Who We Are
Dr. Martin Main
Program Leader
Dr. Main began developing the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) in 1999 following a 1998 south Florida eco-heritage workshop. He realized the great need for a professional development education program on Florida's natural history. "I believe that most people are genuinely interested and concerned about nature, and that as they learn more, their level of interest and concern increases. I was surprised, however, at the tremendous response to the FMNP, which I think is a very good indication that Floridians will work hard to ensure healthy environments, clean water, and diverse wildlife are available for future generations to enjoy."
Dr. Main has since contributed to the development of Master Naturalist programs in many other states and has won many awards. He is a Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida.
Caitlin executes all program logistics in the state FMNP office. Her regular tasks include general operations, supporting the instructor network, managing website data, tracking program impacts, and other projects. Caitlin holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Anthropology from Rollins College, M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Florida (UF), and is currently pursuing a PhD in Agricultural Education and Communication with Dr. Jamie Loizzo at UF. She is also a registered yoga teacher and loves her 5 rescue kitties!
Shelby and the UF/IFAS Office of Conferences and Institutes have worked with the FMNP since the first class launched in 2001. Shelby ensures that all registrations, finances, class logistics, and course materials are in order. She coordinates with FMNP instructors to post current course offerings and assist participants with the course registration process. Shelby’s professionalism and enthusiasm make her an instrumental partner in the success of the FMNP.
Sarah Falkowski is the Education Coordinator for Rookery Bay Reserve. Sarah manages the Education Department, including K-12 field trips, as well as naturalist and public programs at the Environmental Learning Center, within the 110,000-acre Reserve. She creates the calendar of events and trains interpretative volunteers, in addition to serving as the Reserve’s education liaison with the National Estuarine Research Reserve System and Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center Network.
Chad Truxall is the Executive Director of the Marine Discovery Center (with responsibility for implementing the organization’s mission to protect and restore Florida’s coastal ecosystems. Prior to his role as Executive Director, Truxall served as the Director of Programs for MDC and was responsible for developing and implementing hands on, feet-wet education and conservation programs. Chad holds a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation with a specialization in Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida and has more than 20 years of experience as a biologist, educator and non-profit manager. He is a Certified Lead Instructor and serves on several boards including the FMNP Advisory board, New Smyrna Beach Areas Visitors Bureau, and the Association of Nature Center Administrators. Chad is a Florida native and resides in Port Orange, FL with his wife, daughter, 2 cats, and 2 Labrador Retrievers.
Carrie Stevenson is the Coastal Sustainability Agent IV for the UF/IFAS Escambia County Extension Office. She has been with the organization since 2003. Her educational outreach focuses on preservation of
Karen Rose is a lifelong naturalist and Florida native with a background in botany, ecology, conservation, landscape design, horticulture, and land management. In addition to being a lead instructor for the Florida Master Naturalist Program, she does invasive plant eradication for private clients, takes care of her aging parents, and stays actively involved in the lives of her four grown kids. She is very passionate about sharing the knowledge she's gained over the years, and has been known to stop strangers on the trail to ask if they know about the botanical treasures at their feet. She is certified as Level 2 Track & Sign with Tracker Certification North America.
Kelly Ussia is the Supervisor of Outdoor Recreation for St. Johns County Parks and Recreation. She runs a wide variety of public programs including but not limited to kayaking, beach walks, archery, summer camp, fishing, and paddle boarding. She has worked for St. Johns County since 2015 and has helped to grow their programming team. Her undergraduate education is in Biology (BS) and Environmental Studies (BA) both from Florida Gulf Coast University. She has also received her master’s in Parks Recreation and Tourism Management from Clemson University.
Nicole is a lead instructor for Orange County at the Oakland Nature Preserve. She has a Bachelor of Science in marine biology from University of Miami (Go Canes!) and a Master of Science in marine biology from Nova Southeastern University. Nicole has been fascinated by the outdoors since she was little. She became interested in the marine environment in high school, completing her SCUBA certification at 15 years old. After moving to central Florida in 2010, she took a more active interest in all of Florida’s natural environments, native plants and animals. Nicole was the Volunteer and Wildlife Care Coordinator for the Preserve for 6 years before moving into the Managing Director position in 2024. Nicole completed her Advanced Master Naturalist Certification in 2021 and has been part of the instructor team at Oakland Nature Preserve since 2024.
Brian Lane is a Florida native, Senior Ecologist, and Co-Founder of Sensing Nature, LLC with more than 20 years of experience in environmental science and natural resource management. Holding a B.S. from the University of Central Florida and graduate coursework in ichthyology from the University of South Florida, he has led habitat assessments, wetlands delineations, water quality studies, and wildlife surveys across Florida and the Southeast. An award-winning University of Florida Florida Master Naturalist Program Instructor, Brian is passionate about connecting people with nature through educational workshops, ethical ecotours, and wildlife identification guides co-authored with his wife, FAB Past President Jeanne Murphy, helping audiences of all ages better understand and appreciate Florida’s diverse ecosystems.
Cheryl arrived in Florida from the Philadelphia area in 2005 to pursue her bachelor’s degree at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. She graduated in 2008 with a B.S in marine biology and education with inspiration from Jacques Cousteau and Sylvia Earle. She started teaching the Florida Master Naturalist courses after her mentor encouraged her to take the FMNP classes and she’s been on the Brevard County instructor team for over 13 years. Cheryl is currently the Environmental Programs Coordinator for the City of Melbourne where her educational outreach includes conservation of water resources, recycling, and the preservation of our natural resources. Cheryl loves to garden, kayak and spend time with her 3 beautiful fur babies!
Hannah Campbell is an award-winning environmental educator with a background in instructional design and educational leadership. A graduate of Florida Atlantic University, she holds a Master of Education from the Dept. of Educational Leadership & Research Methodology and a bachelor’s degree in Biological Science. A Palm Beach County native and Leadership Palm Beach County graduate c/o 2020, Hannah is proud to serve on the Florida Marine Science Educators Association (FMSEA) Board of Directors and as the Vice President of Education at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. An avid scuba diver in her spare time, Hannah is committed to connecting youth and their families to positive experiences in and on the water.