UF Wildlife Society Officers:

President:

Will Welsh

Pronouns: He/Him

Hi y’all, my name is Will Welsh. I am your TWS President this year.

We have tons in store and I am very excited to get started! I am a senior majoring in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation and minoring in Business Administration. This past summer, I was a Field Ecology Intern for Verdantas. I spent most of my time working with listed bird species, both Florida scrub-jays and burrowing owls. I also spent a good deal of time swamp-walking, evaluating the vegetative, soil, and hydrological characteristics of wetlands. Over the past two summers, I have also utilized cellular trail cameras and automated audio recording devices to document wildlife. I employed artificial intelligence software to analyze audio recordings and it is fascinating to see what you can discover. Apart from The Wildlife Society, I am involved with the Kappa Alpha Order and volunteer for USDA Wildlife Services. In my free time, I enjoy watching Gators football games, hiking, running, and fishing. I am looking forward to meeting everyone and can’t wait for a wonderful year!

Internal Vice President

Max Geller

Pronouns: He/Him

Hey crew. My name is Max Geller.

I’m a fourth Wildlife Ecology and Conservation student focusing in fisheries and aquatic sciences. I’m primarily interested in coastal ecology, and the biology of native fishes, but I try to dabble in all areas of wildlife! This past summer I spent a lot of time on the water with the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute conducting surveys of common snook aggregations, working on an independent study, as well as assisting other members of my lab with their projects. In my spare time I enjoy fishing, hunting, mixed-media art, hiking, biking, paddling, you name it. I’m really looking forward to hosting a successful conclave this spring and ending my journey at UF on a high note. We’re going to build some great connections and have lots of wholesome fun. 

External Vice President

Marin Chester

Pronouns: She/Her

Hi! My name is Marin (pronounced Mare-in) Chester and I am excited to get to know you all as External VP this year!

I’m a fourth year WEC major with a focus in mammalogy and animal behavior. This past summer, I did an internship in northern Minnesota at a nonprofit environmental school. My job involved caring for and training the school’s ambassador animals, which included a grey phase red fox and a great horned owl! I also learned how to band songbirds and how to teach middle schoolers about finding and identifying wildlife.

Outside of TWS, I cook/bake, play ultimate frisbee, video game (mostly Stardew Valley), track wildlife, and hang out with my twin sister who also attends UF! 

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 senior majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation with a focus on herpetology.

Outside of herps, I also enjoy photography, paleontology, and outdoor excursions in general. As a child, I spent hours watching The Crocodile Hunter on VHS tapes, which sparked my lifelong dream of exploring the world and documenting biodiversity. This summer, I primarily worked at the Florida Museum and on independent research projects. I was also lucky enough to go field herping in California, Texas, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, and Georgia. This year I hope we are able to host a great Conclave!

Treasurer:

Zadi Almond

Pronouns: She/Her

Hi everyone! My name is Zadi and I am the TWS Treasurer again this year.

I am a Master’s student studying Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. My studies focus on outreach and education as well as data processing. For the past several years I have assisted the North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group with their work around North and Central Florida monitoring turtle populations. In the future I would love to work with birds in some capacity, specifically any in the genus Sula. My favorite thing I have done while at UF is my internship with Alachua Conservation Trust’s CrEEK Program where I helped lead an environmental education program at Little Orange Creek Nature Park. When I am not outside hiking, birdwatching, or herping I like to read, crochet, and do gymnastics with Florida Club Gymnastics. I am excited for the year ahead and I can’t wait to get to know everyone!

Fundraising Coordinator

Taylor Petrock

Pronouns: He/Him

Hey y’all —

Name’s Taylor, and I’m your current Fundraising Coordinator, future External Vice President. Really ecstatic to help with Conclave over the next two semesters! Majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation whilst pursuing a Geospatial Information Analysis certificate, so I can be your go-to guy if you’re interested in GIS. In the future I’m hoping to apply my skills to create maps viable for the general public regarding population and resource data. Fieldwork with mammals (especially opossums - my favorite) sounds lovely after getting a taste of it during Wildlife Techniques.

This Summer I spent two months working as a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission state employee at the Ocala Conservation Center, though during the school year I am a consistent volunteer for the McCarty Woods Restoration Project. I also serve as the Treasurer for UF’s Society of Conservation Photography and enjoy attending GREBE meetings. During my free time I love urban and non-urban hiking, bug catching, and spending time with friends doing just about anything.

Conclave & Social Coordinator:

Ciara Coulombe

Pronouns: She/Her

Hi there! My name is Ciara Coulombe and I am a senior majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation with a certificate in Fire Ecology and Management. I'm also your current Conclave and Social Coordinator!  I am fascinated by the evolution and adaptations of vascular plants (with a special bias towards carnivorous plants). This past summer I was able to learn more about management as a tool for conservation through my internship at Lykes Ranch, where I gained experience in deer management, gopher tortoise recipiency, and alligator egg collection.  

Outside of TWS, you can find me backpacking, gardening, and running. Although, we'll see how much of that I can get to this semester…

Super pumped for my final year at UF and excited to get to know everyone :)