UF-IFAS Natural Resources Leadership Institute Logo
The Office of
Resilience is thrilled that its Environmental Analyst, Katelyn Cucinotta, is
one of 22 natural resources leaders from across the state chosen to participate
in Class 19 of the University of Florida’s Natural
Resources Leadership Institute (NRLI).
This eight-month professional development program consists of eight 3-day sessions
held in different parts of the state where fellows meet experts and
stakeholders from diverse institutions to explore contentious environmental issues
and develop the necessary skills to facilitate collaborative decision-making
while managing conflict. Led by a team of enthusiastic faculty members from the
University of Florida’s Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS),
the goal of Florida’s NRLI program is to build a network of professionals from
all sectors around the state that impact or are impacted by natural resource
issues and provide them the necessary strategies to find inclusive solutions to
controversial problems.
Katelyn Cucinotta, who applied for this year’s class in early March, was ecstatic to find out that she was not only accepted to NRLI Class 19, but that she was awarded a $2,250 NRLI Engaged Citizen Scholarship to assist with program costs. Katelyn is the first fellow ever accepted from Palm Beach County, and proudly joins representatives in her class from impressive agencies such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She says,
I’m only a few months in, but so far this program has been more helpful than I ever could have imagined. On day one I knew I was in the right place. I look forward to graduating from NRLI with a much broader understanding of Florida’s natural resources, skills to guide decision making that can really improve management of those resources, and best of all – a new extended family of professionals!
So far this year the group has visited Port Everglades to learn about port expansion efforts, Fort Walton Beach to learn from stakeholders involved in beach nourishment, and Fort Myers to learn about Caloosahatchee River water quality and estuary health projects. Future sessions include a trip to Ocala to discuss Florida Black Bear management and Okeechobee where fellows will meet with experts and community members to discuss agriculture and water quality.
To read more about the program, and to see a list of alumni by organization and sector type,
click here!
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