Nicole O'Brien,

Managing Director

Favorite Animal: Virginia Opossum

Favorite Plant: Sunshine Mimosa

What I Like Most About Working at ONP: The work I’m doing can make a difference in ensuring our amazing natural environment remains for future generations.

Nicole has been fascinated by the outdoors since she was little. She lived on a farm for a few years, participated in 4H and Girl Scouts. She became interested in the marine environment in high school, completing her SCUBA certification at 15 years old. After moving to central Florida, she took a more active interest in all of Florida’s natural environments, native plants and animals. She enjoys camping, hiking, and kayaking with her family and walking/biking the West Orange Trail. Nicole was the Volunteer and Wildlife Care Coordinator for the Preserve for 6 years before moving into the Managing Director position.

Nicole manages the daily operations, finances, marketing, fundraising and other general business for the Preserve.

Denise Byrne,

Grants & Fundraising Coordinator 

Favorite Animal: Panther

Favorite Flower: Passion Flower

What I Like Most About Working at ONP: The tranquility of the Preserve. 

Originally from Ireland, Denise found us as a student in the Florida Master Naturalist course held here in Fall 2015. Denise previously served as our Volunteer Coordinator, holds a degree in Marine Biology and is a certified SCUBA instructor. Before coming to the U.S., Denise spent two years working at an aquarium on the west coast of Ireland, studying the captive breeding of lobster and seahorses to replenish local decimated populations. Denise is also a feline rescue specialist and enjoys spending time outdoors, exploring both underwater and topside. She also loves photography, kayaking and hiking.

Denise helps coordinate our grants and fundraising events, manages the website and social media outlets, and is responsible for the trail cam and bird booth projects. 

Favorite Animal: Nurse Shark

Favorite Plant: Pitcher Plant

What I Like Most About Working at ONP: I love the property and wildlife that anyone can come and visit and see a glimpse into the beauty of wild Florida. Everyone at the preserve is very welcoming and knowledgeable and we all share a goal for promoting conservation and education.

Margaret grew up in the Orlando area and has always had a passion for learning about and protecting the natural world. She grew up kayaking, hiking, and exploring nature. Margaret obtained her Bachelors of Science in Marine and Aquatic Biology at the University of Central Florida. She spent a year conducting research in the UCF Electric Knifefish Lab studying the effects of salinity on electric organ discharge. She went on to capture and tag sharks and rays in the Gulf of Mexico to promote conservation efforts of imperiled species.

Margaret started her love for educating the public on ways they can help protect our world’s flora and fauna at her local Wilderness Preserve. She assisted with eco camps and outreach events while caring for the ambassador animals comprising over 25 species of reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. She also recently obtained her SSI Open Water Diving Certification. Before finding ONP Margaret also worked at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as a Wilderness Explorer educating and inspiring over 1000 guests a day. She finds working with groups of students and showcasing our native animals to be very rewarding.

Margaret oversees our educational programming, from field trips to outreach.

Jenifer Odom, Educator

Favorite Animal: Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Favorite Plant: Indian Blanket

What I Like Most About Working at ONP: The wonderful, family atmosphere the staff provides and the tranquility the Preserve provides.

Originally from NC, Jen landed in Florida when her husband accepted a job in Winter Garden.  She has a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from UNC- Wilmington.  She previously worked as an educator at the Jacksonville Zoo, the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.  After taking some time off from working to spend time with her daughter, she is thrilled to have landed at ONP!

Volunteering is something very important to her.  She feels that giving back, in some way, is just as valuable to the community as it is to yourself.  In college, she volunteered at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, where she quickly realized she has a love for teaching people about the natural world around them.  Over the years, Jen has also volunteered at the Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter, served as a Sea Turtle volunteer and nest sitter, was a roving manatee volunteer at Blue Springs State Park, and has been a volunteer at Give Kids the World since 2015.

Jen teaches education programs for school groups and homeschoolers as well as develop programming for Saturdays at the Preserve.

Favorite Animal: Wolf

Favorite Plant: Sunflower

What I Like Most About Working at ONP: The opportunity to work with children teaching them about plants and animals and earth science

Melinda was Born and raised in Orlando and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from UCF in 1989. She taught Kindergarten for 36 years.  Fifteen years at Eccleston Elementary and twenty one years at Dillard Street Elementary. She is recently retired from OCPS.  She loved teaching all subjects, but earth science, plants and animals are her favorite to teach to children!

