Laurilee is a fifth generation Floridian and lifelong Brevard County resident with an unshakable commitment to the natural resources of central Florida, including the Indian River Lagoon. She is the co-owner of Dixie Crossroads, a southern seafood restaurant in Titusville, FL with international name recognition and a menu that features locally caught seafood. Laurilee is an avid naturalist with a pragmatic eye to the sustainable use of natural resources. She recognizes both the aesthetic and environmental value of habitats and wildlife, while understanding the need for sustainable use of those resources. Through her business, as well as her personal life, Laurilee is an important advocate for the promotion, protection, and use of our natural resources in a responsible manner.

Laurilee is the founder and driving force behind the highly successful Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, one of the nation’s top events of its type.  She is a board member of the Space Coast Chapter of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and a member of the FRLA State Board, as well as a board member of the Merritt Island Wildlife Association, and the Brevard Nature Alliance.  She is a member of the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Citizen Oversight Committee, the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program Management Board, the Brevard County Tourist Development Council Beach Improvement Committee, the City of Titusville Environmental Commission, the Deepwater Shrimp Advisory Panel for the South Atlantic Marine Fisheries Council, and is a Trustee for the University of Central Florida National Center for Coastal Research.