Welcome to the team, Cherice!


In her words:

As a native Floridian, I have long been drawn to Florida’s natural communities. I first became enamored by our state’s rich biodiversity on Girl Scouts camping trips throughout Central Florida. This interest led me to complete a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, and later a M.S. in Interdisciplinary Ecology, from the University of Florida. During my masters program I studied the diversity of native bees in fire-maintained pine savannas, which deepened my understanding of the critical role of native plants in our ecosystems and cemented my passion for conserving them.

Over the years I have worked in several different capacities within the fields of ecological research and conservation, including as an environmental monitor on the BP oil spill response, a native pollinator researcher with the UF Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab, and as a field biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Research Institute. Before joining FNPS, I worked as the Native Plant Program Coordinator and Outreach Coordinator at GROW HUB, a nonprofit plant nursery in Gainesville, FL that provides work opportunities for adults with disabilities. In this position, I deepened my knowledge of native plant propagation while developing skills in project management, marketing, fundraising, event planning, volunteer management, and more.

I am excited to merge my ecological research background, my passion for native plant conservation, and my skills in nonprofit management in the Operations Manager position. I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of an amazing organization with such a rich legacy of preserving, conserving, and restoring native plants. I look forward to supporting all of the amazing work FNPS and its many members are doing across Florida!

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