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...

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