We're now accepting applications for NRLI Class 22!
Please spread the word to anyone you think might be a good fit for NRLI - our alumni make the best references for our program!
Also, if you are interested in helping plan and/or attending any of the sessions, please let us know! We love seeing you and having you meet the current Fellows.
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8-Month Flagship Program | Session 4 |
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It's a Digital World
By Greg Owen and Kristen Kosik, NRLI Class 21 Fellows
NRLI Fellows were mostly happy to wake up in their own beds for the fourth session of Class XXI. The session was hosted on Zoom, and fellows joined in from Tallahassee to Naples. Through little black boxes, Fellows gained glimpses of each other’s unmasked faces and homes, too. Occasional pets and babies joined in, and even one regally positioned American Kestrel sitting on the edge of Kristen Kosik’s desk at the Audubon Florida office. The focus of this session was how to conduct engaging online meetings, a necessity most of us realized after navigating life during the pandemic. Though most fellows felt practiced at remote conferencing, all of us of were eager to learn new tools and strategies for online collaboration. Fellows quickly moved from the awkwardness of being online into the same level of comfort established in previous in-person sessions.
Hosting an online NRLI session for December gave Class XXI a chance to easily meet during the busy holiday season. Throughout three half-day sessions, the project team modeled how to conduct an engaging online meeting, introducing new tools and techniques throughout the entire session. Right from the beginning, the online session started with an icebreaker which required everyone to draw an emoji to represent their feelings. The result was a Zoom art installment of mostly frazzled-faced doodles on post-it notes, and one creative drawing of toast without enough butter. The holiday season was getting to everyone.
Fellows moved from drawing on paper Post-Its to digital “Post-It Notes” as NRLI Alumni Ben Christ joined to lead the session on advanced facilitation for online spaces. Ben introduced Fellows to tools like Sticky Notes and Jamboard. Fellows were also taught tools to solicit input and participation in unorthodox manners, elevating voices of the quieter crowd through the use of breakout groups and online polls.
As is the case with all NRLI sessions, this online version wasn’t just about giving us meeting tools. Discussions of framing, power, and asking good questions helped us consider how a facilitator might influence the dynamic, flow, and participation of meetings. Issues of framing were highlighted by a short video on the “toxic sluge” in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). The power of framing has the ability to influence the public and can create unique challenges in dealing with environmental issues. Contrasting the video’s framed message to what Fellows actually saw and learned while onsite at the IRL generated good discussion on the impact of framing. Perhaps one of the most impactful conversation of the session was the discussion of power. Who holds power? What tools and methods do we use that influence power and what does it feel like to be powerless? The session review team posed an insightful question on day three that perfectly brought these three concepts together: “How do framing, power, and asking good questions relate to one another?”
Practicums are also gaining some momentum, with groups and topics mostly formalized. A large portion of day 3 was spent working on this. Fellows have been working on the next steps for their practicums and are excited to present their progress to each other in person at our next session in Okeechobee.
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Travis Franklin
Captain, Division of Law Enforcement, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Travis Franklin is a Captain with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Law Enforcement. Travis began his career with FWC in 1999 as a patrol officer in Collier County. In 2002, he promoted to Sergeant in St Lucie County, where he investigated serious boating accidents and crimes related to endangered/threatened species. From 2004 to 2014, Travis was a patrol Lieutenant in various locations such as Lake Okeechobee, the Upper St Johns River basin, and the Indian River lagoon. In 2014, he assumed regional training Lieutenant duties for all FWC Officers in northeast and central Florida. In 2015, he promoted to Captain, supervising patrol operations in central Florida. In 2018, Travis transferred to FWC headquarters in Tallahassee as Wildlife Law Administrator until his recent reassignment to Boating and Waterways, where he focuses on derelict vessels.
Travis developed a passion for the outdoors, fishing, boating, camping, and hunting in and around his hometown of Merritt Island. In his spare time, Travis enjoys all things outdoors including gardening, fishing, fly tying, shooting sports, spending time with his three children, and coaching youth sports. He also enjoys hiking and exploring the Apalachicola National Forest and St Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Travis is a native Floridian and third generation graduate of The Florida State University.
