Estero Island Historic Society Board

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President and Treasurer

Ellie Bunting

Ellie Bunting has served on the Board of Directors of EIHS for the past 20 years, and became President of the EIHS in 2020.

 

Ellie came to Fort Myers Beach as a young child in the early 1950s. For the first 14 years of her life, she lived at Red Coconut Trailer Park. Ellie attended Fort Myers Beach Elementary School and Cypress Lake Junior and Senior High School before moving to Tampa to study English and Reading at the University of South Florida. After graduating from USF, Ellie moved back to FMB and has lived here ever since. She has taught English at Florida SouthWestern State College since 1980. 

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Vice-President

Janet Gottlieb

Janet Gottlieb has spent time on Fort Myers Beach since her Chicagoan parents bought a Gulf-front vacation home here in the 1950s. Janet’s worked in communications and marketing to advance educational institutions and associations. Since 2009, she has been a resident of FMB, and has served on the Board of the EIHS since 2014.

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Secretary

Karen Santos

Karen Santos has family roots on FMB dating back to the 1930s, and this continues to be a special place for her. When not in Florida, she lives in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Karen attended Northwestern University and the University of Virginia, and is a retired professor from James Madison University.

Members at Large

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Terry Cain

Terry Cain was a Conservation Lands Coordinator for Lee County Parks and Recreation Conservation 2020 program for 15 years. She previously served on Fort Myers Beach Town Council, Marine Resources Task Force, and Cultural and Environmental Learning Center Advisory Board. She currently serves on the Board of the Friends of Matanzas Pass Preserve and the EIHS. Terry is a retired certified Arborist, Pesticide Applicator, and Wild Land Fire Fighter with a degree in Marine Science.

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Deborah Groll

Deborah Groll, originally from Ohio, has been a resident of Fort Myers Beach since 1981. Like many residents, Deborah and her family vacationed on FMB before purchasing their home. Both of Deborah’s daughters attended the local FMB Elementary School. Deborah is also President of Beach Kids Foundation.

Judy Haatja

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Margaret McCloskey

Margaret (Peg) McCloskey, a retired Consumer Services teacher from Boyertown, PA, has been a member of the EIHS Board for over a decade. Peg has enjoyed learning about and helping to preserve the history of Fort Myers Beach, and is also active in historic preservation in her hometown in Pennsylvania.

Joanne Semmer

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Karyn Slomski

Karyn Slomski, a resident of FMB since 2010, is a retired Vice-President of Operations. Married for 42 years, Karyn and Steve Slomski have three daughters and four grandchildren.

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Jessica Titus

Jessie moved from Middletown, Ohio to Fort Myers Beach in 1980 with her husband Vince, after graduating from Miami University (Ohio) as a Registered Nurse. She started a new career in real estate, and after a few years, purchased Lahaina Realty and two other real estate firms. She is now Broker/Owner of Fort Myers Beach Realty. Jessie has served as the President of the Board of REALTORS; was appointed to the Local Planning Agency; Director of the South Florida Marine Institute; and is also President of "Friends of the Arts".