For the past five years, Lauren has served FMSEA as the West Central Regional Director (Two years) and the Treasurer (Three years). During the past three years, she has developed and maintained the budgets, managed the organization’s funds, and worked in conjunction with the Development Committee Chair to find and invest the Teacher Trust fund with the Community Foundations of Tampa bay so that the funds will provide teacher scholarships for professional develop- ment opportunities in perpetuity. She is currently working with the Membership Secretary, the Webmaster, and the FWC Aquatic Species Collection Workshop Liaison to automate all of our membership, conference and collecting work- shop registrations so that members can reserve these items on line. Lauren holds a BA in Elementary Education and Nat- ural Science from Rider University and an MBA from The University of Tampa. As the Director of Youth Education at The Florida Aquarium, Lauren manages a large budget for both school and community programs, maintaining costs and ex- ceeding revenue goals. Over her 20 year career at both for-profit and non-profit facilities, Lauren has a solid grasp of maintaining financial sustainability and fiscal responsibility for organizations that she worked for.
As the Education Specialist for the Smithsonian Marine Station in Fort Pierce, Laura works closely with ocean scientists to share their work with audiences on both regional and national scales via community events, print and digital media, and professional development opportunities. Her efforts to do so expanded beyond just Smithsonian researchers in 2010, when the Smithsonian received NSF funding to join the national COSEE (Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Ex- cellence) network. As the Informal Education Manager for COSEE Florida, Laura is working to build a statewide Ocean Science Learning Network by brokering relationships between ocean scientists and informal science centers. In doing so, Laura has worked with over 60 ocean scientists and a dozen informal education organizations. Laura has been an active member of FMSEA, joining the board in 2005 as the Newsletter Editor and transitioning to the Community Manager and Chair of the Online and Social Media (OSM) committee as many of the organizations communications went digital. Laura has also been an active NMEA member, serving on the Outreach and Publication committees since 2007 and regularly reviewing manuscripts for Current: the Journal of Marine Education. At the NMEA board meeting in July 2012, Laura was asked to chair the Social Media Committee, a new standing committee tasked with steering the online presence of the organization across multiple web platforms.
“As an active member of both FMSEA and NMEA, I feel I will be a strong advocate of FMSEA to our national organization. Additionally, I recognize the importance of communicating the activities of NMEA to our membership and the board and will be dedicated to doing so.”
Heath is a dedicated and driven individual who would be well suited for this position. Heath has been a Science teacher at Pioneer Middle School in Cooper City for several years. He works hard to actively get his students excited about and involved in Marine Science both inside and outside of the classroom. From starting an after school Marine Science Club, working with students to make projects for the Marine Science fair, and taking groups on beach cleanups on weekends, Heath is able to give his students a better understanding of the marine environment. Outside of work, Heath loves all things ocean; from Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, attending Marine workshops and lectures, all while finishing up his PhD. on Shark Studies. He is passionate and devoted when it comes to educating others about Marine Science and is well on his way to making a name for himself in the Marine Science World and would be an excellent candidate for Southeast Re- gional Director.
“I’d like to be the Southeast FMSEA director for several reasons. Despite being in a traditional school system, it has been my goal as an educator to implement marine science education in the classroom and to see that it continues to get the support from local, state, and national organizations. I have been actively involved in promoting the Ocean Literacy movement. Being a board member of FMSEA would give me additional opportunities to work with a great group of stakeholders that share common interests to support marine education. I am well prepared and excited to take on the opportunity and feel that I would make a great asset to both the Southeast and Florida chapters.”
Brandon Smith has been an environmental educator with Brevard County Parks and Recreation since getting his B.S. in Marine Biology from Florida Tech in 2000. He currently is the head of Riverwalk Nature Center along the Indian River Lagoon estuary where he teaches and designs programs and exhibits. In 2007 Brandon received the Florida Master Nat- uralist Instructor Achievement Award from University of Florida IFAS Extension. Brandon was honored in 2010 by the Marine Resources Council when he was awarded the Paul Kroegel Award for Outstanding Service to the Indian River La- goon by a Government Employee. Brandon has been proud to serve as the East Central Regional Director for the Florida Marine Science Educators Association since 2009. Since 2005, he has also served on the board of the Space Coast Sci- ence Education Alliance, a network of informal educators in Brevard County. Additionally, he served on the board of the Sea Turtle Preservation Society from 1997 until 2012 when he stepped down to focus on his current role as president of the Friends of the Carr Refuge, where he works to protect critical nesting habitat for sea turtles and other wildlife.
Tami is in her 25th year of teaching students with disabilities, most of which have been spent in Nassau County, Florida. Currently she is a member of the staff of Yulee Middle School. She holds a Masters degree in Educational Leadership and is currently serving on her school’s Leadership team and as the ESE department head. Her focus has been on stu- dents who have severe behavior/emotional disorders. She teaches Reading and Science. Tami has taught most of the secondary sciences but her favorite thing to teach in Marine Science. Her students are so receptive to the world of sci- ence. Seeing their minds opened to new things through “hands-on” approaches has endless rewards. She uses her Aquatic Species Collecting Certificate to bring the ocean to her classroom where she and her students maintain a marine touch tank. In addition to classroom teaching Tami has been a PADI Divemaster for several years. She enjoys working with the student divers who are timid or anxious about skills they must demonstrate. She loves to educate new divers about ways to ensure the protection of the aquatic environment while diving. She leads fish ID dives that enhance a diver’s experience and educates them about habitat and behavior. She hopes to become a PADI instructor soon. She spends her summers teaching children to swim, directing a local Aquatic Adventure Camp and managing Scuba Station, the local dive shop. During community based summer programs she continues to focus on hands-on learning experienc- es related to aquatic habitats, animals and conservation.
“I would love to be part of the FMSEA Board of Directors because I have been part of this community for several years. By years of following on the coattails of the famous Kathy Russell, I now think I am ready to adventure into a new role. I am thrilled and excited that I have been nominated and look forward to becoming part of the fantastic team the makes up the FMSEA Board.”