Captain Leiza Fitzgerald is a first-generation Floridian and trailblazer in the fishing industry. She is known as the “Queen of Conservation” in many circles because of her dedication to advocating for clean fisheries and protecting marine habitats. She has served as Florida STAR Director for the Coastal Conservation Association for over three decades, to educate the public on the importance of protecting Florida’s marine resources. Leiza also has many philanthropic endeavors through fishing teams and tournaments that benefit cancer charities.  Some of her many accolades includes numerous top 10 fishing titles across various tournaments, “Top Angler for Redfish, Snook” and Sheepshead by International Women’s Fishing Association,  “The Top 12 Lady Anglers in Florida” by Salt Strong, “Sportsman of the Year” by The Sarasota Sportsman’s Association, “The 30 Most Influential Female Anglers in North America” by Wildlife Enthusiast magazine, the first angler to be inducted to the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2022, and first recipient of the Pamela Martin-Wells “Outdoor Woman of the Year”.

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Dr. Betsey Hermanson Boughton is originally from Michigan and now resides in Sebring, FL. She graduated with a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Central Michigan University and earned her PhD from the University of Central Florida in Conservation Biology. Her roots run deep at Archbold Biological Station and Buck Island Ranch (BIR). She first started as an intern and she now serves as the Director of Science. Her research at BIR is focused on the quantification of multiple ecosystem services provided by working ranches, understanding how ranch management practices affect multiple ecosystem services and disservices, and the drivers and threats to ecosystem services, such as invasive species and climate change. Dr. Boughton serves as an integral part of the scientific community, helping to bridge the gap between science, conversation, and ranching.

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Megan Cassidy grew up in Northwestern Colorado and went to Colorado Mesa University. She was involved in agriculture at a young age through 4H. When she’s not busy helping run her family’s cattle operation, working in town, and spending time with family, she’s advocating for the agriculture industry.  Some of her involvement includes, but is not limited to, Mesa County Cattlewomen’s, District 9 Representative for the Colorado Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers, Vice President of her local co-op, and former Grand Junction Chamber Board Member. Her most recent honor being the 2025 Colorado Cattlewomen’s Rookie of the Year.

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We hope you enjoyed hearing about Josie’s work. Part 2 live and you’ll get to hear more on her life!

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Josie Waters is agricultural anthropologist and 8th generation farmer-rancher from Micanopy, FL. She worked in the feed industry for 10 years for Corbett’s Feed and Seminole Feed. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s in anthropology from UF, and gained field experience as an archaeological field technician in Alaska, Costa Rica, and most of the southeast and Midwest US. She then earned her masters in cultural anthropology with a focus on agriculture from the University of Wyoming where she defended her thesis, “I no longer have a skin; I have a hide”: The Complexities of Care Work of Women Cattle Ranchers in Southeastern Wyoming, exploring women’s labor in the ranching industry. Currently, she is pursuing her PhD in cultural-linguistic anthropology further focusing on women’s labor, land ownership, succession planning, motherhood, and women’s economic futures in the ranching industry in the Intermountain West.

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Eileen Breen spent some of her childhood in the states and in Malawi, Africa. Her love for horses started at a young age and while she pursued many career paths including as a stockbroker, she ultimately found her way back to the equine industry in equine assisted services. She started her journey in equine assisted services with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association and currently teaches adaptive riding.Eileen previously served as the Director at Heartstrings and Hoofbeats and now currently serves as the Services Facilitator at CSU Spur’s Temple Grandin Equine Center. Her story is full of twists and turns but grounded in passion. We hope you enjoy this great listen!

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Grab a snack and a beverage! Mary Margaret and Gina sit down with some life updates, fun stories, and inquiries for the Western ranching world. We got the Q’s, some of y’all might have the A’s and we want to hear them!

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