners, the family office for the Baldwin family. Keenan’s passion for technology led him to co-found SiteZeus, a location intelligence technology platform used by major restaurant and retail brands in the US. He served as the co-CEO for the initial five years of the company and now serves on the board.

Apart from his professional pursuits, Keenan is also the owner of the J&L Triple B Ranch, LLLP, which operates the Stolen Saddle Ranch, an 11,441-acre working ranch in south-central Florida. He oversees the management of the ranch, ensuring the long-term stewardship of the property.

He is a family man who enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons, especially fishing, hunting, and golfing.

Kathy Barco was appointed to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission by then-Gov. Jeb Bush in September 2004 and reappointed by then-Gov. Charlie Crist in August 2007.

Barco is president of Barco-Duval Engineering, Inc., a heavy-construction company. She has served as a commissioner on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which manages recreational and commercial marine fishing from Maine to Key West, and the Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve’s Management Plan Citizens Board. Barco is also a member of Ducks Unlimited, the Cedar River Club, Safari Club International, and the International Game Fish Association.

Rodney Barreto was appointed to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission by Governor Ron DeSantis on July 19, 2019 and reappointed March 8, 2024.  In December 2020, he was elected by his fellow Commissioners to be Chairman of the Commission.

Chairman Barreto is the President & CEO of Barreto Group, Inc., a diversified company specializing in corporate and public affairs consulting, real estate investment, and development.  He serves on many Boards, including the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and the Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Council. He has also been involved with the Super Bowls since 1989, chairing the Super Bowl Host Committee in 2007, 2010, and 2020. He has raised more than $100-million dollars and in-kind contributions for the Super Bowls.

Previously, Chairman Barreto served 10 years as an FWC Commissioner, during which time he was Chairman for seven years. In recognition of his leadership, the Foundation and FWC established the “Rodney Barreto Award,” which is given out annually to recognize the FWC Employee of the Year for outstanding achievements.

Prior to his career in public affairs and real estate, Chairman Barreto was a Miami police officer. He earned his Associate of Arts degree from Miami Dade Community College and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Studies from Barry University.

Ignacio Borbolla immigrated to Florida in 1967 from Havana, Cuba with his family. He was introduced and developed a passion for fishing from his father and grandfather while on excursions to the piers in South Beach, the Florida Keys, and seawall at Mercy Hospital. He began his entrepreneur career in the automotive industry, held various positions starting from the ground floor and reaching top-level management positions in sales and finance.

Ignacio has been married to his wife Letty for 31 years and together they have three children and four granddaughters.

In 1989 he was awarded an opportunity to open an Allstate Insurance agency in Coral Gables, Florida. This allowed him to expand his entrepreneurial spirit. The agency started from scratch and currently employees a staff of 20 sales professionals servicing and protecting the needs of over 10,000 policyholders in two locations. In 2007, Ignacio was honored with the highest recognition within Allstate Insurance Company, the prestigious Allstate Hall of Fame Award; a distinction currently only 74 representatives across the country hold. He has also achieved various Agent of the Year awards, Top in Company, and numerous regional awards for sales and customer satisfaction.

His drive and perseverance follow into his passion for the outdoors. He is a licensed US Merchant Marine Officer, has boated extensively throughout the Bahamas and Florida coast. Conservation of our natural resources and making sure it is preserved for our future generations to enjoy is a top priority of his. Besides all types of fishing, he enjoys hunting, horseback riding, wing shooting. They currently sponsor several horse and dog rescues.

He attended Christopher Columbus High School, earned his Associates of Arts degree from Miami Dade Community College and attended Florida International University.

