Our Board
Meet the team of volunteers that make up our board!
Lauren Jorgensen
President
A Florida native, Lauren is a passionate environmentalist who spends her days tending to her horses, cattle and chickens (and dogs and cats) on Starlight Farm, the Regenerative Farm and Preserve she shares with her husband, Frank "Toby" Tobias, and daughter Katharine. Starlight Farm is 108 acres being managed to improve soil health and increase biodiversity by farming with Mother Nature instead of against her.
Before moving to Live Oak, Lauren served as a Former Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, serving from 1990 to 2020, with 9 years in the Environmental Crimes Section. As a federal prosecutor for 30 years, Lauren handled hundreds of cases involving the investigation and prosecution of federal crimes ranging from environmental crime to white collar mail and wire fraud cases, to armed bank robberies, to murders involving alien smuggling.
Lauren is dedicated to protecting our precious environment through electing and educating Democrats who will fight for a better world.
Katharine Priegues
Vice President
Katharine is a young lawyer and environmental advocate living in Suwannee county, where her family runs a regenerative ranch. She currently works at a litigation law firm in Lake City and volunteers her time to the Suwannee Environmental Caucus.
In 2023, Katharine graduated from William & Mary Law school, with a concentration in environmental law, where she received a 3-year merit scholarship and served as editor at the Environmental Law & Policy Review (ELPR).
Katharine has authored several papers on environmental and legal topics (available upon request), including three on regenerative agriculture, her main policy interest. Katharine's coursework at William & Mary Law School included: W&M Environmental Law & Policy Review (ELPR) (Note: Right to Clean Air & Water); Env. Sci. for Policy (Paper: Regenerating Microclimates); Natural Resources Law (Paper: Rights of Nature); Animal Law (Paper: Laws Affecting Pollinators); Health Law (Presentation: Cancer Alley & Env. Racism); Disaster Law (Paper: Regenerative Solutions to Climate Crisis); Land Use Law (Paper: Takings & the Atakapa Ishak Tribe); Election Law (Presentation: Voter Suppression in Louisiana); Toxic Substances & Hazardous Waste; Products Liability; Environmental Law; Energy Law (Paper: Community Solar Regulations); Human Rights Law; Statutory Interpretation; Administrative Law.
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Katharine is an avid hiker, fiddler/classical violinist, and painter. Katharine enjoys making art and distilling important information into eye-catching, accessible graphics - she helped create the caucus logo, blog, and website!
Susan Thomas
Secretary
Susan Thomas is an environmental activist and retired animal rescue volunteer for over 30 years living in Suwannee County with her life-long partner and rescue babies from Arkansas where she was Founder and President of a 501(c)(3) rescue organization.
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As a farmer’s daughter on a farm homesteaded in 1860, Susan has a great deal of respect for the farmers who make their living in one of the oldest industries on the planet. With a deep connection to the earth, she believes that the survival of our planet relies on working together to reduce carbon consumption while improving conservation, clean water and air, and food supplies.
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Susan has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Illinois and has worked in communications all her professional career at many different companies including Xerox Corporation, American Cancer Society and Goodwill Industries.
John Bell
Treasurer
"I have no pedigree that makes me ideal for an environmental group... I wouldn't want to suggest that there are unique qualifications for membership, support or interest.
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For my part I'm trying to live smart, which includes clean air and water and food that supports my biology. That said, I'm still alive at 82. I learned most of what I know by observation and a good dictionary. I appreciate metaphor in all its aspects: dance, music, sports, poetry, common courtesy , the wisdom of children ---and I find peace in mathematics and in my relationship with Susan and our cats.
My favorite thing to do is rescue spiders from my pool and tree frogs entangled in dust bunnies. Recently I freed a hummingbird who'd got her beak stuck in a screen. I also like to demonstrate to myself that the impossible takes just a little longer than the merely difficult."
Steve Kostro
Director
Steve is a concerned citizen with a passion for understanding and advocating for the environmental needs of our future.