Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch was born at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, and has lived in Martin County, Florida since she was eleven months old. She is a former middle and high school teacher who taught English and German. She is currently a referral agent with the Life Style Realty Group.
Thurlow-Lippisch is a longtime advocate for the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon. She currently (2020) shares commentary about the impacts to the health of those waterways on www.jacquithurlowlippish.com, a blog that shares information about the watershed with historic, political and personal commentary, and tracks algae growth by documenting toxic plumes from Lake Okeechobee using aerial photography and ground work.
A former commissioner of the Town of Sewall’s Point, Thurlow-Lippisch also served as the town’s mayor. She is very active in environmental and community issues on the local, county and state level. In 2018, she sponsored the bill to Prohibit Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling in Florida’s Territorial Seas that became part of Ballot Amendment 9 and overwhelmingly passed with over 68% of the voters.
Thurlow-Lippisch was appointed to the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2019. Other key leadership positions include Chairing the Treasure Coast Council of Local Governments and the Florida League of Cities Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Legislative Committee. She also served as Vice-Chair of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and as an SFWMD Water Resource Advisory Commission alternate.
Thurlow-Lippisch grew up in Stuart and lives in Sewall’s Point with her husband, Dr. Ed Lippisch. She holds leadership roles in various organizations to bring awareness to preserving and protecting the environment. She currently serves as a member of the Guardians of Martin County and the Rivers Coalition Inc. and as Volunteer Administrator of the River Kidz Organization.
Thurlow-Lippisch graduated from Martin County High School in 1982. She earned a B.A. degree in Journalism and Communications and a B.A. degree in German from the University of Florida. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Development from the College of Education, University of West Florida. Thurlow-Lippisch is also a 2016 graduate of the University of Florida IFAS Natural Resources Leadership Institute.[1]
Organizations
- Florida Wildlife Federation, Board Member at Large, elected 2018, resigned June 2019, remain a member
- Treasured Lands Foundation, Board of Directors 2010-2012;
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation, FAU, Board of Directors 2013-2016
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, FAU, Marine Mammal, volunteer 2011-2014
Conservation Awards
- “Wings Award” for advocacy of Marine Mammals of the Indian River Lagoon from the Pegasus Foundation, 2013
- Everglades Coalition’s “John V. Kabler Award” for Grassroots Activism, 2015
- “Conservation Award,” National Daughter of the American Revolution, Halpatiokee Chapter, Stuart, Florida, 2015
- “Albert Tuttle Award” for Outstanding Volunteer Service/Indian River Lagoon, Marine Resources Council, Brevard County, 2016
- “Burl Long Award,” University of Florida/IFAS Natural Resources Leadership Institute, Class XV. The award is a peer award, presented each year to the classmate who has shown the most growth and use of NRLI concepts and tools, incorporating conflict management and collaborative decision-making into their work and changed the most as a result of their NRLI experience, 2016
- “Conservation Communicator of the Year Award,” Florida Wildlife Federation, 2017
References
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