He serves on various advisory committees both professional and civic:

• Allstate National Advisory Agent Board
• Allstate Executive Council Advisory Board
• Allstate Florida Regional Agent Advisory Board
• Universal Insurance Company Agent Advisory Board
• Coral Gables Insurance Advisory Committee (past)
• Coral Gables Traffic Advisory Committee(past)
• Coral Gables Code Enforcement Committee
• Miami Dolphins Foundation Fishing Tournament Board

Valerie began her career in real estate and banking, specializing in land development and rezoning. She has also been involved as a community and political leader in Florida and held appointments from three Florida Governors, including chairing the South Florida Water Management District and serving as a Commissioner of Transportation for the State of Florida.

She has chaired and served on many state and national environmental sustainability commissions.  She is the Chair of the Naples Children & Education Foundation, which supports charitable programs that improve the physical, emotional, and educational lives of underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County, via the Naples Winter Wine Festival and other means.

After completing Tampa’s Plant High School, FWC Commissioner and Foundation Board Member Preston Lee Farrior graduated from the University of Florida in 1989 with a B.A. in Economics. He joined Sunshine Chevrolet/Oldsmobile and BMW/Volvo dealerships in Tarpon Springs in the summer of 1992. He completed numerous courses and held positions intended to enhance his leadership role with the Ferman organization, including NADA Dealer Academy, sales, sales management, General Sales Manager and General Manager. Preston currently holds the positions of CEO of Ferman Motor Car Company, Inc. and CEO of Cigar City Motors, Inc.

Community involvement is a priority for Preston. He currently serves as a member of The Florida Council of 100, both the Executive Committee and Governance Committee of Metropolitan Ministries, Metropolitan Ministries Foundation Board, the University of Florida Gator Boosters Executive Committee, and is the President of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla Scholarship Foundation, Inc. He has served on the Boards of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and the Tampa Marine Institute.

A fourth generation Floridian, Preston is an avid outdoorsman, is committed to the conservation of Florida’s wildlife and natural and agricultural landscapes, and rarely misses a Florida Gators’ football game. Preston resides in Tampa with his wife Laura and enjoys family time with their three children: Preston, Jr. “Gator”, Courtney, and Wyatt.

Kate currently serves as the Vice President of Environmental Services for NextEra Energy, ensuring thoughtful environmental planning and compliance from project development to operations. Before joining NextEra Energy, Kate served as the Senate-confirmed Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, overseeing 70,000 employees and an annual budget of over $14 billion. Kate’s work at the Interior included overseeing responsible domestic energy and mineral development on public lands and waters, implementation of the Great American Outdoors Act to enhance our National Parks, combating the missing and murdered American Indians and Alaskan Natives crisis, enhancing rural broadband, overseeing the Department’s COVID-19 operational response, and other Interior-focused priorities. Kate also served as the Interior’s Regulatory Reform Officer, charged with improving the Interior’s review and promulgation of regulations and identifying regulations for repeal, replacement, or modification.

Kate joined the Interior Department after working on Capitol Hill for 10 years. She served as Legislative Director for Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and also served as Professional Staff handling energy and public lands-related issues on the House Natural Resources Committee for two Chairmen. Kate is an avid rower and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

Legendary golfer and businessman and Pensacola resident Jerry Pate joined the Foundation Board in 2018. Early in his golfing career, Pate garnered eight PGA Tour victories and seven foreign wins, including the 1976 United States Open and the Tournament Player’s Championship in 1982. He also won the 1974 U.S. Amateur and has competed on the Walker Cup and Ryder Cup teams. In later years he won on the Champions Tour winning twice, including in Tampa at the Outback Championship. Pate also worked for many years as a golf commentator for ABC, CBS and the BBC.

Since 1977, his company, Jerry Pate Design, has developed award-winning golf courses, including Kiva Dunes, Old Waverly Golf Club and the Preserve in Mississippi, and Trump National Colts Neck in New Jersey. In 2010, Jerry Pate Design also began providing certified landscape architecture services in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia and has created many transformative and award-winning community parks, urban streetscapes, corporate and educational campuses and athletic facilities, including Pensacola’s Vince Whibbs Community Maritime Park, Blue Wahoos Stadium and Admiral Mason Park. The Urban Land Institute’s Open Space Award for Excellence earned by the Community Maritime Park in Pensacola is the first and only such award earned by a project in northwest Florida. Pate also owns and operates Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation, Inc., a multifaceted irrigation equipment, design and consulting firm.

