Meet our Board of Directors
Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge Board of Directors
Jim Osborn
President
Committees: Ex-Officio on all committees
Jim Osborn was born in Cleveland, OH and lived in 7 different States before graduating High
School. Attended Illinois Wesleyan University majoring in Speech Communication and earned a Masters Degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Illinois State University. He worked as
a therapist for 3 years, then dived into health care management. In 1998, he took a job with
the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago as Director for Rehabilitation Services with Southern
Illinois Healthcare, retiring from that position in 2017. Before retiring, he began volunteering in
the Visitor’s Center and with the Woodland Gift Shop and joined the Friends Board. Having a
passion for photography, he helped create the Crab Orchard Photography Group. Married to his college sweetheart, Mary Jo for 49
years, they have both found a role with the Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge. A lover of the natural world, he feels blessed to live in an area as
beautiful and as wild as Southern Illinois.
Rick Whitecotton
First Vice-President
Committees: Executive, Chair Merchandise / Store Manager, Video Display, Pollinator
Rick is a retired Union official, he was also a joint facilitator for Union/Management projects at DTE Energy. A Navy veteran, he served as a Reactor Operator on a missile submarine. He earned an A.S. from John A. Logan College. He volunteers in the gift shop, the pollinator habitat project, and several interpretive programs. He was certified as a Master Gardener in both Michigan and Illinois and a Master Naturalist in Illinois. He is also active in many other native plant and stewardship projects in the larger Southern Illinois Community.
Kevin Curran
Second Vice-President
Committees: Executive, Video Display
Kevin attended SIUC and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in forestry, Outdoor Recreation Resource Management, completing his Master’s Thesis project with the National Park Service at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Kevin then began a career with the Corps of Engineers that spanned 33 years and three different projects in the St. Louis District of the COE. Kevin retired as the Project Manager at Rend Lake. Since retiring he has enjoyed travelling and visiting with his young grandsons in the St. Louis area.
Mary Jo Osborn
Treasurer
Committees: Executive, Merchandise
Mary Jo grew up in Des Plaines, IL attending Illinois Wesleyan University where she majored in
Biology and met her future husband of 49 years, Jim Osborn. They have 3 outstanding sons, 3
beautiful and capable daughters-in-law, and 11 amazing and talented grandchildren. She
taught Biology at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield, IL and later taught a variety of
Sciences, mostly Chemistry, while teaching at Carterville, she earned her Masters Degree at
SIUC. Her happy place, (other than with the grandkids), is the coast of Maine. She and Jim
enjoy traveling, eating at a variety of restaurants, and being with their large family.
Tana Burnett
Secretary
Committees: Executive, Media Marketing and Membership
Tana is a retired Special Educator and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst. She earned a bachelor’s degree from SIU-C in Special Education, an MA in Special Education from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas. She has been certified as a Master Naturalist in Illinois. Tana grew up in Southern Illinois and returned following retirement to be closer to family. She volunteers at the Woodland Gift Shop. As Secretary, she is responsible for distributing Monthly Board Minutes, Quarterly Newsletter, and Membership notifications.
Suzanne Asaturian
Committees: Co-Chair Photography, Interpretive and Outreach
I am both excited and honored to join the Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge Board. My passion is to be outside observing all organisms in their natural habitats in order to better under stand each unique ecosystem. As a retired biology teacher of 35 years, I continue to learn more science by immersing my self into nature daily. My favorite hobbies include hiking, kayaking, and photography. All can be accomplished just minutes from my home at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge’s locations. Capturing subjects through my lens is my means of expressing and sharing my love of each organism with those who cannot get out to see it for themselves. I enjoy sharing my photographs in local galleries to showcase the richness and beauty of Southern Illinois. Taking students on hikes, teaching at John A Logan’s Purdy School, helping 4H students learn photography, keeps me busy during retirement. I am looking forward to volunteering at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge to inspire people of all ages to get outside, become excited about local flora and fauna, and care for our natural resources.
