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, but 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 uitlize her skills to lead this amazing organization to new heights for the benefit of the community.
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.
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.
Director of Philanthropy
Heidi Leone Royals has dedicated her career to working with nonprofits throughout the country across education, international philanthropy, and healthcare organizations.
Heidi 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.
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 as well as our paddle excursions. He often leads native plant walks and paddling excursions and 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 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”.
Liz serves as the Education Coordinator for ELC and is 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.
Environmental Educator and Volunteer Coordinator
Shanen’s passion and love for the marine world began when she was a child in Davie, Florida. She obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Marine Biology from Hawaii Pacific University and had worked at Sea Life Park, Hawaii for the entire 6 years she lived on Oahu. After 14 years as a marine mammal trainer, she transitioned to a role studying marine mammal hormones at the marine mammal endocrine laboratory with NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center.
In 2021, Shanen, her husband and their four-legged son, Darwin, moved to Florida, where Shanen was able to work at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute as a part of the marine mammal stranding and population assessment team. Shanen’s passion has only grown with the incredible experiences she has had, and her goal is to educate and inspire as many members of future generations as possible to care for and protect the marine world she so deeply loves.
Shanen can be found skillfully leading many of our education programs. When not teaching, she is usually in the Welcome Center helping guests and is the primary point of contact for our adult and teen Volunteers.
Environmental Educator and Administrative Support Specialist
Amy Zelt has lived in Indian River County since 2018 though her roots come from Michigan and Texas. Having had the opportunity to travel extensively across the US, Europe, Asia, and Central America, she experienced firsthand the global challenges of environmental change and is deeply committed to environmental advocacy, artistry, and adventure, with a passion for sustainable living education. She has been supporting eco-focused businesses in enhancing their online presence through social media marketing and graphic design, and spent five transformative years living and working in an off-grid eco village, where she learned valuable lessons about sustainable living practices and the importance of living in connection with nature.
Amy is a wonderful ELC Environmental Educator and is enjoying the opportunity to share the joy of the natural beauty of the Indian River Lagoon with visitors and students. She is currently pursuing further education at Indian River State College, studying Sociology and Psychology, seeking to deepen her understanding of individual and societal dynamics, and their interconnection to the environment. When not teaching, she serves as an Administrative Support Specialist.
In her spare time, she can be found out in nature with her partner, Soo Se, hiking, kayaking, and gardening.
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!
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
Lead Boat Captain
A military brat, Aaron was born in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. He grew up in Washington, Oregon, Michigan, and Ohio before embarking on a 33-year career in the U.S. Coast Guard where he performed Search and Rescue and Law Enforcement duties. He holds a 200-ton Master’s credential from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) National Maritime Center (NMC).
He now lives in Sebastian with his family and enjoys swimming, scuba diving, bicycling, learning new things, staying current on global affairs, and flying drones.
Aaron’s background with the Coast Guard made him a perfect fit for our Lead Pontoon Captain position, ensuring that we follow best practices for safety, regulatory compliance and guest experience.
Chairperson
Richard Brennan
Vice Chairperson
John Daniels
Secretary
Tyler G. Puttick
Treasurer
Tarik Kawi
Members
Carla Friedman
David Griffis
Carol Lincoln
Shirley Nichols
Megan Osteen
Jane Smalley
Susan van der Stricht
Executive Director
Barbara Schlitt Ford
Chairperson
Todd Fennell
Vice Chairperson
Donald E. Barr
Treasurer
John L. Daniels
Secretary
David Griffis
Members
Richard Brennan
Haydn Cole
Tarik Kawi
Barbara Schlitt Ford, Ex Officio
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
Richard Brennan
Haydn Cole
Todd Fennell
David Griffis
Tarik Kawi
Monday - Friday | 8 AM - 5 PM
Saturday | 8 AM - 4 PM
Sunday | 8 AM - 4 PM