Mr. Pate is an alumnus of the University of Alabama and member of its President’s Cabinet. He is one of the longest-serving current members and current vice-chair of the board of the Northwest Florida Water Management District. He is also a board member of the Gulf Coast Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the Andrews Institute Research & Education Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing the science of orthopedic care. He’s also a member of the Florida Council of 100 and past chair of the Environmental Institute of the Golf Course Superintendents’ Association of America. He previously served on the PGA Tour Champions board.

John Phelan is the Founder and Chairman of Rugger Management, LLC a private investment firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. Before launching Rugger, he co-founded MSD Capital, L.P. (“MSD”) in 1998, the private investment firm for Michael Dell, the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies. John was also the co-founder of MSD Partners, L.P., an SEC-registered investment adviser for a select group to invest in strategies initially developed by MSD. John is Chairman Emeritus of MSD and during his leadership, the firm posted double-digit net returns and over $20 billion in profits.

John received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, a bachelor’s in Economics and Political Science from S.M.U., and a general course degree with an emphasis in economics and international relations from the London School of Economics. He is on the Board of Trustees at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Aspen Art Museum (Chairman), Spirit of America, and Third Option Foundation. He is also involved with his respective alma maters and currently serves on the Board of Dean’s Advisors for the Harvard Business School, the Investment Committee for the S.M.U. Endowment, and the North American Advisory Board for the London School of Economics. John and his wife Amy have permanently endowed free admission to the Aspen Art Museum and recently named the Phelan US Centre at LSE.

John is an avid fisherman and was born and raised in Coral Gables, Florida.

John was born in Tampa, FL and grew up in Plant City. A graduate of the University of Florida, he began his career in banking with the Peoples Bank of Lakeland. He moved to Jacksonville in 1976 as a trust officer with Barnett Bank of Jacksonville/Barnett Banks Trust Company. He is a graduate of the Florida Bankers Trust School and attended the American Bankers Graduate Trust School at Northwestern University. He began his brokerage career with The Robinson Humphrey Company in 1982 and has worked in the securities industry since. He is currently employed as a financial advisor with Retirement Strategies, Inc., an independent SEC-registered wealth manager in Jacksonville.

He has been married to his wife Jane for 36 years and they have three adult children, an English setter named Maggie and two cats.

Active as a volunteer leader with Ducks Unlimited for over 30 years, John has served as President in 2009-2010 and continues as an At Large Board Member. He is a member of the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville, The 200 Club of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Clay Target Sports, professional associations and serves on the board of The Children’s Home Society-Buckner Division.

He enjoys sports, outdoor activities, hunting and fishing, skeet and sporting clays and travel with Jane.

Nick currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for Ducks Unlimited, Inc., a national nonprofit conservation organization headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. Prior to this work on the national conservation stage, he dedicated 30 years to conservation in the state of Florida working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). He served in several roles with FWC beginning as a wildlife biologist in the field and culminating as Executive Director for eight years. During this time, he was a strong advocate for connecting people with conservation by working with FWC staff, commissioners, partners, and stakeholders to improve and expand opportunities for hunting, fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing. In recognition of his work in Florida, Nick was honored to receive the Fish & Wildlife Foundation’s Conservation Leadership Award in 2017.

Nick is a fellow of the National Conservation Leadership Institute, past president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club, Board member and past Chairman and member of the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports, and Board member for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

Nick is a Certified Wildlife Biologist with a Bachelor of Science Degree in biology from Georgia Southern University and a Master of Science Degree in Wildlife Management from Auburn University. He serves on Dean’s Advisory Councils for Auburn and Georgia Southern Universities. He enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and boating with family and friends.