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Maxine Hunter
Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent II, UF/IFAS Extension Marion County
Maxine is a native Floridian, growing up near Jacksonville. She has a master’s degree in Agriculture Education and Communication and a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation both from the University of Florida. She is currently working on a PhD in Entomology. Her favorite natural resource topics include invasive species management, habitat conservation, and wildlife management. Maxine spent a lot of time in her early career evaluating water resources and several aquatic wildlife species. This was a fantastic opportunity as it allowed for a significant amount of field work on the St. Johns River, one of her favorite places. Prior to becoming an extension agent in 2014, she worked for the UF/IFAS Extension Farm to School Program as the Northeast Florida District Coordinator where she assisted with implementing local food movements, school and community gardens. Outside of work, Maxine enjoys riding and working with her two paint horses, Ruby and Ricky. She also enjoys shooting skeet, hunting, and fishing with family.
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Cat Ingram
Intergovernmental Liaison, Florida Forest Service, Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
The first native Floridian in her family, Cat Ingram grew up in Broward County blessed throughout childhood with many opportunities to travel the country with her family, including to National and state parks, forests, battle fields, landmarks, and museums. These formative journeys cultivated Cat’s desire to further protect our commonwealth natural resources. Cat earned a B.S. in Environmental Studies from FSU’s College of Geography and has worked and/or volunteered for Student Conservation Association, Public Interest Research Group, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. She is currently employed as the Florida Forest Service’s Intergovernmental Liaison where she serves as the federal Forest Legacy Program administrator for Florida, as well as Acquisition and Restoration Council consultant to the State Forester. Aside from spending time with loved ones, Cat enjoys gardening, hiking, and creating art.
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Jared Lanier
District 4 Field Representative, Florida Farm Bureau Federation
Jared serves as the Field Representative for Florida Farm Bureau Federation in North Central Florida. His role is to develop and work with farmers and ranchers across the state to ensure that their voices are heard at the local, state and national level to make sure that agriculture continues to be the backbone of the United States.
Growing up on a cattle ranch and citrus operation, agriculture has always been in one of Jared’s passions. He received both degrees in agriculture from the University of Florida. He is blessed to be married to his lovely wife. They have a small cow/calf operation at their homestead.
Outside of Farm Bureau, you will find Jared’s time spent on his faith, family and friends. He enjoys serving with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes where the organization works each day to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.
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Class 21 Fellows & Schedule |
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Rob Aldredge Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Chad Allison Partners for Fish & Wildlife/Coastal Program Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Chris Altes Archaeologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Clay Archey Senior Manager of Purchasing & Corporate Facilities, A. Duda & Sons Inc.
Kelly Aue Suwannee River Partnership Outreach Coordinator, UF/IFAS Extension
Jessica Blain Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Forest Service
Rosezetta Bobo Diversity Director, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Katherine Clements Ecology & Natural Resources Educator, UF/IFAS Extension
Greg DeAngelo Deputy Director, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Kristin Foss Biological Scientist IV, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Travis Franklin Captain, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Maxine Hunter Urban Horticulture Extension Agent, UF/IFAS
Cat Ingram Intergovernmental Liaison, Florida Forest Service, FDACS
Kristen Kosik Program Associate for the Conservation Leadership Initiative, Audubon Florida
Jared Lanier Field Representative, Florida Farm Bureau Federation
Jason Lawor Public Affairs Specialist, National Forests in Florida – USDA
Chris Marble Associate Professor, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida
Nate Mouzon Technical Program Manager, St. Johns River Water Management District
Gregory Owen Senior Planner, Alachua County Board of County Commissioners
Brian Pelc North Florida Restoration Project Manager, The Nature Conservancy
Liesa Priddy Owner, JB Ranch
Jennifer Thera Environmental Consultant, Florida Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Armando Ubeda Florida Sea Grant Agent, UF/IFAS
Savannah Winstanley Ecosystem & Asset Analyst, City of Winter Haven
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