New Board Members Announced At Annual Meeting
PRESS RELEASE | The Board of Directors of Friends of Virgin Islands National Park ratified the addition of three new Board Members at the organization’s Annual Meeting today. Joining the volunteer Board are Julice Holder, Adonis Morton and Dr. Kim Waddell. Long-time Directors, Andrew Rutnik and Adrian Davis are stepping down having collectively served on the Board for over 35 years. Both will continue to serve the organization as members of the Honorary Advisory Board.
“We welcome the fresh perspectives and diverse experience that Julice Holder, Adonis Morton and Dr. Kim Waddell bring to the Board and thank Andy Rutnik and Adrian Davis for their many years of service and commitment to helping protect and preserve the natural and cultural resources in the Park on St. John,” said Audrey Penn, Board Chair, Friends of Virgin Islands National Park.
Board of Directors
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors consisting of community-oriented leaders who represent a variety of interests in the Virgin Islands from both the public and private sectors. Members of the Board are Audrey Penn (Chair), Rafe Boulon (Vice Chair), Curtis Penn (Secretary), Lani Clark (Treasurer), Tammy Donnelly, John Fuller, Julice Holder, Dr. Paul Jobsis, Shikima Jones-Sprauve, Adonis Morton, Miles Stair, Dr. Kim Waddell, and Lila Uzzell, who also serves as the Chair of the Friends Young Professionals Board.
Julice Holder
Julice L. Holder is the Chief of Staff at the Virgin Islands Port Authority, where she has worked for the past 20 years. She has a Bachelor in Business Administration from Florida International University. She is a past president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, Sigma Theta Omega Chapter and a current board member of the Virgin Islands Association for Independent Living. As an ancestral Virgin Islander, Julice has a strong commitment to family and loves to give back to her community in any way that she can. In her blended family she is a mother of five and wife to Melville Holder.
Adonis Morton
Born, raised and educated on St. Thomas, Adonis moved to St. John 21 years ago after meeting his wife, Krista. Adonis has over 30 years experience in the banking field and is currently the General Manager of Cinnamon Bay Beach and Campgrounds and a licensed Realtor with 340 Real Estate of St John. He serves as a board member on the VI Real Estate Appraiser’s Board and the St John Cancer Fund Board. Adonis is well known for volunteering his DJ and MC skills to many community organization fundraisers including St. John Cancer Fund, Friends of Virgin Islands National Park, Team River Runner, Animal Care Center, and Gifft Hill School. He and his family embrace their commitment to family life and community involvement.
Dr. Kim Waddell
Kim Waddell is the Project Director for the Virgin Islands Established Program for Stimulating Competitive Research (VI-EPSCoR) —a National Science Foundation-supported research capacity building program based at the University of the Virgin Islands. Kim received his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of South Carolina. He lives in St. Thomas.
To learn about the work that the Friends does, visit their website at www.friendsvinp.org.