Daphne Wood joined the Wildlife Foundation of Florida’s (WFF) Board of Directors in April 2003. Her service with the foundation is a natural extension of her lifelong commitment to promoting fish and wildlife conservation.

“I’m a great believer in consumptive use of renewable resources and support making recreational opportunities available whenever possible, without compromising the environment,” Wood said. “The Wildlife Foundation of Florida provides funding to critical research and projects our State needs to make ecologically-sound decisions.”

Daphne is an officer and trustee of Tall Timbers Research Station (TTRS), an organization dedicated to fostering land stewardship. Actively involved with TTRS for 25 years, she is the chairwoman of the Easement Committee.

Daphne’s other civic involvements include serving on the Thomasville (Georgia) Community Resource Center Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Foxhounds Association of North America.

Daphne enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, including wildlife viewing, mounted fox hunting, and wing shooting.

While growing up in Miami, Roger Young spent a lot of time on the water fishing and enjoying the outdoors. After high school, he attended Florida State University receiving his degree in social science with an emphasis in environmental studies. He then returned to South Florida, and it was there he realized he could do something he loved while also protecting the resources that were important to him and he applied with the Florida Marine Patrol.

Shortly after the FWC was created, Roger continued to promote through the ranks in the Southwest Region. He spent a total of 24 years there and served as Regional Commander for the last six until promoting to Colonel in June of 2021. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the National Association of Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Academy, and the FDLE Senior Leadership Program. He was appointed the FWC Executive Director in May 2023.

Andrew Walker joined the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida in 2016 as president and CEO. He chose a career in conservation after canoeing through the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge as a graduate student in the late 1970s. An award-winning conservationist, he served for 25 years with The Nature Conservancy in a variety of senior roles.

Immediately before joining the Foundation, he was executive director of Bat Conservation International, launching programs in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Mexico during his tenure. He is also a BoardSource-trained consultant and has lectured widely and worked with dozens of U.S. and international organizations on nonprofit governance and management, strategic planning, conservation planning and major gift fundraising. He also served for four years with the USDA Agricultural Research Service and was a computer and telecommunications consultant for the U. S. Department of Energy.

A Life Scout (he could never pass lifesaving merit badge to attain Eagle Scout rank), he holds a master’s degree in technology transfer and communications from the University of Georgia and an undergraduate degree in physics and English literature from Washington & Jefferson College. He and his wife and fellow conservationist Christina Walker live in Sarasota and have three grown children.

Will is a Florida native who grew up playing in the woods.  His fondness and appreciation for animals extend back as far as he can remember.  He graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Finance and has been keeping track of money for a living ever since.  He has over 20 years’ experience as a non-profit officer and board member. Will has been with the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida since 2007.

Michelle Ashton has more than 18 years of experience in communications, project management, and community engagement. Her diverse background includes work in public-private partnerships, cultural organizations, and non-profits in Louisiana and Texas where she strove to make the world a more just and beautiful place. She earned her bachelors from Louisiana State University in 2004 and her masters from Tulane University in 2006. As a Gulf Coast native, she has always felt most at home in the water. She has witnessed firsthand the impact a healthy environment can have on preserving life and the role all can play in its conservation. She is excited to extend her passion to the Foundation, to call Tampa home, and to explore Florida’s world-famous outdoors.

Emily Dey was thrilled to unite her years of experience in nonprofit fundraising with her passion for conservation to join the Foundation as its first Major Gift Officer. Emily has called Florida home since 2006, after falling in love with its 8,400 miles of shoreline. A passion for the outdoors has been present throughout her life, from camping in her home state’s Ozark Mountains to backpacking across Isle Royale in Lake Superior and bagging several 14’ers in the Rockies. When she isn’t out fishing in the Gulf, you’ll find her playing cello or taking in a live theater or music performance.

