FLTWS members, are you ready to vote in an election completely free of Russian government influence? This is your chance! It is time to elect your board for 2017, and that means a board made up of YOUR peers who represent YOUR interests.
Please take a look at the biographies below, and then find the link to vote at the bottom of the page.
President Elect: {Choose 1}
Mark Ausley has been an environmental consultant for nearly 20 years. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida in 1998. While at the University of Florida Mark served as the Student Chapter President of The Wildlife Society. Mark has worked with a variety of private and public sector clients throughout the southeast United States. He works tirelessly on balancing the demands of population growth and development with our natural resources. He has been active member of the Florida Chapter for 20 years contributing in a variety of ways including the fundraising committee.
“What I want to do for the Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society is to continue to build upon the legacy of our great organization. I want to get the message out about all the great natural areas and wildlife our state has to offer so that future generations embrace in the preservation and protection. Florida’s growth continues to challenge our natural resources and it is important for our organization to lead the efforts in protecting these resources.”
Timothy Hall became involved with TWS in 1987 when he was a junior at UF. “I had just transferred to the school and was immediately welcomed into the group, learning how to get around Gainesville as well as the dynamics of the wildlife ecology program. The success I had at school, both personal and professional, was definitely helped through my involvement with the Student Chapter.” After completing his BS in Forest Resources and Conservation from UF in 1989, “I lost touch with the organization for a few years as I spent three years in Central America with the Peace Corps and then another five years in Africa working for a few mineral and mining companies. After returning to my roots in South Florida in 1998 I began working for a small environmental consulting firm where I was offered a partnership in 2002. I have been here ever since.”
Tim rediscovered TWS in 2006 through a chance encounter with an old school friend and quickly renewed his membership. “I was thrilled to find the people involved in the State Chapter just as friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating as those I interacted with at the Student Chapter. Most of my past involvement has been through various committees and a brief stint as an at-large board member. I have been happy to help out where I can over the past 10 years or so, though that help has varied from year to year as work and family commitments also have to be taken care of. “
“I was surprised and honored to have been considered for the President-elect position and if elected, I am ready to take on the challenges ahead and do my best to move the organization forward. As President-elect I would like to increase the visibility of our Chapter to the public as well as to other wildlife and natural resource professionals by continuing our presence at outdoor events throughout the state and collaborating with other organizations at professional meetings.
In addition to increasing the numbers and diversity of our membership, I would also like to involve more members in the actual workings of the Chapter. I know that when I started volunteering to help at events or with committee assignments, I developed a sense of stewardship to our organization, similar to the sense of stewardship I have for our state and its numerous natural resources. I would like to encourage our members to participate at whatever level they are comfortable with (or that I can make them comfortable with) in the hope that they can come to find that same sense of place and camaraderie that I have, while at the same time promoting our goals and objectives within and outside of our organization. I am well aware that this leadership position entails a lot of hard work and cooperation and I believe that I have the knowledge and experience to be an effective leader on your behalf.”
Secretary: {Choose 1}
Jennifer Korn obtained her PhD in Wildlife Science from Texas A&M University-Kingsville in December 2013, and was immediately hired as Florida Panther Specialist in the Landowner Assistance Program of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in October 2013. Before moving to Florida she chaired 4 different committees of the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society, was newsletter editor for 3 years, and served as board member at-large. She has been the chair of the Information and Education committee for FLTWS and newsletter editor since 2014.
“My vision for FLTWS is to see our membership and conference attendance grow and for student participation to expand across more universities. Thank you for your consideration.”
