Our Team
Conserve Nassau Officers
Chair. Wende Burdick, whose formal studies focused on psychology and sociology, brings both professional and corporate governance experience to the Conserve Nassau board. In her career as a business coach and trainer, working in six different states, she learned the skills of listening and expression so vital to advocacy in the public policy domain. As a member on the Larsen Fund Board she was instrumental in donating a grove of trees to the City of Fernandina Beach. She is also a member of the Amelia Tree Conservancy Board.
Vice-chair. Lauree Hemke believes we can collaboratively address local issues and form community connections that develop compassion and trust. She has a lifetime of community participation driven by learning. She’s enthusiastic about Nassau County and its beautiful environment.
Lauree serves on the Amelia Island Comprehensive Plan Work Group, engaging and researching problem-solving strategies. Community groups she is a member of include the Amelia Tree Conservancy, Amelia Island Quilt Guild, Studio Arts Quilt Association, and the Newcomers Club of Amelia Island. She dances with the Ballroom on Amelia and the Island Tap Dance teams. Additionally, Lauree’s passion for our barrier island’s history and culture allows her to enjoy cultural activities and outdoor activities such as yoga, biking, and walking. Lauree has Masters Degrees in School Administration and Special Education. She is a retired school administrator, having served students of all ages with disabilities for 40 years.
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” – M. Teresa
Secretary. Betsie Huben. I have long been inspired by work the of Mother Teresa. She did so much for so many working tirelessly with so little. One of the many lessons I learned from Mother Teresa is that, by myself, I cannot save our dunes, restore our tree canopy, or protect the waters and wildlife of Nassau County no matter how hard I try. What I can do is join up with a team of folks who know the history, science and the mechanics of how to do such things and cast the stones to help create the ripples of change we seek.
Treasurer. Cheryl Witt is a career accountant who spent 35 years in the banking and financial services industry plus an initial 4 years in public accounting. She was a CPA before recently retiring as a Vice President from Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. based in Jacksonville, Florida. She has a BS in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin and has served in various volunteer accounting roles for non-profit environmental organizations in Florida and Alabama. She has lived on Amelia Island for almost 10 years and is a resident of the City of Fernandina Beach. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Richard Witt and has two adorable fuzzy white dogs, Westley and Buttercup.
Interim Treasurer. Dr. Leonard Pearlstine retired from Everglades National Park in 2019. His education and experience have been multi-disciplinary and directed toward applied ecological modeling in natural systems management. At the Park he led the ecological modeling team for 13 years and acted as technical representative for an exciting variety of university and sister agency ecological research projects. He has been Affiliate Facility at the University of Florida and Florida Atlantic University.