provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The Committee of the Islands (COTI) recently announced new board members and officers elected by the membership to help support the mission of the organization. COTI seeks to ensure the continuity of good local government, to protect the environment, and to preserve the sanctuary character of our barrier island community.
“We’re excited to expand our board with four new members who will bring diverse expertise and insight to our work,” said President Bob Moore. COTI’s leadership represents a variety of experts with backgrounds in areas including science, law, public relations, strategic planning, transportation, and business; and the newest board members are no exception.
“I am personally delighted to welcome such a strong group of new board members, and I look forward to serving with each of them in the coming year,” said Moore.
The following new board members were elected at the March 8 annual meeting:
Lisa Ann Miller: Clinician in private practice for 23 years. Volunteer activities: Volunteer physician, United Way Gynecology Clinic (Ft Myers); Partners for Breast Cancer Care Clinic (Ft Myers); Neighborhood Health Clinic, (Naples). Secretary and Board member of FISH of SanCap; Member of the AngelFish Steering Committee and Member of the CHR Fundraising Committee.
Karen Pati: Employed for 40+ years in food industry management: Jewel Foods, Fresh Express, Chiquita, and NatureSweet. Volunteer activities: Board positions with the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Human Trafficking Awareness Partnerships, and currently Co-President and Board member of the Zonta Club and Foundation of Sanibel Captiva.
Paul Tritaik: Worked in Fish & Wildlife Management, including Wildlife Refuge Manager at Pelican Island NWR and Archie Carr NWR in Vero Beach, FL; and as Wildlife Refuge Manager at J.N. “Ding” Darling NWR Complex. Volunteer activities: Scoutmaster, with the Sanibel Troop 1740; Board Member, Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society; Board Member-elect, Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club.
Angi Semler Welch: Partner, Business Advisor, Director of Sales & Partnerships with Cultivate Advisors; former founder and president of Jumpdog Marketing; Volunteer Activities: President-Elect and Grants Committee Chair for the SanCap Kiwanis Club; serves on the Sanibel Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee; Member of the CHR Fundraising Committee.
Newly elected officers are Moore as president, Paula Friedman as vice president, and Arielle Cohen as secretary. Carl (Bud) Reinhold was reelected as treasurer. Additional board members are William Millar (immediate past president), Mitchell Koppelman, and Chet Sadler.
At the annual meeting, COTI welcomed Julie Wraithmell, Executive Director of Audubon Florida
and Vice President for Florida for the National Audubon Society, for a timely discussion of Florida’s environmental challenges and opportunities. The board also announced its 2025 Person of the Year, John Lai, President and CEO of the Sanibel and Captiva Chamber of Commerce.
To learn more about COTI, visit www.coti.org.