TRACI DEEN, ESQ.

President + CEO

A 6th generation Floridian born in Homestead, Florida, Traci is passionate about protecting Florida’s wild and working lands for the generations of Floridians to come. She leads our team as CEO, overseeing statewide land conservation efforts. Her work with Conservation Florida includes fostering strategic partnerships, engaging the community and community leaders, and facilitating large-scale land transactions. She currently serves as the President of the Alliance of Florida Land Trusts, as the Florida Representative on the Board of Directors of the Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation, and was recently appointed by the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives to serve on the Florida Greenways and Trails Council. Traci is an environmental lawyer and an active member of the legal community. She has been appointed twice to the Florida Bar’s Governmental and Public Policy Advocacy Committee by the Florida Bar President, served as Legislative Director for the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and three terms as a Board Member for the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers. In the community, Traci is an active volunteer. She has served as the State Chair of the Junior Leagues of Florida State Public Affairs Committee, representing over 11,000 women. Traci enjoys a good book, horseback riding, exploring trails, and spending time near Florida’s beautiful waters.

ADAM STRANG BASS

Vice President

Adam is a multigenerational Floridian with experience in real estate, agriculture, and art. Before joining Conservation Florida, Adam managed a 2000-acre farm and cattle operation, and founded a successful wildlife photography business. Adam also served as a Corporal in the Marine Corps with two tours in Iraq. Adam leads our statewide efforts to protect Florida’s natural and agricultural landscapes for future generations.

JESSICA MODRISKEY

Director of Operations

Jessica is a graduate of Florida State University where she double majored in Environmental Studies and Geography as well as minored in Urban and Regional Planning. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Nonprofit Management and Fundraising Graduate Certificate at the University of Central Florida, where she is a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha, Omega Nu Lambda, and Nu Lambda Mu Honor Societies. Before joining Conservation Florida, she spent a year interning with the Florida Fish and Wildlife’s Bear Management Program. During this time, Jessica found a love for land conservation and wildlife management through data work, field work, and outreach. Growing up a military child, away from her family’s home state of Florida, Jessica has an acute appreciation for Florida’s natural beauty and unique wildlife. She enjoys hiking, live music, and a good book. 

Chelsea Wisner

Director of Land Protection

Chelsea dreamed of being a conservationist before she knew what to call it. Hailing from New York City, she grew up surrounded by concrete with her head buried in encyclopedias of the world’s lush ecosystems and diverse wildlife, cultivating a deep desire to experience and protect them. She pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Behavior, Ecology & Conservation at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, where she graduated magna cum laude. Upon graduating, Chelsea worked her way across the country exploring different avenues of conservation, from environmental education and animal husbandry to research and endangered species management.

Florida’s outstanding uniqueness beckoned her back to permanently put down roots along the Peace River in 2018. She has been privileged to work in some of Florida’s most inimitable ecosystems: from the remnant morsels of dry prairie, to the exceptionally biodiverse Lake Wales Ridge all the way to the strand swamps and sawgrass seas of the Everglades. In her spare time, Chelsea enjoys kayaking, native gardening, doting on her dogs, and arguing about the latest and best land management practices with her husband, who is also a professional conservationist.

MarK Rizzo

Land Manager

Mark has lived in Florida for more than 20 years and has a master’s degree in Environmental Studies. He has 11 years of experience as a land manager/ecologist in the Land Acquisition and Management departments of county government and has also worked in state government and private environmental consulting. Mark enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, playing basketball, cooking, and traveling as much as possible.

Erin Corry

Land Protection Administrator

Erin is a first-generation Floridian with a strong passion for conserving Florida's unique natural environment. She graduated from Florida State University in 2014 with degrees in History and Social Sciences, and she was born and raised in Central Florida. Her interests include traveling, hiking, and gardening.