Kathy Belletire
Committees: Chair Interpretive and Outreach, Media Marketing and Membership, Pollinator
Kathy is a nature artist, an art educator, and gardener. She joined the Friend’s of Crab Orchard Refuge in 2017 and volunteers with the Pollinator Project team. She became a U. of I. Extension Master Naturalist in 2018 and enjoys giving educational programs and classes. Kathy records butterfly species on the Refuge as a member of the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network, and is part of the Bluebird Nest Box volunteers. Kathy Co-Publishes the Friends Wild Heart Gazette with her husband Steve Belletire.
Kathy Carstens
Committees: Co-Chair Photography, Merchandise
Kathy moved frequently in the Midwest and West while growing up and during her career as an insurance underwriter. She moved to Southern Illinois in December 2019 (just before the Covid shutdown) to live near her brother and extended family. During Covid she became interested in wildlife photography, especially bird photography, and spent a great deal of time at Crab Orchard and around Southern Illinois learning to find, identify, and photograph birds. She frequently posts her photos on the Friends of Crab Orchard and Photography and the Southern Illinois Birding Group Facebook pages. Now that Covid is over she’s enjoying meeting people in the community and volunteering at the Woodland Gift Shop in the new Crab Orchard Visitor’s Center.
Maureen Curran
Committees: Co-Chair Media Marketing and Membership, Interpretive and Outreach
Maureen Curran attended SIUC and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Outdoor Recreation, and Master’s Degree in Environmental Education. During her 17-year career with the Corps of Engineers she worked at Wappapello Lake, Mark Twain Lake and Rend Lake, mostly in Public Information and Education. Mid-career, she returned to SIUC to complete a degree in elementary education and after completing her teacher certification spent the next 16 years as a 6th, 7th and 8th grade science teacher at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School in Herrin. Now retired, Maureen enjoys travelling and visiting with her young grandsons.
Bob Gulledge
Committees: By-Laws
A former businessman now retired and enjoying god’s nature by photography and very frequent visits to the Refuge. You can see Bob’s beautiful photography on our Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge and Photography Facebook page.
Laura Marjorie Miller
Committees: Interpretation and Outreach
Laura grew up visiting the Refuge, where her Grandfather, who was an electrician for Fish and Wildlife, would take her as a child. These visits instilled in her a love of Nature which shows in her avid hiking and birding, and background as a natural history writer. Laura has been active as a Refuge volunteer at such events as Eagle Tours and Butterfly Roundups. She participates in citizen science surveys such as bird counts and bumblebee atlases. Locally, Laura is a dedicated shelter volunteer at Herrin Animal Control, a Librarian at Herrin City Library, and an actor and director active in Carbondale’s longtime community theatre The Stage Company. She is also a painter. Laura looks forward to working with the Interpretation and Outreach Committee as they devise creative ways to inspire people to protect the Refuge and its precious wildlife!
Michael Sarver
Committees: Photography
Michael has lived in Southern Illinois for the past 33 years and is a former business owner of B&L Photo. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Photography from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. Michael and his wife live in Herrin, Illinois, where they have raised their family. He enjoys hiking, making art, traveling, and spending time with family. Michael is passionate about the importance of nature and believes everyone should have the opportunity to experience and connect with the natural world in their own backyard.
Ruie Whitecotton
Committees: Co-Chair Media Marketing and Membership, Publisher of Quarterly Newsletter, Merchandise, Pollinator
Ruie Whitecotton graduated with an Associates of Science Degree from John A. Logan college majoring in Music Education and Business, also studied at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, and Free Will Baptist Bible College, Nashville, TN. She held several clerical positions, and taught Music Classes and Typing. Married to Rick Whitecotton for 48 years. They have 3 grown children and two Sons-In-Law. She was certified as a Master Naturalist and a Master Gardener in Illinois. She enjoys volunteering in the Woodland Gift Shop and producing the Quarterly Newsletter. She is a major contributor to our Friends of Crab Orchard Refuge Facebook page. Ruie has volunteered over 1000 hours at the Refuge.