UF Wildlife Society Officers:

President:

Preston Ballard

Pronouns: He/Him

Instagram: @prestonb.wild

Hey guys!

My name is Preston, I am a Junior majoring in WEC here at UF. I will be this year’s President of the UF Wildlife Society and I couldn’t be more excited for what this year has to hold for the club! Outside of TWS, though, I am also involved with GREBE here on campus as well as working at the Florida Museum of Natural History! Wildlife has always been a big part of my life, but in more recent years it has definitely taken over and I have found myself obsessed with it, especially with birds, though I love all wildlife and activities like birding, herping, and wildlife photography tend to make up most of my free time.

Vice President of Internal Affairs

Max Geller

Pronouns: He/Him

Instagram: @slimenandspine

Greetings gang.

I’m Max, your newly minted vice president. I am a third year WEC student minoring in fisheries and aquatic science. I can’t wait to see what motley crew will join us for a season of adventure, learning, and debauchery. I’ve kept busy this summer with an internship at FWC’s fisheries independent monitoring program, so if you have any questions regarding coastal fishes and pulling nets- I’m your man. In my free time I enjoy caving, herping, fishing, and smoking meat. The Wildlife Society is a great community and I implore everyone with a love for our fauna to get involved. See you in the field!

Vice President of External Affairs:

Will Welsh

Pronouns: He/Him

Instagram: @willewelsh

Hi y’all, my name is Will Welsh. I am this year’s External Vice President. My main role will be planning our biggest fundraiser, Beast Feast! I would love to see you there on February 22nd, save the date! I am a junior majoring in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation and minoring in Business Administration. Last summer, I was a reclamation ecology intern for The Mosaic Company. I set up a biodiversity survey using cellular cameras and automated audio recording devices. I would love to talk to you about technology’s role in conservation, it is growing day by day. Apart from TWS, I am involved with the Kappa Alpha Order and volunteer with USDA in Gainesville. In my free time, I love hiking, fishing, running, and watching the Gators (hopefully) win football games. I am very excited to meet all of you and cannot wait for a wonderful year! 

Secretary:

Madden Haag

Pronouns: he/him

Instagram: @madden_haag_wildlife

Hello everybody!

I am super excited to get to know more people who are interested in all things wildlife! I am a third year student here at UF and I am majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. I am primarily interested in herpetology, but love learning about anything ecological. Outside of herps, I also enjoy photography, paleontology, and outdoor excursions in general. Ever since I was very little and watching The Crocodile Hunter on VHS tapes, my dream life has been to travel around the world and document as much biodiversity as possible. This summer I primarily worked in the Florida Museum and helped conduct nest surveys for diamondback terrapins. I was also lucky enough to explore Utah, Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada, Arkansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama. This year I hope we are able to incorporate a variety of everyone's interests into our GBMs and workshops.

Treasurer:

Zadi Almond

Pronouns: She/Her

Instagram: @zadi_almond

Hi everyone!

My name is Zadi and I will be your treasurer this year. I am a first year Master’s student in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. I did my undergrad here in Zoology with a minor in Anthropology. I am an intern with the ACT CrEEK Program where I help with environmental education for K-12 students. I also volunteer with the Gainesville Rabbit Rescue where I help care for adoptable rabbits. When I’m not outside hiking, swimming, or otherwise enjoying nature I love reading, crocheting, and playing board games with my friends. Fun fact: I am part of the club gymnastics team here at UF!

Fundraising Coordinator

Marin Chester

Pronouns: She/Her

Instagram: @marin_of_foxdale

Hi, I’m Marin and I will be TWS’s Fundrasing Coordinator this year! I’m a junior majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation with a completed minor in French and Francophone Studies. While most of my time outside of this club involves playing Ultimate frisbee, I love to dabble in other activities like pickleball, board games, thrifting, reading, and watching movies. I have volunteered with Lubee Bat Conservancy, Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Foundation, and Gainesville Rabbit Rescue in the past, learning something new at each organization. My current interests in the field include at-risk species conservation, wildlife tracking, and animal behavior.

Conclave & Social Coordinator:

Tyler Krotenberg

Pronouns: he/him

Instagram: @the_florida_herper

Hey everyone!

I’m Tyler and I will once again be your social event and conclave coordinator this year. I am a senior Natural Resource Conservation major with a specialization in Fisheries and Ecology. In my free time I love exploring natural areas, going herping, fishing, and fossil hunting. I have worked on a wide variety of projects from monitoring Diamondback terrapins in northern Florida to surveying for the elusive Florida ghost orchid deep in the heart of the Everglades. I am currently one of the collection assistants in the Florida museum of Natural History Herpetology department. I look forward to bringing my interests as well as everyone else’s together for some awesome social events. Even more so I look forward to topping our record setting performance at the annual conclave competition from last year!