Audubon Western Everglades is the oldest “grassroots” conservation organization in Southwest Florida.
THE HISTORY OF AWE
We've been Protecting Southwest Florida’s Natural Resources and Wildlife through Advocacy and Education since 1961 by focusing on:
Environmentally
Responsible
Land Use
Clean Water for
People
and Wildlife
Protection and Recovery of Imperiled Wildlife
and Their Habitats
Planning for Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
KEY milestones
The Western Everglades, a region of varied ecological characteristics distinct from those of the “River of Grass” farther to the east, is critical to preservation of the way of life that attracted most of us to southwest Florida. Composed of Corkscrew and Big Cypress Swamps, the Caloosahatchee watershed, 10,000 islands, as well as countless other permanent and seasonal wetlands. It also contains hundreds of thousands of acres of cypress forests, strands, prairies, and pine flat woods —and faces a growing threat from ill managed development. This is the Western Everglades, and this is what we've passionately been protecting and advocating for since 1961.
1961
Collier County Audubon Society Inc. Chapter is formed.
1962
Developed “birding” programs for Collier County youth and field-trips for residents
1964
Opposed the Kewaydin road to Marco project protecting Rookery Bay from development
1986/89
Vital role in minimizing negative environmental effects of proposed Sabal Bay project
1995
Legal challenge of Collier County breaking Urban Boundary for Twin Eagles development
1996
Established the Florida Panther Audubon Refuge Keeper group, which became the Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge
1997
– Legal challenge of Collier County deleting habitat protections for 300,000 rural acres
2001
AWE hires first professional policy advocate and opens new office
2002
Creation of Rural Land Stewardship and Rural Fringe panther/wetland habitat protection programs
2002
Successful collaborative campaign for Conservation Collier
2008
Founding of Florida Panther Protection Program with 3 other conservation groups and 8 major landowners
2009
Funded Energy use audits for Naples and for Collier County
2010
Successful court defense of Lee County’s Restoration Plan/Rock Mine Regulation for SE Lee
2010
Established Collier Shorebird Stewardship Program with Rookery Bay, FWC and Audubon Florida at Sand Dollar Island
2012
Successful settlement of Mirasol permit suit stopped huge drainage ditch and restored thousands of wetland acres
2016
Took over Burrowing Owl Watch Program on Marco Island and hired a biologist to manage research
2018
AWE hires biologist for Collier Winter Shorebird Stewardship Program at Clam Pass and Marco Island
2018
Hired first Executive Director wiith support and funding from major donor
board of directors
Meredith Budd, President
Meredith
Meredith is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Live Wildly Foundation. Live Wildly Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization that applies an entrepreneurial approach to conservation while seeking to balance smart growth, a robust economy and connected, resilient landscape. As the organization’s senior strategist, Meredith engages with federal, state and local governments, institutions, and the non-profit and private sectors to build and maintain strategic relationships and identify opportunities to deepen Live Wildly’s impact.
Meredith holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and Biology from University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and a Master’s degree in Marine and Environmental Affairs from the University of Washington. She has over a decade of experience in the environmental field with expertise in imperiled species policy, habitat conservation planning, and wildlife conflict resolution. Prior to joining Live Wildly, Meredith worked as the Regional Policy Director with the Florida Wildlife Federation and as an Environmental Policy Specialist with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Before moving to Southwest Florida, Meredith spent several years leading travel programs for teenagers abroad, including sea turtle conservation programs in Costa Rica and marine and environmental monitoring programs in Fiji.
Meredith is a graduate of both the Leadership Collier Foundation’s Associate Leadership Collier (2016) and Leadership Collier programs (2021) as well as a graduate of the 2023 Leadership Florida Connect Class. In her free time, Meredith enjoys traveling with her husband and spending time in local Conservation Collier preserves and other public lands with her dogs, Miss Luci and Mr. Pickles.
Eileen Arsenault, Board of Directors
Eileen
Eileen joined the AWE Board in 1983. She holds a degree in Anthropology from Louisiana State University and worked for several years in the Cultural Resources Division of Coastal Environments, Inc., in Baton Rouge. After moving to Naples in 1982, she became the manager of a wholesale dealer of antiquarian maps and prints. For the past almost 30 years, she has been managing the Arsenault Studio and Banyan Arts Gallery, both in Naples. Eileen has played a leadership role as a board member of various nonprofit organizations, including Collier County Historical and Archaeological Preservation Board Southwest Florida Land Preservation Trust, Environmental Coalition of Southwest Florida and Young Audiences of Southwest Florida.
Michael Rechtin, Ph.D, Director
michael
Michael Rechtin and his wife live on Marco Island and travel extensively. He is passionate about all areas of science and technology and a strong advocate for the environment. Michael has science and technology experience in biological sciences, computer science, chemical and materials sciences, mechanical engineering, and mathematics. He also has legal skills in technology law and intellectual property and general counsel in the corporate and nonprofit organizational space. He was a Partner at Foley and Lardner law firm, Chicago, IL, and Chairman of the Chicago Intellectual Property Department.
