Environmental Learning Center
Environmental Learning Center
Environmental Learning Center
Environmental Learning Center
Environmental Learning Center
Environmental Learning Center
Executive Director
Barbara Schlitt Ford is a 2nd generation Vero native, an accomplished attorney, educator and organization leader. She grew up appreciating this area as a true paradise. Barbara is a lifelong nature lover. An ideal day might include a swim in the ocean, a boat trip on the lagoon, or a mountain hike to a waterfall. She cares about environmental stewardship and is passionate about living in union with our Earth systems, nature preservation and on finding solutions to our water quality issues in the area. She joined the ELC as Executive Director on April 1, 2019. She strives to maintain a mission-focused and collaborative leadership style. She appreciates synergistic commitment and teamwork from staff, board members, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and community partners. She is an optimist who believes that individually we can each make a positive impact, by working together, we can truly create a better future. In the spirit of continued service, she founded (in 2019) and facilitates two coalitions in the county, one for all nonprofits and one for all environmental organizations.
In her spare time, she enjoys traveling to nature-rich destinations and spending time with her two young adult children, her big extended family, and diverse groups of friends. She is honored to utilize her skills to lead this amazing organization to new heights for the benefit of the community.
Director of Philanthropy
Heidi Leone Royals has dedicated her career to working with nonprofits throughout the country across education, international philanthropy, and healthcare organizations. She spent her teens and twenties in Vero Beach and moved back in 2022 to marry the love of her life, Wally. She is passionate about animals, especially dogs, nature, flora, and fauna. Heidi is thrilled to be a part of the team at the ELC to help prioritize the preservation of the environmental heart of our community, the Indian River Lagoon. She feels strongly that all need to be educated about this incredible resource so it is not taken for granted. Heidi works with donors and sponsors to help them fulfill their philanthropic goals while also managing all fundraising efforts. She makes sure we all have fun while bringing in the necessary resources to ensure ELC’s long-term success.
Heidi enjoys boating, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family, especially her bonus children, Micah and Hannah, and her Jack Russell Terrier, Fiona.
Finance Manager
Kyle is originally from Guntersville, Alabama, and has always enjoyed being outdoors – camping, canoeing, fishing, and hiking. He moved to South Florida in 2013 after graduating from Auburn University with a BS in Finance. He spent a decade in real estate finance, as a portfolio manager and asset manager, overseeing funds and focusing on process improvement. Combining his financial experience and enthusiasm for water conservation brought him to ELC in 2023.
He and his wife, Amanda, have three amazing children together, Watson, Malia and Gunter (woof). On his days off, you can find him with a fly rod in one hand and his family in the other, finding new fishing spots and exploring nature preserves and botanical gardens to help inspire new ideas for their backyard.
Finance Manager
Holly, a 4th-generation Floridian born and raised in Brevard County, brings years of expertise in nonprofit leadership, event planning, and financial operations. Though her journey took her to Los Angeles, Miami, and Reno, she ultimately found her way back home, drawn by her deep connection to Florida’s natural beauty and community.
She is passionate about environmental stewardship, actively participating in beach and river cleanups and oyster reef restoration along the Indian River Lagoon, right in her own backyard.
In her personal life, she enjoys cooking, cake decorating, working puzzles, kayaking, and hiking nature trails with her sons, Grant and Chase, and her partner, Dan. Together, they love traveling and exploring Florida’s landscapes. Holly’s professional achievements include managing multimillion-dollar budgets, securing major donations, and excelling in donor relations and operational leadership. She is dedicated to making a meaningful impact, combining her skills with her love for the Florida community and environment.
Operations & Human Resources
Linda joined the ELC staff in November 2021 after relocating from the Northern Virginia area. She spent her years in Fairfax, Virginia working for a local government agency which focused on children’s school readiness and ongoing success. Her work there in the areas of grants management, contracts, strategic planning and educational programming led her to her position as Operations Manager at ELC. She works with all departments, ensuring that ELC’s many initiatives happen seamlessly behind the scenes.
As an Ohio native, Linda appreciates the warm Florida climate as well as the many outdoor offerings and opportunities in her new hometown of Vero Beach.
Campus Manager
Marc has been a member of the ELC since 2018 and joined the team in 2021. He studied philosophy at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, where he also worked in customer service and administration at the Stuttgart Ballet for seven years. From a very young age he was active with various environmental organizations and their efforts to protect and preserve wild spaces. Upon moving to Florida he developed an avid interest in Florida native plants and landscaping for wildlife, which led to him working in native plant cultivation, landscape design, and habitat restoration.
Marc takes care of the entire campus and is in charge of ELC’s Native Plant Nursery. He often leads native plant walks and guides paddling excursions. He is a wealth of knowledge on all things involving our local ecosystems.
Whenever Marc is not at the ELC campus, you can most likely find him hiking through conservation areas with his family and climbing trees with his son.