Melinda loves gardening in her backyard and experimenting with different plants.  She loves camping with her family and visiting different State Parks around Florida and Georgia. She has lived in Winter Garden since 2001 and loves animals!  Her family and has 3 rescued cats, a Black Lab and a German Shepherd/Wolf Mix. She has been on 5 mission trips to Nicaragua to work with Enrich Missions.  She volunteered In their nutrition program, helped in the public school grades K-6th, assisted in the construction of the Enrichment Center, and collected and brought supplies to Nicaragua for school age children.

Her passion is education and seeing children get excited about learning! Melinda teaches education programs for school group field trips.

Alecia Spence, Accountant

Favorite Animal: Cardinal

Favorite Flower: Azaleas

What I Like Most About Working at ONP: The amazing staff who all have a heart for preserving a bit of our natural habitat and educating the public, especially children, about the importance of understanding nature. 

Alecia was born in Orlando and has lived in West Orange County all of her life. She graduated from West Orange High School, received her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Florida Southern College and is a Certified Public Accountant. She has worked as an accountant for 31 years, 17 years as a Public Accountant. She has been married to her high school sweetheart, Rick, for 30 years, and they have been blessed with twins, Caleb and Cassandra. Alecia enjoys traveling, reading, movies and spending time with family and friends.

Alecia manages all aspects of ONP’s day-to-day bookkeeping and accounting processes, and maintains accounting procedures, policies and systems of internal controls to ensure the integrity of all financial systems.

Jackie Kaucher,

Volunteer Coordinator

Favorite Animal: Peregrine Falcon

Favorite Flower: Water Lily

What I Like Most About Working at ONP: Collaborating with the awesome staff and volunteers to educate locals and tourists alike about the importance of protecting Florida’s unique natural environments.

Born and raised in the Chicagoland suburbs, Jackie spent her childhood in nature preserves, kayaking, and foraging for wild berries. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Lewis University in Illinois. Early in her marriage, Jackie and her husband moved to Orlando where she worked at Walt Disney World.  A few years later, her husband’s career moved them back to Illinois where Jackie spent 7 years in physical therapy administration. Fate brought Jackie back to Central Florida in 2023 by way of her husband’s career once again. She quit her job and searched for a new career path.

Sparked by her lifelong love of the natural world, she started taking Florida Master Naturalist classes and volunteering at Oakland Nature Preserve on the restoration team. She is currently a Florida Master Naturalist Land Steward and a Fire Fighter Type II Wildland. When she’s not fighting the war on invasive plants, Jackie enjoys hiking, taking care of her carnivorous plants, and traveling the world.

Jackie manages the volunteer and trail maintenance programs including docents, restoration, community/corporate participants, and the Scout programs. She also assists with event staffing, logistics, and creating community programs.

Jen Schrupp, Wildlife & Outreach Specialist

Favorite Animal: 

Orca Whale

Favorite Flower: 

Calla Lily

What I Like Most About Working at ONP:  I feel so fortunate to live out my passion of working with and caring for animals every day!  I also love educating our guests about the incredible animals here at ONP.  My hope is that through understanding and connection, they’ll be inspired to love, respect, and help conserve our amazing wildlife.

Jen has spent most of her life in and around Orlando and is a proud graduate of University of Central Florida - Go Knights!  From a young age, she knew she wanted to work with animals.  Her journey began in high school, volunteering at a local animal shelter and at the Nature Works exhibit at the Orlando Science Center.  After graduating from college, she worked as a zoo keeper at Zoo Atlanta and SeaWorld, gaining hands-on experience with a variety of animals.  Jen took a 20 year hiatus to raise her 3 amazing children, but now that they’re all teenagers she’s ready to get back to her animal-care roots.

In her free time, Jen enjoys spending time with her family, kayaking, paddle boarding, camping, visiting various nature preserves and exploring nature. Jen is a wildlife rehabilitator and has really enjoyed providing care for a large variety of sick, orphaned and displaced animals.