Keynote Speaker James Currie
A lifelong birder and native of South Africa, James Currie has many years of experience in the birding and wildlife tourism arenas. Currie has led professional wildlife and birding tours for more than 12 years, and his passion for birding and remote cultures has taken him to far corners of the earth, from the Amazon and Australia to Africa ... Read More
Keynote Speaker Jeffrey Gordon
Jeffrey A. Gordon has worn many hats in the birding world: author, photographer, speaker, tour leader, and beginning in November of 2010, president of the American Birding Association. He served as field editor for Bird Watcher’s Digest and as interpretive naturalist at national parks including Yosemite and Acadia and wildlif... Read More
Keynote Speaker Walter Taylor
Dr. Walter K. Taylor, a native of Kentucky, has lived in Central Florida for over 43 years. After 35 years of continuous service, Taylor retired from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in 2004 and was named Professor Emeritus of UCF. During his tenure, he taught a variety of biology courses including General Zoology, Ornithology, Biodiversi... Read More
Michael Brothers
Natural Resource Management, Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, Florida
Michael Brothers is the the Manager of Exhibits, Aquariums, and Public Programs for the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, Florida. Brothers has over 30 years of experience in museum administration in city, county, state, and private non-profit museums. He is the former Executive Director of t... Read More
Cathy Brown
Executive Director, Florida Scrub-Jay Consortium
In 1996, Cathy and her husband Bruce created B.B. Brown's Gardens, a native plant nursery in the Clermont countryside. Here they design wildlife attracting gardens incorporating healthy habitats for humans and wildlife alike for private homes and estates. Cathy is the Executive Director of Th... Read More
Patricia Burgos
Land Management and Restoration, Lake County Water Authority
From city girl to biologist, Patricia has worked in the environmental field for the past 20 years educating the public and restoring our public lands. She received her Biology degree from the State University of New York at Potsdam and her Master's at the University of Florida in Environmenta... Read More
Thomas Dunkerton
Field Research Technician, Nikon Birding Pro-staff
Thomas Dunkerton is a seasonal field research technician for the Florida Scrub-jay Program on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge volunteer, and has had many images published in various local and national publications. Throughout his childhood, Dunkerton wa... Read More
Milton Heiberg
Nature Photographer / Author, Milton Heiberg Studios
Until his move to Central Florida in 1998, Milton Heiberg was a New York City-based photographer working from his studio in midtown Manhattan. He began both his photographic and naturalist careers at age eight with a love of nature and a Kodak Brownie-Target box camera, and has been a tree huggin... Read More
Wendy Poag
Naturalist/Land Steward, Lake County Parks & Trails
Wendy Poag has been growing Florida’s native plants for 20 years and is certified as a Horticulture Professional. She is employed by the Lake County Parks and Trails Division as their naturalist/land steward. Poag has studied plant physiology, entomology and The Ecology and Restor... Read More
Gallus Quigley
Planner/Biologist/Park Ranger, Lake County Parks & Trails
Gallus Quigley is the planner/biologist/events coordinator and park ranger for the Lake County Parks and Trails Division. He has been an avid birder for 25 years and is currently Cornell eBird regional coordinator for Lake & Sumter Counties and Florida Breeding Bird Atlas coordinator 201... Read More
Lisa Roberts
Florida Master Naturalist, Florida Wildflower Federation
Lisa became the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s executive director in 2008. Under her direction, the Foundation has established the annual Florida Wildflower Symposium and the popular Seeds for Schools and La Florida Community Plantings grant programs; launched a new Website and online wild... Read More
Jim Robison
History Author, Friends of the Wekiva River
Jim Robison has written 11 books and some 1,600 newspaper columns on the history of Central Florida. Robison, who has lived most of his adult life within a few miles of his home on a little pond in Casselberry, is past president of the Sanford Historical Society and currently serves on the board ... Read More
Scott Spaulding
Jonathan Squires
Certifications from University of Florida, Just Perfect Plants
Jonathan Squires, also known as “The Barefoot Gardener”, has been practicing horticulture in the state of Florida for over 44 years. Owner of Just Perfect Plants, he is recognized for his no-lawn landscaping where he uses Florida friendly plant varieties to enhance the nat... Read More
John Thomton
, Florida Scrub-Jay Trail
John Thomton began birding during high school in the Chicago area. Relocating to Florida six years ago, he has enjoyed the state's diverse and abundant birdlife. He has a particular fondness for corvids, and thus began volunteering at the Scrub Jay Trail in 2007. John assists in the restorati... Read More
Becky Thomton
, Florida Scrub-Jay Trail
Becky Thomton loves exploring and discovering new things. She is a writer and editor for Cru, an international mission organization, and has traveled to many places around the world. She discovered geocaching on her smartphone in 2010, and loves combining it with her husband's birding hobby. ... Read More
Teresa Watkins
Florida Water Star Specialist, St Johns River Water Management District
Teresa Watkins is a recognized leader on water conservation principles and biodiverse landscapes. Over 24,000 Central Florida homeowners have attended Teresa's landscaping programs in the last ten years earning Ms. Watkins the American Water Works Association's Florida Water Education Ass... Read More
Brannen Willis
Land Management; Wildlife Biology, Promise Ranch
Brannen Willis grew up in Moultrie, GA on a 50 acre farm, where he developed a love for the outdoors at a young age. In 2005, Brannen graduated from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College with an A.S. in Wildlife Biology and went to work for Promise Ranch where he manages 1500 acres with a main foc... Read More