HomeMy WebLinkAboutVKBPT Memo and ResumeVirginia Key Beach
Park Trust
Memo
From: Guy Forchion, Executive Director
To: Todd Hannon, Clerk, City of Miami
Nicole Ewan, Assistant City Clerk, City of Miami
Date: 12/20/2018
Re: Trustee Appointment
Please add Mr. Richard Townsend's name to the vacant At -Large Appointments for the
Virginia Key Beach Park Trust; Mr. Townsend was selected unanimously by the Virginia
Key Beach Park Trust Board of Trustees to fill the vacant At -Large Board Member vacancy.
Mr. Townsend's resume is attached.
Richard W. Townsend
Biographical Sketch
for
Virginia Key Beach Park Trust Records
Professor, Miami -Dade College, thirty years
Fifteen years as teaching faculty, Psychology and Environmental CommunicatioBs
Fifteen years as non -instructional faculty — Counseling Coordinator, Research/Testing
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Mental Health Counselor/Family Therapist, fifteen years
Family therapy, crisis intervention, child abuse intervention, addiction treatment,
vocational assessment and rehabilitation, psychiatric rehabilitation, and
rehabilitation of juvenile and adult offenders.
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Completed Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees (Counseling Psychology) at the University of
Florida.
Completed additional graduate studies at the U. of Miami, F.I.U, F.A.U. and
St. Thomas University as well as non -degree studies at U.S.F. and American University
Served as core faculty member/trainer in Miami -Dade College Earth Ethics Institute.
Developed the curricula for several in-service courses specific to environmental
issues across the many and varied discipline areas at the College. Conducted numerous
field trips for students, staff, faculty and administrators.
Served as chair of a grassroots, Virginia Key advisory committee. Membership included
representatives of major environmental groups, Virginia Key user groups,
representatives of public agencies, historians and marine scientists.
Appointed by the City of Miami Commission to the Virginia Key Advisory Committee and
was subsequently appointed as a founding trustee of the Virginia Key Beach Park
Trust. I continue to serve on the VKBPT History Committee. I was Chair of the
VKBPT Nature and Environment until it was combined with the Planning and
Construction Committee. i now serve as Vice -Chair of the combined committee.
l have videotaped oral histories, removed exotic species, planted native
vegetation, overseen park clean-ups and often served as a naturalist on tours of the
park. l have been very involved in planning and overseeing park drum circles.
Served on the Tropical Audubon Society Board for twenty-six years and was Vice President and
Conservation Chair for most of that time. I was director of the TA5 Sea Turtle
Hatchery and Conservation Program. That was a 24/7 program during the six-month
Nesting and hatching season. I was directly involved in the creation of the Bill Sadowsky
Critical Wildlife Area on Virginia Key.
Appointed by the Miami -Dade County Commission to the Manatee Plan Committee, a six -year
Process. Served as Vice -Chair of that committee as well as the Manatee Plan Revision
Committee to which I was appointed, a two year process.
Appointed by the Miami -Dade County Commission to the Marine Facilities Committee. The
Committee developed best management practices and regulations for marine
Dependent facilities in the county, a ten-year process.
Serve on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Sailing Center in Coconut Grove.
Serve on the South Dade Greenways Committee.
Served on the ❑lets River State Park Master Plan Review Committee.
Served on the Hardy Matheson Preserve Planning Committee.
Served as a founding board member and Vice President of the South Florida Chapter of
the American Littoral Society.
Served as a board member (and a term as President) of the Friends of Big Cypress.
Served on a community planning committee organized by the American Institute of
Architects.
Serve on the Environmental Education Providers organization, a coalition of over eighty
agencies, institutions and non -profits that promote environmental education.
An active naturalist/fieldtrip leader. I have created and conducted fieldtrip experiences
ranging from two hours to two weeks. I created curricula and served as a
naturalist/educator for fieldtrips specific to North Biscayne Bay, Virginia Key,
Biscayne National Park, the Everglades watershed, Everglades National Park,
the Florida Keys, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, the Big Cypress Preserve and
the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve.
Have created and taught natural history/environmental courses including non-credit courses
for children and adults, undergraduate credit courses and graduate level courses.
Have maintained close working relationships with individuals representing a variety of city,
county, State and Federal agencies was well as academic institutions at all levels.
Have a keen interest in the psychology of environmental communications. A member of the
Society of Environmental Journalists and an active writer, photographer and documentary
filmmaker.
Did a documentary film on the natural history of Costa Rica and films about specific Florida
eco-systems. Documented multiple offerings of the Eco-Urban Year, a residential
program in which college students explore sustainable living in urban Miami.
Twice served as naturalist and documentarian for an ecology course that was an
exploration of the two hundred and fifty miles of the Everglades watershed..
Born in Miami and grew up in Coconut Grove.
Intimate familiarity with Biscayne Bay and all manner of watercraft. Have been very involved in
junior sailing programs at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, the Coral Reef Yacht Club and the
U.S. Sailing Center. Heavily involved in planning and on -the -water activities associated with the
annual Orange Bowl Regatta.