Guest Services Manager
Cheryl earned her B.S. in Wildlife Management at Purdue University in 1986 and was employed by the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg in North Carolina as an Endangered Species Biologist monitoring red-cockaded woodpeckers. After moving with her family to South Georgia, she then spent 18 years as an Environmental Manager and Educator in the forest industry. Her next adventure led her to spend a season monitoring red-cockaded woodpeckers at Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area before managing a team of bird removal technicians. In her free time she and her husband David love to go kayaking, hiking, snorkeling, and spending time with family.
Cheryl does an excellent job managing the front desk and the Nature Nook eco-boutique in the Welcome Center and will often be the voice and face that greets you when you call or stop in for a visit. Cheryl can help you book a boat trip or kayak rental and let you know about all of our programs and campus offerings. Cheryl enjoys engaging with visitors, members and volunteers.
Education Coordinator and Business Development Specialist
Elizabeth (Liz) Yerian is a seasoned naturalist with over 35 years of experience in Environmental Education, Zookeeping, and Ocean Advocacy. Liz was previously with the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Center in Key Biscayne, Florida and has worked in the Animal Care and Education Departments of Disney, Cypress Gardens, Sea World and Department of Environmental Protection Agency of Florida.
Liz serves as the primary point of contact for all education programs and speaker requests. She is also our Business Development Specialist and can help you with all of your venue booking needs! Her uplifting, positive, can-do attitude is a joy to work with.
Liz is a lifelong Floridian in love with its spectacular ecosystems and wildlife. She is an avid reader and has recently published her first book in a Wildlife Warrior series for children called “Rayne’s (Wild!) Life Adventures”.
Environmental Educator / Guest Services
Chelsie graduated from Paul Smith’s College with a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries & Wildlife Science and a minor in Environmental Communications. She has over 15 years of experience in Environmental Education and has worked for summer camps, the oldest land trust in Massachusetts, and most recently spent 10 years at a natural history museum in upstate New York. Since she was a child Chelsie has loved nature, particularly wildlife, and has made her career out of sharing that passion with others to inspire them to care for our natural world.
Since moving to Florida, Chelsie and her husband have enjoyed learning about the complex and unique habitats around the Indian River Lagoon while hiking, paddling, and birdwatching. A self-proclaimed nerd, Chelsie likes to spend her off-time reading, playing board games, and travelling.
Senior Aquarist
Brent is a graduate of Ohio University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology. While there, he was selected for an internship with the National Aquarium in Baltimore and began his career in saltwater aquariums. He spent five years at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, Texas, starting as an aquarist, and then transitioning to a marine mammal trainer. He then started his own aquarium maintenance company specializing in coral reef aquarium design and care. He worked in aquaculture.
In his spare time, Brent enjoys fishing, swimming, volleyball, and spending time with family. Brent takes great care of our over 2000 gallons of aquaria and touch tank at the ELC. Expert Critter care and Tank Maintenance are his top priorities. He also helps with facilities, education and events as needed. He enjoys sharing his love of our local eco-systems with ELC visitors and works hard to ensure that our aquaria are top-notch. It shows!
Campus Connections Manager
Originally from Georgia, Brittany earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Georgia. She went on to manage a luxury hotel in Jekyll Island State Park, where she enjoyed engaging with guests and sharing her knowledge of the area’s natural beauty. In her free time, she earned her basic scuba certification and volunteered with Adopt-a-Wetland, conducting water quality testing.
Her love of the water brought her to Vero Beach, where she continued to manage hotels before joining the ELC family. At ELC, Brittany works at the welcome center, providing information about the campus and activities while assisting with the volunteer program. She spends her free time outdoors- walking trails and at the beach.
Community Engagement Coordinator
Elise has a diverse background working with a variety of nonprofit organizations as well as businesses focused on wellness and the arts. She lives a sustainable lifestyle and models it in her day-to-day living. You may recognize Elise as one of our wellness instructors who teaches yoga and walking meditation here at the ELC. You will see her out in the community sharing info about all of our amazing ELC offerings (including venue rentals for your next special event). Be sure to stop her and say hello! She can help you get plugged in here as a visitor, member, volunteer, partner, sponsor, or donor.
Part-Time Facilities Support
Board Chair
Rich worked for 30 years as a Wall Street professional, managed a multibillion-dollar portfolio for George Soros, and was the Chairman and CEO of both Camulos Capital and Value Recovery Capital. On the philanthropic side, Rich served on the Board of Trustees for Villanova University, was on the Board of the Patron’s Program in NYC, and served as the Chairman of the Board for the Archdiocese of NY North East Region of the Bronx. Rich and his wife, Deb, moved to Vero Beach nine years ago and have fallen in love with the area. They have three married children and six grandchildren.
Rich loves being on campus and seeing first-hand the eye-opening experience that every third and fourth grader in IRC has when they come to the ELC and participate in our educational programs.
Vice Chairperson
John has been providing business and IT navigation assistance to leading global companies as well as small non-profit organizations for more than 5 decades. He specializes in analyzing whether an organization has the appropriate enabling factors in place to realize benefits from its strategic endeavors. He has served as a leader of two non-profit boards because of his passion in promoting a lifelong interest in science and the environment.
John enjoys seeing how a single touch tank interaction or kayak trip can change a child’s perspective on nature.