Daniel Greene has a BA in Biology from Earlham College in Indiana, a MS in Forest Resources (Wildlife Ecology and Management focus) from The University of Georgia, and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida. Dan has been working with Florida’s wildlife and their habitats for 13 years, and his efforts have spanned across the state from Pensacola to Key West. After earning his undergraduate degree, Dan spent 2 years employed as an Environmental Specialist with The Florida Park Service where he managed a mobile crew conducting invasive species management throughout the Florida Keys. Dan left that position to begin a MS program, where his research assessed population dynamics, habitat use and selection, and developed monitoring protocols for 2 endangered subspecies, the Key Largo cotton mouse and Key Largo woodrat. After earning his MS degree, Dan worked as a wildlife biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute for 4 years based out of Panama City. His research again focused on the conservation and management of threatened and endangered mammals, particularly those in the Florida Keys and throughout the Gulf Coast, including beach mice. Dan recently earned his PhD working with Florida’s fox squirrels, where he dissertation included components of their population genetics, population demographics, habitat use-and selection, and techniques to survey and monitor their populations. Presently, Dan is a postdoctoral research in an Integrated Climate Change Lab at Texas Tech University where he is analyzing long-term datasets on the conservation and management of lesser prairie- in the Southern High Plains.
Dan has been actively involved with the Florida Chapter of TWS for the past several years. At the Chapter’s Annual Conferences, he has given numerous oral presentations, posters, and instructed a workshop. Since 2015, Dan has served as a Member-at-Large on the Executive Board and on several Chapter committees. He remains very active with wildlife conservation in Florida, particularly in the areas of population demographics and wildlife-habitat relationships. Dan has authored or co-authored 22 peer-reviewed manuscripts on Florida’s wildlife, has numerous in review and in preparation, and has also given 35 professional and outreach presentations.
Treasurer: {Choose 1}
Samantha Baraoidan graduated in May 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida. After graduation, she began working for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a biologist in the Upland Habitat Research and Monitoring Program, where she gets to combine her interests in habitat management, restoration ecology, and prescribed fire with the privilege of traveling to Florida’s unique public lands, from the panhandle to the Everglades. Currently, Sam is pursuing a graduate degree with the University of Florida under Raoul Boughton.
Sam has been an active member of FLTWS for five years and looks forward to many more. She has been acting Treasurer since 2015, and would like to continue in this capacity to offer mush needed continuity to the position. Prior to her time on this board, she worked closely with the FLTWS during her time as a student when she served as President and Vice President of UF’s Student Chapter of TWS. She participated in multiple TWS field trips and events, such as the 2012 Python Handling Workshop, and presented her undergraduate research at the 2014 conference. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Feral Cat Subcommittee. She also serves as a Youth Conservation Director for the Florida Wildlife Federation. As FLTWS Treasurer, Sam will continue to increase her involvement in the Florida Chapter with a focus on increasing the chapter’s financial stability. Her experience with the UF Student Chapter includes raising over $20,000 from various fundraising events over the course of three years, and she is excited to bring her knowledge of outreach-based fundraising to the Florida Chapter.
Member at Large: {Choose 2}
Ricky Lackey earned a BA of Environmental Biology from Thomas University in 2006. While in school he interned at Tall Timbers Research Station and upon graduation worked there full-time as a game-bird technician working with bobwhite quail. In March of 2008 he started work with FWC as a private lands biologist out of Lake City Florida. After almost 4 years with FWC he had the opportunity to become a regional biologist for the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) in the state of Florida. He is currently the NWTF District Biologist for the state of Florida, and is also a certified prescribed burn manager. He is an avid hunter and outdoorsman and enjoys spending time with his wife Rachael and their kids Ricky III and Rebecca.
“I have a deep background in game management; particularly game birds, and feel that my perspective of land management would be of value to the FL TWS. I have a fairly large statewide perspective of managing wildlife and am engaged with numerous agency and NGO partners across the state.”
Jodi Slater is an environmental scientist with the St. Johns River Water Management District with more than 20 years of experience in upland and wetland systems of the southeastern Coastal Plain. She has extensive experience in riverine, lacustrine, and springs systems and is a minimum flows and levels expert in Florida. She is currently co-chair of the FLTWS membership committee and manages the FLTWS membership database.