Michael also worked as an Associate Patent Attorney with Amoco Oil Chicago, IL where he reviewed and evaluated technology inventions, prepared technology licenses, and obtained patents. Before that, he worked at the Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL as Research Associate where he carried out research on solar energy and alternative energy technologies. Earlier in his career, Michael was a Research Scientist for Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX where he researched optimum glass window compositions for improved laser transmission for forward-looking infrared radar(“FLIR”).
​
Tessa Tilden-Smith, Director
tessa
Originally from Brighton, England, Tessa has lived in Naples since 2000.
She got her BA from Hornsey College of Art in London before deciding to emigrate to the U.S. Tessa worked for magazines and nonprofits in Chicago, New Orleans and Washington DC. before moving to Naples. She was the Creative Director of Gulfshore Life magazine for fourteen years.
From her experience at the magazine, working with talented nature and wildlife photographers, she developed a love and appreciation of our unique environment. As well as world travelling, she enjoys spending time in our natural areas.
An animal lover, Tessa also volunteers at Purradise Gardens, a Naples cat shelter.
Sharda Spahr, Director
sharda
Originally from England, Sharda has been a Naples resident for over 46 years and is a graduate of Naples High School and Rollins College. She presently owns and operates the Old Naples Surf Shop on Third Street South in Naples.
Sharda has a strong non-for-profit commitment that includes environmental causes; being extremely active in the Friends of Rookery Bay, Naples Equestrian Challenge, NCH Auxiliary, and various leadership roles with her children's schools.
​
Currently, Sharda is Chair of the Moorings Bay Citizens Advisory Committee, Moorings Property Owners Association-Bay and Waterways Chair, serves on the board of the Third Street South Merchant’s Association, and is on the City of Naples Environmental Advisory Committee.
​
Sharda has two grown children and 3 grandchildren; 5 & 2-year-old grandsons, and a 2-year-old granddaughter. Her husband Steve is Regional Vice President and Manager of Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC in Naples.
Sharda currently serves as a Director and Membership Chair Audubon of the Western Everglades.
Staff
Washburn brings twenty years of experience in local and regional environmental advocacy, conservation, and community engagement. She holds a master’s in environmental policy from Vermont Law School and an undergraduate degree in biology from Indiana University. Washburn credits Audubon for significantly shaping her career path - a ten-month undergraduate internship at National Audubon Society’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary left her fully intrigued with wild Florida and eager to go about protecting the region’s environmental lands and waters.
Prior to grad school, Washburn lived in Madagascar as a Peace Corps volunteer, assisting local women’s groups with eco-tourism. She later travelled to Belize, researching the link between renewable energy and the Human Development Index.
Returning to Florida, Washburn focused on conservation policy at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and supported several environmental land acquisition ballot initiatives including the successful 2020 Conservation Collier referendum. Washburn has worked with Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Florida’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. She most recently oversaw recruitment, training, and programming for the Conservancy’s robust volunteer team.
Brad Cornell currently is Policy Director for both Audubon of the Western Everglades and Audubon Florida, a joint position he has held since Summer 2005, and for the regional organization since 2001. He works on land use, wetlands, coastal habitats, and Western Everglades restoration issues to protect and recover imperiled species, especially the Florida Panther, nesting shorebirds, Corkscrew’s Wood Storks, and Marco Island’s Burrowing Owls.
He has degrees from Oberlin College and the University of Texas at Austin and played trombone for the Naples Philharmonic for ten years prior to joining Audubon. Brad and his wife Martha have two adult native Floridian children.
lori
Lori Beall, Program Director
Lori Beall has been with AWE since 2006 as the Program Director. It is a great fit since she has a passion for the environment and the outdoors and all the flora and fauna that occupy our unique landscape here in SW Florida.
Lori grew up in Connecticut and attended the University of Hartford as a Computer Science Major. She worked at CIGNA Healthcare and managed private County Clubs while in Connecticut. She worked in the marine industry for 3 years in the Caribbean and New England then moved to Southern California, where she worked for a computer technology company for 6 years.
Lori and her husband Gregg moved to Naples in 2000 and have two children, both in college here in Florida.
brittany
Brittany Piersma, Wildlife Biologist
Brittany Piersma has a BS in Environmental Science and worked as a zoo keeper at the Naples Zoo for 4 years. She has a wide range of experience with Southwest Florida’s wildlife from volunteering with FWC, Rookery Bay, Panther Refuge, and Audubon.
​
Brittany worked as FWC’s Critical Wildlife Area Shorebird Biologist for three summers on Marco Island, where she monitored nesting shorebirds out on Sand Dollar. Seasonally she worked for three winters as a Shorebird Steward for Audubon Western Everglades surveying the migratory flocks, training volunteers, and doing outreach with the public.
​
Now as AWE's Wildlife Biologist, Brittany manages our shorebird stewardship, burrowing owl, and gopher tortoise programs.
Wesley United Methodist Church
Corporate partners
