Meet The Crew
Capt. Bob spent four years as an instructor with the International Game & Fish Association, and is an IGFA-certified observer for competitive fishing tournaments. Most recently, Bob worked as camp counselor with the Boynton Beach Parks & Recreation programs. This native of South Africa, a product of Palm Beach County private schools, has a winning way with children, and his background with IGFA makes him a perfect fit for teaching the FFA’s curriculum and finding new resources for the Florida Fishing Academy. Bob is also a USCG Certified OUPV Captain.
The FFA Board of Directors
Kathy Daley Bochicchio, President
A native of New York and current Delray Beach resident, Kathy spent 25 years as a lobbyist in Tallahassee representing local governments like Palm Beach County and Delray Beach. She is also a longtime boater with a distinguished record of service to the local community on the boards of various nonprofits, including Leadership Florida, the Lupus Foundation and Plumosa Elementary School of the Arts, a charter magnet school in Delray Beach.
Jeff Freeman, Vice President
Jeff, a native of Detroit, Mich., came to Florida after many summers as a camper, employee and eventual Outdoor Education Program director with one of the largest summer camps in the Midwest. Jeff has been facilitating team-building and experiential education classes since 1998 with diverse groups of adults and children. He is an American Red Cross-certified lifeguard and a CPR and first-aid instructor. Most recently, a graduate of the police academy at Indian River State College, Jeff completed training and certification to become a Florida Highway Patrol trooper. His new duties will have him enforcing state Department of Transportation trucking laws and regulations as an FHP trooper stationed in South Florida. Jeff’s other passions include teaching kids new skills that will remain with them for life and being a good role model.
Nicole Brochu, Board Secretary
Nicole is an health writer with the Sun Sentinel, where she has worked since 1994. A South Florida native, she has a master's degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has won state and national awards during her 20+-year career writing for newspapers and magazines. In her spare time, she boats and fishes with her husband and two girls, and volunteers as a court-appointed guardian ad litem for abused and neglected children.
Marc Anthony Lee, Treasurer
Marc is a science teacher at Don Estridge High-Tech Middle School in Boca Raton. Marc has a bachelor of science degree in marine engineering from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Before becoming a teacher, he spent 10 years as a marine engineer. Marc is also the owner of Bar Jack Fishing, and he and his family own and operate the Sportsman’s Park Marina in Lantana.
Steve Gordon, Board Member
A native of South Florida, Steve has lived in the Atlanta, Ga., area for the past 20 years but still maintains a part-time home in Fort Lauderdale. He is an accomplished entrepreneur who has owned his own businesses for the past two decades. His Optima Services Solutions Co. provides full-service, in-home delivery and installation solutions for appliances, home entertainment, networking and wireless technologies for the largest retailers and manufacturers in the world. A passionate advocate for children's causes and an avid striper fisherman on Lake Lanier, Steve was instrumental in starting the Atlanta chapter of Make A Wish Foundation, and his Optima Foundation raises money for various children's charities. He is so committed to the Florida Fishing Academy that he commutes from his Georgia home for FFA board meetings and special events.
Sharon Baker, Board Member
A native of Andover, Mass., Sharon grew up off the shores of Plum Island with a lifelong passion for fishing -- and a talent for cleaning her own catch. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Andover, she joined the U.S. Marine Corps and graduated as a second lieutenant in 1982. She traveled throughout the United States, Europe and Japan before settling down in a sales job for a Wall Street firm and later moving to Florida. She has since started her own company, Fruit Fresh Delivery, delivering fruit, healthy snacks and breakfast foods to South Florida companies that want to improve their employees' health and morale. An active community volunteer with a passion for helping animals, the sick and the elderly, Sharon also donates her time and energy to hospice and the American Cancer Society, among other organizations.
Nathan Wellman, Board Member
An Ohio native, Nate moved to Palm Beach County as a young boy and matriculated through the local school system. He is a 20-year veteran of the construction industry, but uses his contractor's license and expertise in a unique way: by teaching real-world math applications to middle school students. As a math teacher at Okeeheelee Community Middle School in West Palm Beach, Nate teaches one of Palm Beach County's only two middle school construction courses, "An Introduction to Construction," where students learn to apply math theories and equations in real-life situations. Nate, who coaches his school's boys basketball team, is also an avid fisherman and veteran of the local waterways.
At the helm...
Capt. Rich, a former police officer with the city of Delray Beach, has more than 25 years under his belt as a small business owner, largely in the real estate arena. A longtime deep-sea fisherman, he holds multiple fishing licenses and permits, he has certifications in CPR and water safety, and is a USCG Certified Master Captain. Team REEL Estate and the Florida Fishing Academy were born from his passion for fishing and boating, and his desire to teach children, including his own two daughters, how to do it safely and ethically. Learn more about Capt. Rich’s story and his inspiration for the Florida Fishing Academy here.
On deck...
