Meet Our Board!
The Friends of the Upper Keys Monroe County Parks & Beaches is proudly woman-founded and led. Our board is dedicated to stewarding Monroe County's treasures through collective female leadership and deep community connection.
Cari SandersÂ
Kelly Delany
Nikki Neves
Board CHAIRWOMAN & Founder
TREASUERERÂ
Secretary
Born and raised in Louisiana, Cari found her forever home in Tavernier alongside her husband, Daniel. Since relocating in 2019, she has balanced life as a small business owner in Key Largo with her passions for baking at a local resort, teaching swim lessons, and enjoying a good book.
Originally from Metro Detroit, Kelly moved here in 2022 after 2 years of traveling the country by motorhome with her husband, Chris. They welcomed their son in 2024. Kelly works as a project coordinator for a local electrical contractor, which gives her a deep connection to the community. When she’s not working, Kelly enjoys the outdoors, boating, dancing, and cooking for family and friends.
Nikki grew up in Southern Indiana and moved to Key Largo in 2012. She has a deep love for her community and enjoys spending time with her family at our local parks. Nikki is passionate about helping make the Upper Keys a better place for our children and for everyone who calls the Keys home.Â
Kirrin Peart
Kay Storm
Melina Castillo
Director
director
director
Born and raised in Northern California, kirrin moved to the keys in 2016. She enjoys camping, exploring our national parks, baking up some sourdough with her husband and their little conch.Â
Born and raised in Louisiana, Kay moved to Tavernier in 2017 when she retired from more than 40 years of teaching science. She enjoys reading, cooking, and not setting an alarm clock anymore!
Born and raised in Miami, Melina is proudly a wife and mama of two sweet girls, and the owner of MC Dance Enrichment Program. Her heart is happiest when she's with my family, dancing, exercising, and uplifting her community.
Madison Young
Director
Madison Young is a licensed Esthetician and Electrologist, born and raised in the beautiful Florida Keys. As a Coral Shores High School graduate, Madison has always been passionate about skin health, beauty, and creating spaces where people feel cared for. Only leaving the keys to attend UCF to receive her bachelors, she returned home and found a passion for serving the community that helped raise her.
Our Responsibilities
Operating with full transparency and stewardship, our board ensures that every contribution directly supports the conservation and accessibility of Monroe County’s parks and beaches. We work closely with local authorities to coordinate programs that benefit both the environment and the community.
- Managing community-led fundraising initiatives for park enhancements.
- Overseeing inclusive educational programs for all ages and abilities.
- Writing grants to ensure funding for programs.
- Coordinating volunteer outreach and community event planning.
- Ensuring fiscal responsibility and transparent governance for site development.