Monica Folk has been a wildlife ecologist for over 25 years, all of that in Florida. She has degrees from Southern Illinois University, Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. Her training is in wildlife ecology and management with a specialty in endangered species conservation. She has managed wildlife projects throughout the Southeast, from the Keys to North Carolina, working primarily with red-cockaded woodpeckers (RCWs) and Florida scrub-jays, but also Key deer, wood storks, gopher tortoises, bald eagles, Florida sandhill cranes, wading birds and several bat species. After a 20-year career with TNC, in 2010 she became a private wildlife consultant, currently working for Milliken Forestry. For the last several years, she has chaired the Program Planning (Spring meeting) and Scholarship Committees. As a FLTWS Member-at-Large, she would continue to support the Chapter in increasing membership and participation of students and professional wildlifers and providing more opportunities for involvement, interaction, networking and professional development among the membership.
Annisa Karim received a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and a minor in Zoology from the University of Florida’s Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation in 1997. She moved to Naples, FL. in October 1998 to work as an intern and then full time naturalist for The Conservancy of Southwest Florida at the Briggs Nature Center. In 2002, she accepted a job as a research associate for Dr. Martin Main helping to develop curriculum for the Florida Master Naturalist Program. She entered a graduate program at the University of Florida in the Fall of 2003 and earned a Master of Science degree from the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation in 2007; she then accepted a temporary position with Collier County as an Environmental Specialist for the Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Program. She joined the Lee County Department of Parks and Recreation as a biologist in Feb. 2009 and currently serves a District Manager for the agency. Ms. Karim is also an active member of the Steering Committee for the Southwest Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area.
Southeastern Section Representative: {Choose 1}
Brigham Mason came to Florida in 1999, after receiving his degree in Wildlife Science from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He is employed with the FWC in their Land Use Planning program and, for the previous 16 years, worked in private industry where here he oversaw management of the wildlife resources on properties in Florida, three other states, and Canada. Brigham is currently serving FLTWS as the Certification Committee Chair and has been a TWS member since 1995. Over the years since becoming a TWS member, he was actively involved at the student chapter level, serving as treasurer and helping to earn the Student Chapter of the Year Award; has maintained membership at the state chapter and national levels throughout that time; and has been a Certified Wildlife Biologist since 2007. He has also authored and been a peer reviewer of scientific publications and served as a committee chair and member in hosting regional wildlife meetings. In addition to his involvement in TWS, he has also served as an officer in other local conservation associations, and as a stakeholder representative on the FWC’s Deer Management, Gopher Tortoise, and Wildlife BMP Technical Assistance Groups.
“Through my professional experience, and the valuable relationships I have formed with my peers during my career, I believe that, as the Chapter’s representative to the Southeastern Section of TWS, I can help FLTWS fill a critical role in conserving Florida’s wildlife. As the Chapter’s representative to the Southeast Section of TWS, I will work to carry out the goals outlined in the FLTWS Strategic Plan, with a focus on maintaining communicating between our Chapter and the Southeastern Section on important wildlife resource issues and current news within our profession.”
Erin Myers received her two Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from Texas A & M University in 1995, 1996 and 1999 respectively; and her Master of Science from Colorado State University in 2001. She began working with private landowners in Florida in the spring of 2002 as the Technical Services Biologist of the North Central Region with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and then received a position as the State Biologist with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in 2005. In 2009, she became the USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Biologist in South Florida, providing technical and financial assistance on management of habitat for imperiled species such as the Florida panther and Florida grasshopper sparrow.
She is Past President of the Florida Chapter of the Wildlife Society, Past Chair of The Wildlife Society’s Invasive Species Working Group, co-founder and current co-chair of the Florida Invasive Species Partnership and co-chair of the Southwest Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area. She recently received the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Regional Directors Award for her work partnering with agency biologists and ranchers to monitor and manage private working lands for the endangered Florida grasshopper sparrow.
“As the Southeastern Representative, I am hoping to strengthen ties between the Florida Chapter and the Southeastern Section. Specifically, I want to share what challenges Florida faces, what the Florida Chapter has accomplished and learn about what issues and concerns affect other chapters in the Southeast.”
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