Robert (Bob) Lucius is a retired U.S. Marine who joined the CREW Land & Water Trust after a long and varied career in government, academia and the nonprofit sector in the United States and abroad. Since relocating to SWFL, Bob has taught sustainability courses at Florida Gulf Coast University. He is a graduate of Norwich University, National University, the Naval Postgraduate School, George Washington University and Fielding Graduate University, where he received his Ph.D. in Organizational Development & Change. Bob and his wife Casey have a son and several rescue cats who fill their lives with affection and occasional terror. Contact Bob at rlucius@crewtrust.org.
Piper Jones joined CREW Trust after working several years as a professional ecologist here in SWFL. Before that, she was a park naturalist at For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum in Burton, MI., where she became a Certified Tourism Ambassador for Genesee County and a Certified Global Rivers Environmental Education Network Mentor. Piper earned a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in conservation from Bowling Green State University. While there, she served as president of the Environmental Service Club and was also an active member of the President’s Advisory Committee for Sustainability. She is a member of the SWFL Chapter of the Association of Environmental Professionals. In her free time, she loves to read, dance, and spend time with family. Contact Piper at education@crewtrust.org.
For the past 3 years, Trish Schranck served as a Park Services Specialist at Lovers Key State Park, overseeing the volunteer program, event planning, and nature center operations. She received her B.S. in Marine Science and a minor in Environmental Studies from Eckerd College. While a student, Trish served as president of the Marine Science Club and as a student researcher on a NOAA Marine Debris Program grant investigating interdisciplinary methods for campus-wide plastic reduction. When she’s not working, Trish enjoys traveling, audiobooks, and spending time with friends and family. Contact Trish at ee@crewtrust.org.
Robin Serne previously worked as a shorebird biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) and Audubon Southwest Florida, as well as the Director of Engagement and Advancement at Calusa Waterkeeper. She’s a graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University’s Water School, receiving an MA in Environmental Studies with a focus on Environmental Nonprofits.
Robin loves connecting people to the environment, because, in the words of David Attenborough: “No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced.”
Environmental Education Intern
Iris Brown is a senior Musical Performance major with a concentration in Harp and a minor in Environmental Education at FGCU.
She is also a 5th generation Floridian and grew up homeschooled in the SWFL wilderness which has created a deep-rooted connection and passion for the flora and fauna of Florida.
In the future, she would love to pursue a master’s degree in musicology. Specifically, she is interested in eco-musicology and extending her current research project on sound ecology and the music of the natural world to create a better bridge between people and nature in the 21st century.
She is excited to learn how to work with people better and instill a sense of joy and curiosity in the hearts and minds of the people who pass through on the field trips I will have the opportunity to lead. .
Feel free to contact Ian with any questions at intern@crewtrust.org.