Lower Cape Fear Wildlife Chapter Leadership
President
We are seasoned classroom and community educators. The current board comprises accomplished practicing/retired professionals in science education, environmental education, early childhood education, arts education, community education, and outdoor education and our expertise includes university-level, high school, elementary, and pre-kindergarten. We maintain strong positions as environmental advocates.
Lower Cape Fear Wildlife bylaws state that "board members strive to maintain a safe and welcoming community. We actively oppose and will address any actions and/or speech that demeans or discriminates based on race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, or any other attributes of identity."
JENNIFER WIGGEN
President
Dr. Jennifer Wiggen is an experienced educator and researcher currently working as the Senior Educator at the Bald Head Island Conservancy - BHI Conservancy. She graduated from UNCW with a B.S. in Environmental Sciences and an M.S. in Marine Science. While at UNCW she interned at The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center where she fell in love with sea turtle conservation. She earned her Ph.D. in Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Science from NC State University and completed postdoctoral research and teaching in Geoscience Education. She then transitioned to the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC, where her work focused on outdoor education, nature play, and community science projects focused on nature observations.
"I love the outdoors and was fortunate enough to be surrounded by the ocean, marshes, and mountains for the majority of my life. I pivoted from strictly field-based research to educational research and teaching because I realized my passion really lies in science communication and informal education. I believe that getting people outside and using hands-on, exploratory teaching practices creates a space where people can learn and feel genuinely curious. It's in these moments that we can help people develop empathy and compassion for the natural world, and can create better stewards within our communities."
LORA SHARKEY
Treasurer
Lora attended George Mason
University and has a BA in Sustainability Studies with a focus on policy.
She has been a Southport resident since 2014. Prior to that, she lived in Northern Virginia for more than 30 years.
She has served as Chairman of Coastal Water Watch, and for the last 5 years, has been the
primary organizer of Southport NatureFest. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Maritime Museum in Southport and is also on the board of Keep
Brunswick County Beautiful.
"My overall goal is to see Brunswick County develop a
more of an environmental advocacy and environmental education culture. I would like to see the culture here be more
environmentally aware so people change their habits and expect more sustainability in their
governments and business communities."
ERNIE McLANEY
Board Member
SEPTEMBER KRUEGER
Board Member
September Krueger is the Director of Lifelong Learning at Cameron Art Museum. Her work connects deeply with exhibitions, collections, and the community through the planning of Museum School classes and public programs for all ages. An artist herself, September holds an MFA in Textiles from East Carolina University and was trained as a fellow with the A+ Schools program in 2011, which shaped her ideas about arts integration, collaborative learning, and multiple intelligences. In her artwork, September works with fibers and printmaking. Her quilts explore storytelling and mythology through painted, printed, and stitched imagery.
Ernie McLaney is a respected conservation leader whose five decades of measurable impact have advanced environmental stewardship across North Carolina. A Charlotte native and lifelong advocate for community-driven conservation, he has combined professional expertise, strategic leadership, and statewide partnerships to strengthen habitat preservation from the Piedmont to the coast.
As the inaugural director of the Center for Sustainability at Central Piedmont Community College, Ernie helped launch North Carolina’s first Sustainability Technologies degree program, earning multiple state and local awards. He also served as a founding board member of Sustain Charlotte and shaped regional environmental priorities through Charlotte Clean & Green and the Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Ernie co-founded the Charlotte Wildlife Stewards, the third chapter of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF), and served as president for five years. He led community education and habitat restoration projects including the Butterfly Highway and enhancements to the Chantilly Ecological Sanctuary. His leadership within NCWF and the National Wildlife Federation secured Charlotte’s designation as one of the largest certified Community Wildlife Habitat in the US. His accomplishments earned two NCWF Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards: “Chapter of the Year” (2019) and “Volunteer of the Year” (2021).
Since retiring to St. James, Ernie has revitalized multiple local conservation efforts and led the initiative that earned St. James recognition in 2024 as North Carolina’s first coastal Community Wildlife Habitat, establishing a model for other coastal communities to follow. His work continues to educate and mobilize new local environmental stewards and expands native habitat creation as a foundation for resilient, connected communities.
“As neighbors see how habitat restoration at home can revive the natural world right outside their doors, they gain the conviction—and the capacity—to advocate for a community where conservation becomes a shared legacy.”
Former Board Members
VIRGINIA HOLMAN
SANDI CECELSKI
KAREN LINEHAN
KEVINA CASALETTO
BROOKE HAZELWOOD
JESSICA ROACH
Board Member & Native Plants Chair
An aspiring botanist and academic, Jessica has a fierce passion for the natural world. This enthusiasm has led her down an educational and personal path focused on conservation biology. Currently a graduate student at UNC Wilmington, she is conducting a population genetics study of a federally listed plant endemic to the southeastern coastal plain region. During her undergraduate career, she worked with Venus flytraps and has propagated and promoted their conservation ever since. Jess has lived in Wilmington since 2007, and has come to appreciate and admire the incredible biodiversity this region has to offer. She has experience with North Carolina native plant education, best management practices planning and installation, and plant rescues in the tri-county area. She lives with her beloved pets and enjoys gardening, hiking, and traveling.
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BRITT MOORE
Board Member
Dr. Eric Britt Moore (Britt) is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Protection at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Britt's professional experiences include soil science researcher at the USDA National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment, lecturer of agronomy and environmental science at Iowa State University, high school science teacher in Duval County Public Schools, and cover crop specialist for Iowa State University Extension & Outreach. Britt works to promote civic empowerment through youth and adult training programs centered on science literacy, environmental justice, and community gardening; as well as mentoring aspiring professionals of color in the applied sciences. Britt is a Chicago native who enjoys travel, photography, bike riding, nature walks, sci-fi & horror movies, and great food,
wine, and coffee.
