Mikel (Miki) Renner – President
I've been an intermittent member of the Hernando Chapter of the Florida
Native Plant Society since meetings were held in Pasco County. The
current meeting location is much more convenient. Although I'm not
quite a native – I moved to the State at 9 years old – one of my
longest running avocations has been Florida ecology with emphasis on
plants. I've lived in Miami, Homestead, Micanopy, Gainesville and
outside Brooksville and have traveled extensively throughout the State.
Florida's unique habitats provide me solace and healing and I hope to
give back a modicum of what I get. I'm also an environmental – water
resource – planner by trade with over 25 years of professional
experience in Planning. Through my profession I strive to make other's
aware of the fragility of this magnificent State. Having traveled in
Central America, the Caribbean, much of the U.S., Europe and China I
still think Florida is one of the closest places to paradise we have.
Let's get out there and teach others, but mostly appreciate her in all
we do.
Officers
- Miki Renner, President
- James Clayton, Vice President of Events
- Gwen Bassick, Vice President of Admin.
- Judit Simpson, Treasurer
- Jason LaRoche, Secretary
- Brooke Martin, Chapter Representative
- Bruce Vanderveen, Webmaster
Committee Chairs
- Evie Powers, Refreshments
- Bruce Vanderveen, Membership &
Webmaster
- Barret Bassick, Education, Programs
- Cindy Liberton, Public Relations
& Media, Programs
- Traudl Heddleson & Rita Grant,
Propogators
About our Board and Committee Chairs
The Hernando Chapter Officers are elected each year in
November, for
a maximum of four consecutive terms. The Committe Chairs are selected
by the President and serve at the pleasure of the President. All
committees welcome volunteers of all interest areas and talents.
Meet Some Board Members
Jason LaRoche
Secretary
I have
been a member of the Hernando Chapter for over five years and serving
as board secretary for four of them. I live in Shady Hills area of
Spring Hill with my wonderful wife Rebecca and numerous misfit animals.
I am a Florida native (like my plants) who grew up in Hudson with my
folks and three brothers. My mother is mostly to credit for instilling
my love and appreciation for gardening and nature from an early age.
Growing up, I spent countless hours out in the Florida woods with my
family and friends but it was not until my later years that I fully
realized how fragile and precious natural Florida was. I ultimately decided to steer my life and
career towards natural sciences to try and protect our natural
resources and environment. Being a member of FNPS, and especially this chapter, has
proven to be a perfect vehicle for my ambitions as a steward of natural
Florida as well as my long-time love of plants.
Cindy Liberton
Public Relations
I am a founding member of the Hernando Chapter and have met many of my
closest friend among the membership here in Hernando and state-wide.
Membership has also brought a greater understanding of plant species
and their communities to my conservation advocacy efforts. After 25+
years doing Communications work at USF, I started a company in early
2009 that provides communications services to the environmental
community in addition to the human services communities where I honed
my tools. Economy-wise, it was an unfortunate time to start a company,
but conservation-wise, it has been nice to see development slow down a
bit in Florida.
Judith
Simpson joins the Board in 2009
as Secretary, and now has taken on the role of Treasurer
Brooke Martin
Brooke Martin has
lived in Hernando County since 1980, starting out in Spring Hill, then
"graduating" to the Ridge Manor area. She just recently retired from
the Department of Health, Hernando County. She enjoys replacing all
sorts of not very successful plants put in years ago with native plants
she learned about since joining the HCFNPS in 2000. She has also
recently become a Guardian ad Litem working with children who are under
the supervision of the court. Her short-term goal is to install a
squirrel-proof bird feeder to encourage her beautiful birds to return
to the backyard.
James Clayton
VP for Public Education
Working on our Chapter Events is perfect for a guy who can't stand to
miss anything. This is the same quality I brought to my stint as
Chapter Rep for the Hernando Chapter. By day, I am a geologist at the
South Florida Water Management District, and I enjoy proving that
native plants can survive abuse in my Hernando landscape.