A Florida resident from a young age, Cindy Fray has always loved exploring the outdoors and discovering wildlife. Her love of outdoor adventure only grew during her many years volunteering with her children’s scout troops. When not in the Tallahassee office, you can find her around water, either on the beach with her grandchildren, boating, or fishing. She is excited to bring her decades of experience to serve the Foundation’s mission.

Francesca Klypchak was born and raised in Cleveland, moving to Tampa at the beginning of 2023. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and another in organizational leadership from Cleveland State University. After graduating from college, she discovered a passion for nonprofit work as the Development and Marketing Coordinator at After-School All-Stars, an after-school youth program. She is excited to share her experience in development and philanthropy to conserve wild Florida. In her spare time, you can find her at the beach with a good book, biking and rollerblading through Florida’s parks, or traveling to Cleveland to spend time with family.

Julie Lane joined the Foundation with more than 30 years of accounting experience. From her childhood in rural Iowa, numbers have always been her passion. She earned her bachelors from the University of Dubuque and her masters from Western Governor’s University, both in accounting. Julie moved with her family to northern Florida from Las Vegas in 2024. While she will miss hiking in the mountains, she is excited to explore wild Florida, including new habitats and wildlife.

Nabiha Nur is a graphic designer and advertising graduate from the University of Florida. Her background as both a Bangladeshi-American and native Floridian have influenced her interest in environmental conservation and climate change. As a designer she has always focused on advocacy and education, and is excited to combine her interests to contribute to Florida wildlife conservation. When she’s not collecting design inspiration on Pinterest, she can be found trying out new recipes, going on runs, or hanging out with her cat.

Paula Pack is a native Floridian whose childhood revolved around the beauty and wonder of the great outdoors. Committed to preserving the diverse ecosystem of her youth, she is excited to bring her eleven years of experience in teaching, event planning, and program management to the Foundation. For the last nine years, Paula worked as an instructor and administrator within higher education, where she strove to connect Tampa’s college students to the importance of conserving the environment around them. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from the University of South Florida and is particularly interested in the intersection of environmental, youth, and public health histories. In her free time, Paula enjoys gardening, bike rides, snuggling with her pup, and traveling with her fellow conservationist husband, Dustin.

Tindl Rainey is a native Floridian who grew up in a small town nestled just north of the beautiful shores of the Emerald Coast in the Panhandle. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Florida State University. Her interest in human behavior and her value of the natural world fueled a 21+ year career with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The intersection of people and conservation has been the backdrop of her work and she has served in a variety of roles, including most recently as the Director of Licensing and Permitting, Director of Strategic Initiatives, and Chief Communications Officer for FWC. She is a dreamer and big-picture thinker, always looking to the horizon for innovative and collaborative solutions. Tindl is currently based out of Tallahassee where she lives with her family and enjoys time adventuring outdoors.

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Dani Richter is a Florida native who grew up fishing in Tampa Bay. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Science from the University of Florida. She began her career in fundraising in 2014 with the Humane Society of North Central Florida. Since then she has helped five additional non-profits with their advancement efforts, including the University of Florida. Dani is excited to merge her passion for Florida wildlife conservation with her expertise in non-profit fundraising. In her spare time she enjoys reading, traveling, and playing with her foster pets.

Rachael Schirmer is a native Floridian with a deep-rooted love of Florida’s wildlife and unique ecosystems. She is a proud Gator with a degree in Journalism from the University of Florida and years of experience working in veterinary medicine at the UF Small Animal Hospital. She loves connecting with the public and sharing her passion for conservation, especially through the use of social media. In her spare time, you can find her on biking trails, kayaking in mangrove forests, or rehabbing orphaned wildlife.

Erin Smart grew up in Florida with a love for all things outdoor. She is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Florida and earned her accounting degree at Flagler College. She has over seven years experience in accounting and auditing. When she’s not busy crunching numbers, she enjoys fishing and kayaking with her family.