Category: Professional Development

Workforce Training and Career Development Opportunities for Professionals

by Jackie Lebouitz, Lee Hayes Byron and Erin Petersen

November 12, 2026

UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County offers a variety of educational programs, services, and resources for businesses, non-profits, government agencies, and their employees. Keep reading to learn more. Both organizations and individuals can ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Career, CEU, Development, Pgm_4H, Pgm_Ag, Pgm_Chemicals, Pgm_EcoNR, Pgm_FCS, Pgm_HortRes, Pgm_Marine, Pgm_Sustain, Pgm_Waste, Professionals, Training, Workforce

How to Foster an Identity as a Planet Steward

by Michelle Marinangel
September 2, 2026

James Clear’s acclaimed book Atomic Habits is one of the most widely read and frequently recommended modern books on habit formation. It features stories and research that support how to implement successful habit changes and resulting desired ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Professional Development, Recreation, Work & Life
Tags: Climate, Climate Solutions, Healthy Living, Personal Development, Pgm_Sustain, Stewardship, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County

Meet Sarah Denison Williams: A Florida Master Naturalist Success Story

by Katherine Clements and Zahir Ringgold Cordes

August 3, 2026

Blog co-authored by Mary Ellen Boelhower, Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) graduate Meet Sarah Denison Williams A native of Florida’s east coast, Sarah Denison Williams has been smitten with the natural world since attending ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Conservation, Florida Master Naturalist Program, Fmnp-in-srq, Nature, Pgm_EcoNR, Volunteers

Meet Tish Sacks: A Florida Master Naturalist Success Story

by Katherine Clements and Zahir Ringgold Cordes

July 2, 2026

Blog co-authored by Mary Ellen Boelhower, Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) graduate. Meet Tish Sacks Graduates form the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) routinely influence others with their knowledge of the natural world, ... READ MORE

Beyond the Classroom: My Experience Interning with UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County

by Evelyn Spencer
June 15, 2026

My name is Evelyn Spencer, and I worked as an Environmental Education and Outreach Intern in the fall of 2025 and spring of 2026 with the UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County Sustainability Program. I graduated in May 2026 from the ... READ MORE

Category: Professional Development, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Careers, Internship, Pgm_Sustain, Professional Development, Sarasota County Extension, Sustainability

Meet Kristen Sturgeon: A Florida Master Naturalist Success Story

by Katherine Clements and Zahir Ringgold Cordes

June 3, 2026

Blog co-authored by Mary Ellen Boelhower, Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) graduate Meet Kristen Sturgeon Meet Kristen Sturgeon, an Environmental Specialist III with Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources. In this ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Florida Master Naturalist Program, Fmnp-in-srq, Nature, Pgm_EcoNR, Volunteers

Welcome Our New Commercial Horticulture Program Specialist

by Jackie Lebouitz
April 10, 2026

At UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, we work closely with residents, volunteers, and professionals on a wide range of topics in horticulture, with a focus on promoting plant health through best management practices (BMPs) in the landscape ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Business, Commercial, Garden, Greenhouse, Growers, Horticulture, Nursery, Pgm_Chemicals, Plants, Professional

Meet Dr. Mary Davis: A Florida Master Naturalist Success Story

by Zahir Ringgold Cordes and Katherine Clements

April 6, 2026

Blog co-authored by Mary Ellen Boelhower, Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) graduate Meet Dr. Davis This is Dr. Mary Davis, a retired PhD Ecologist and Sarasota County volunteer. She is also a Florida Master Naturalist Program graduate. ... READ MORE

Hands-On Learning: My Experience as a UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County Intern

by Evelyn Spencer
September 25, 2025

Hi all! My name is Evelyn Spencer and I worked as one of the Environmental Education & Outreach Interns for Summer 2025 with UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County. I am currently enrolled at USF's Patel College of Global Sustainability ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Community, Intern, InternSarasotaLife, Internship, Nature, Pgm_EcoNR

Meet Kylie Wilson: A Florida Master Naturalist Program Success Story

by Katherine Clements
September 25, 2025

Meet Kylie Wilson: Sarasota's Spectacular Shorebird Superstar! Kylie is one of those rare breeds- a native Sarasotan. We've had a few of them now in our Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) courses at UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County. Even ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Florida Master Naturalist Program, FMNP, Fmnp-in-srq, Master Naturalist, Pgm_EcoNR

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