karen@aroundbend.com
Our Mission is
To
offer outdoors tours, classes,
field trips, and day camps
in parks and on the water
for groups of all ages.
Our goal is to give a sense of Florida as “home” and to encourage greater
appreciation of Florida’s rich history and conservation of
Florida’s wildlands for future generations of people,
native plants and
animals.
Karen
Fraley
Owner/Naturalist
Karen has been
teaching and developing natural science programs since 1993, drawing on her 20
years experience in environmental and agricultural research. She has a
B.S. in Environmental Horticulture from the University of Florida.
Russell
Owens
Naturalist
Russell has been
sharing his considerable knowledge of native plants with our field trip
programs. Retiring after 25 years with the University of Florida
Gulf
Coast Research Center, Russell has an A.A. Manatee Community
College
with USF coursework in Systematic Botany Russell is also a graduate of the UF
Master Naturalist Course.
Stephanie
Kubilius
Heritage
Guide
Stephanie
combines her degree in Geography from Georgia State University with her love
of history. She developed Eating History as a course that
teaches History, Culture, and Geography, while stimulating the senses with the
smells, sounds, textures and flavors of simply prepared ethnic foods.
Kathy Prophet
Heritage
Guide
Kathy has
been an avid birdwatcher for over 10 years and was on the board of
directors of Manatee Audubon. She is certified with the National
Association of Interpretation. Kathy comes to us from the State Park
Service, as Museum Guide she interpreted the early settlement of Manatee
County at the Gamble Plantation Historic State Park.
Emma
Mason
Naturalist
Emma
brings us 20
years of experience in Scouting. With Girl Scouts she completed many
leadership training courses and was a leader trainer. Emma has organized
summer encampments with over 300 girls. Emma was the first woman assistant
Scout Master with the Boy Scouts Council of South Florida. She is a
Certified Florida Master Naturalist completing all 3 University of Florida
Modules.
Sterling "Skip" Mace
Naturalist
Skip
brings us the
artistic eye of the nature photographer. He worked for over 20 years as a
park naturalist in land management in Nissequogue River State Park, part of
the Long Island State Parks system. Skip more recently graduated from the
Uplands module of the University of Florida Master Naturalist Program
Go
Wild! And hear
the Florida Story...