Mary Benton is a portrait painter, sculptor, and jewelry designer who put down roots in Miami Shores after 30 years of living all over the world. Concerned by the “business as usual” and “there’s nothing we can do about [climate change and sea level rise]” attitudes she encountered after moving to South Florida, she founded Bound by Beauty with a group of friends as a means of creating paradigm shifts in people by opening their eyes to the beauty and importance of nature through butterflies and the magical process of metamorphosis. Bound by Beauty designs innovative programs to transform neighbors into nurturers of nature and is constantly seeking new ways to open people’s eyes to the importance of conserving vital native flora and fauna in order to pass on to future generations a natural world that can sustain them.

Douglas Barnes is a professional résumé writer and former U.S. diplomat and international consultant with extensive experience in Latin America as well as in East Asia and Europe. Doug spent much of his Foreign Service career working in public diplomacy, promoting international exchange programs and managing relations with the press and public at U.S. embassies and consulates. A lover of nature and driven by concern for our planet’s future, he helped his wife Mary launch Bound by Beauty in 2016 and, as the stodgiest member of the board, was a shoo-in for Chair, a position he has held since January 2020.

Gwen Burzycki is our fashion-conscious Board member. She is also a wetland ecologist and botanist who has spent much of her career in South Florida working in land conservation and restoration. She is an enthusiastic gardener with an environmental focus and recently documented over 100 species of native plants in her yard, along with many species of butterflies and other native and beneficial insects that have never been counted because they won't sit still long enough to allow documentation. In addition to serving on the Bound by Beauty Board, Gwen is also a member of the Dade Chapter Florida Native Plant Society, the Tropical Audubon Society, and several other non-profit organizations that seek to educate the public about the environment that surrounds and supports us and how we can be better stewards. Bound by Beauty is a natural fit for her and she is delighted to serve.

Liangy Calli is a content writer, artist and activist. She is a transplant from the island of Puerto Rico since the 1980’s. She attended Miami Dade Community College for a degree in visual arts and simultaneously worked at a boutique law firm. Over the course of 20+ years she became a paralegal, graphic designer and office administrator – while attending the Art Institute and Florida International University. Today, Liangy has ditched her heels for “birks” and enjoys the wonder of her garden, a pandemic labor of love. Transformed by Bound by Beauty’s Mission and ongoing projects, she dedicates her time to writing content, making presentations and being an environmental advocate and political activist, using her talents to advance their efforts.

Carol has spent almost 40 years in film/video production. Carol started out in Miami learning line and executive production, moving to post production as a post producer and later general manager of two leading post facilities in town, before opening her own production company, which has been in business now for about 25 years. She has learned to work easily with almost anyone and to build creative, efficient teams. A South Florida gardener from way back, it was not until she met Mary Benton that her interest turned to native plants and pollinators. Now she is very happily removing more ornamentals from her garden each year to provide additional space for the the wildlife we love, as she learns more about our biodiversity.

Jennifer Gibbs is a creative thinker and self-starter offering more than 20 years of experience as a professional fundraiser and public relations strategist. She is an award-winning director of marketing and public relations campaigns. Her family, civic and professional roots run deep in the South Florida community. Her grandfather, Alex Gordon, was a former Miami-Dade County Commissioner. She has also worked as a fundraiser and strategist for some of South Florida’s most recognizable non-profit institutions. She led the capital campaign efforts as the Senior Vice President of Development for the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science and most recently has a fundraising consulting practice. Jennifer is passionate about the climate justice movement.

Jeffrey grew up in Vermont. After finishing college, he moved to Washington, DC for nearly 20 years and then relocated to Miami in 1998. He worked in the financial services sector serving in various roles over his career of 35 years. Upon an opportunity to enter into retirement from his professional career, he soon found another voice calling him into children’s education and began working at a private school in Miami in 2016. Through mutual friends, he met Mary and Doug several years ago and became intrigued by Mary’s passion for butterflies. He joined the Bound By Beauty board in July 2022 and accepted the role of Treasurer.

When not toiling away helping Stanley Black&Decker plan their financial future, Mike can generally be found behind a table saw making sawdust, behind the stove cooking up something tasty, or toiling away in the garden creating homes for all the world’s creatures. He has been with Bound By Beauty since 2018 and served as Treasurer from 2020–2022.

Brought up on 52 acres and spending every spare minute in the field and forest with her brother and dog, Jan learned the value of Ohio hardwood forest ecosystems. With a big dose of Girl Scouts, gardening and family camping as a child and adult, outdoors is her undisputed happy place. Her professional career led her to administration and strategic planning, mostly in healthcare and lately at UM. She is active in the political realm to influence climate-related regulations as well as being active in the women’s movement and her family’s environmental education. She is a member of the Tropical Audubon Society and the Sierra Club. After living most of her life in northern states from Massachusetts to Oregon, transitioning to a South Florida garden 22 years ago was a radical learning endeavor. She is still pulling out non-natives in her landscape and replacing them with beautiful thriving native plants. And still learning!

Douglas Barnes is a professional résumé writer and former U.S. diplomat and international consultant with extensive experience in Latin America as well as in East Asia and Europe. Doug spent much of his Foreign Service career working in public diplomacy, promoting international exchange programs and managing relations with the press and public at U.S. embassies and consulates. A lover of nature and driven by concern for our planet’s future, he helped his wife Mary launch Bound by Beauty in 2016 and, as the stodgiest member of the board, was a shoo-in for Chair, a position he has held since January 2020.