Cyndi Fernandez

Philanthropy Coordinator

Florida is Cyndi's home state, and she loves its wild lands and waterways. Cyndi has worked in land protection for over 12 years and has assisted in the protection of thousands of acres of natural habitat and agricultural landscapes in Washington and Florida. She has broad experience in nonprofit leadership, outreach, fundraising, and strategic planning. She is also a proud Natural Resources Leadership Institute alum and graduate of the University of South Florida. A few of her favorite pastimes include exploring remote places, relaxing with a good book, and figuring out how to protect more land.

Kaylyn glenn

Programs Lead

In the unique landscape of Southwest Florida, Kaylyn, a 10th generation Floridian, was raised near the Western Everglades. Her childhood, spent barefoot in oak hammocks and cypress tree domes, resounds with tales of her pioneering ancestors who settled in the region. Witnessing the loss of these crucial areas fueled a passion for environmental advocacy, shaping her career.

With over a decade of experience in regenerative agriculture and land management across the Southern United States, Kaylyn is a proactive advocate and practitioner for land conservation. Armed with an undergraduate degree in natural resource management and pursuit of a master's at the University of Florida in forest resource conservation, she brings critical knowledge and experience to her role.

Her expertise in the private sector provides an understanding of agricultural products markets and their role in supporting the protection of working lands. Having worked closely with landowners in the past, she comprehends their obstacles and concerns, fostering a comprehensive approach to conservation and land protection.

With a boots-on-the-ground approach and unwavering passion for preserving Florida's natural resources and unique way of life, Kaylyn envisions a future where the Florida Corridor and Florida’s existing wildlands are fully protected for generations to come.

In her free time, Kaylyn finds joy in backpacking, traveling, python hunting with her son and family in the Everglades, and trail riding with her hound dogs.

Erin Paulakovich

Communications Associate

Erin grew up landlocked in Kansas City, Missouri and graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor's in Environmental Studies. Despite being far from the ocean, she always felt a deep connection to salty air and ocean waters. From a young age, Erin was captivated and inspired by wildlife and nature, fueling her big dreams of exploring and protecting the environment. Shortly after graduating, her passion for the outdoors drove her to move to Central Florida. Florida's unique landscapes, freshwater springs, and diverse wildlife quickly stole her heart.

Upon relocating, Erin worked in multiple roles for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This experience was instrumental in leading her to Conservation Florida's doorstep. Committed to sharing her deep love for wildlife and nature through various media types, Erin is thrilled to tell stories about wild Florida. 

When she's not chasing her dreams, Erin enjoys hanging out with her dogs, spending days at the lake, or playing in the springs.

HANNAH BOWEN

Private Lands Stewardship Manager

Hannah is a plant ecologist with a background in the temperate forests of the Northeastern United States, Gulf Coast mangrove swamps, and rare plants of the Florida scrub.  After earning a master’s of science in ecology from the Institute of Ecology in Veracruz, Mexico in 2022, she moved to Florida to work as a Research Assistant in the Plant Ecology Program at Archbold Biological Station. There, she fell in love with the unique and miraculous plants of the Lake Wales Ridge. Hannah’s appreciation for rural and wild landscapes is rooted in several years of working in organic agriculture and agroforestry. Currently, at Conservation Florida, she leads the new Private Lands Stewardship program in Highlands, Okeechobee, Polk, and Osceola counties.

Brandon evans

Land Steward

Brandon is a lifelong Floridian, having been born and raised in Central Florida. His love for the outdoors comes from many years of growing up surrounded by the beautiful sandhills of the Ocala National Forest, which were later the inspiration for his research into fire ecology in Florida. He attended Stetson University, and graduated with a major in Biology, with minors in Environmental Science, Sustainable Food Systems, and Community Engagement. His studies have focused on ecology, habitat restoration, and recreation area management. He comes from an agricultural background, having helped work the family farms of his relatives and neighbors. He understands the value of agricultural land to both human enjoyment and wildlife passage and advocates for mindful and sustainable development that balances human needs and environmental impacts. After college, he worked with his local community organizations to address economic disparities in his neighborhood and preserve green spaces in urban areas. While not at work, Brandon enjoys any activity that gets him outside and closer to nature. Hiking, trail biking, camping, and gardening are some of his favorite ways to get out in the Florida sun.