Treasurer
Tarik is a financial advisor serving individuals, families, and small business owners with financial guidance and investment services for more than 25 years. Originally from Buffalo, NY, Tarik and his wife, Tricia, have been homeowners along the beautiful Indian River Lagoon for almost a decade. They have two adult children. Tarik carries on the legacy of both his grandmother and her sister, who were ELC volunteers in the 1990s.
Being involved with the ELC allows Tarik to honor his family’s love for nature and support a cause that’s close to home, literally and personally.
Secretary
Tyler Puttick is an associate with Dean Mead and focuses his practice on estate, trust, and wealth preservation planning. Tyler was born and raised in Vero Beach and is active in the Treasure Coast community. He is in multiple leadership positions within community organizations like the Environmental Learning Center, Inc., Scholarship Foundation of Indian River County, and the Indian River Estate Planning Council.
Tyler takes pride in supporting a place where local kids can fall in love with the same wild spaces he grew up exploring.
Carla has years of experience with improving the lives and futures of youth across the country. Carla was the Youth Program Development Director, working with governments, businesses, educators, and citizens to elevate youth organizations to national recognition. Carla splits her time between Orchid Island and Highlands, NC.
Carla believes deeply in the power of hands-on learning and sees the ELC as a model for how nature can inspire growth and leadership in youth.
David has 27 years of experience in Investment Management and is a co-founder of Vero Beach Global Advisors. David and his wife, Tracey, are raising their three boys in Vero Beach and are well established in the local non-profit community.
David believes there’s no better classroom than nature and values how the ELC makes outdoor learning accessible for all kids in the community.
Carol is a Landscape Architect from New England who has had a lifelong passion for maintaining a clean environment. While attending college, she was a conservation agent for the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts. As a professional Landscape Architect, she was a member of the Conservation Commission in both Scituate and Hull, Massachusetts.
Carol and her husband Bob now live part-time in Little Compton, RI, and the rest of the year in Orchid, FL. There are many programs in Vero to support, but for me, our neighbor, the ELC, which is all about the environment and educating young adults, comes first. I can’t think of anything more rewarding!
Having earned a master’s in environmental sustainability from the University of Reading in England, Shirley has always been committed to preserving nature. Shirley was the Executive Director at the Darien Land Trust for 14 years, while her children were entering high school. Shirley spends her winters in Vero Beach, where her late husband’s family has lived for many years.
For Shirley, being involved with the ELC is a way to continue her lifelong commitment to conservation while honoring her family’s connection to Vero Beach.
Megan is a Vero Beach native, working as the fifth generation in the family business, East Coast Lumber Company. She and her husband, Zack Todd, are outdoorsy and nature-loving, so a perfect fit to be a part of the Environmental Learning Center.
Megan grew up exploring the Indian River Lagoon and loves being part of an organization that helps others discover its beauty and importance.
Jane is a highly experienced marketing professional with extensive brand development, public relations, and event planning experience. In her work as Marketing Director for Windsor Properties, Jane specializes in brand management, event planning, media relations, copywriting, community relations, public speaking, and collateral production. Jane has been with Windsor for 14 years. She lives in College Park, FL, with her husband Jeff Quattry, but is in Vero several times each week during the season. Jane aims to build awareness of the ELC’s important mission. She feels there was never been a more critical time to educate future generations on how our actions impact the environment and our health.
Jane sees every visit to the ELC as an opportunity to spark lifelong curiosity, and she’s proud to help grow that impact through storytelling and outreach.
Jerry is a veteran retail leader. He has been Chairman and CEO of ToysRUs, CEO of HBC (owner of Saks Fifth Avenue and other leading department stores), and Vice Chairman of Target. He started his career at McKinsey, where he was a partner in the consumer and financial services practices. When Jerry was born in Florida, the population was about 4 million people (it has mushroomed to over 23 million today). This rapid growth has pressured the environmental beauty of the state, and we need to protect it. I remember how we learned in elementary school to love and protect Florida, and I want to keep doing that now by helping pass along that legacy to today’s students with the ELC.
Tina is a former teacher and children’s librarian from Baltimore, MD. She is a self-designated budding “birding nerd” and loves the opportunity ELC gives to experience the western side of Pelican Island and the vast array of birds that are found. ELC is a great fit for Tina as she and her husband, Henry, are now Florida residents and were looking for a way to give back to the community.
Gregg had a thirty-year corporate finance career with broad M&A, strategy, and international experience as an executive with Exxon Mobil Corporation. Gregg has extensive board experience both in Indian River County as well as in Fort Worth, TX. He and his wife, Nancy, are members of John’s Island Club and Linville Golf Club. They enjoy family, tennis, croquet, golf, and skiing.
Gregg is a strong believer in the fundamental role environmental education plays in helping ensure future generations are good stewards of our precious Indian River and the wildlife it supports.
Chairperson
Todd Fennell
Vice Chairperson
Don Barr
Secretary
David Griffis
Treasurer
John Daniels
Directors
Rich Brennan
Haydn Cole
Tarik Kawi
Monday - Friday | 8 AM - 5 PM
Saturday | 8 AM - 4 PM
Sunday | 8 AM - 4 PM
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