Meet the Team
Holly Torres, President
Chessy Ricca, Vice President
Chessy Ricca, Vice President
Holly is our 3rd time re-elected president who served previously as Public Relations on our Board of Directors. Highly energetic, passionate, and a native of Texas, she has a background in theatre, advertising, sales and adult instruction.
Holly has a deep connection to the past and magnetism to the ancient native cultures. She seeks to s
Holly is our 3rd time re-elected president who served previously as Public Relations on our Board of Directors. Highly energetic, passionate, and a native of Texas, she has a background in theatre, advertising, sales and adult instruction.
Holly has a deep connection to the past and magnetism to the ancient native cultures. She seeks to share her passion with children and the public through our immersive history programs.
She loves all things ancient and is ready for the next adventure through time!
Chessy Ricca, Vice President
Chessy Ricca, Vice President
Chessy Ricca, Vice President
Chessy Ricca is a Palm Beach County native who is currently finishing her Master's degree in Florida Studies from USF St. Petersburg. With a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Florida Atlantic University and a Masters in Florida History, Chessy brings a unique and colorful flair to the east coast. Her historical training ranges from sixte
Chessy Ricca is a Palm Beach County native who is currently finishing her Master's degree in Florida Studies from USF St. Petersburg. With a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Florida Atlantic University and a Masters in Florida History, Chessy brings a unique and colorful flair to the east coast. Her historical training ranges from sixteenth century Spanish Florida and sixteenth century paleography to modern Florida history in the twentieth century. Having grown up in South Florida, preserving and interpreting Florida’s history is paramount to Chessy’s goals as a historian. Previously, Chessy served as a first mate on drift boats and charter fishing vessels for almost ten years. She is a fishing instructor for Marlin University and remains active in the fishing industry. For fun, Chessy loves to combine her passions for Florida history and classical oil painting by capturing scenes from the past on canvas as a form of preservation. If Chessy is not busy researching or painting, you will probably find her on the beach swinging a metal detector or casting her fly rod at willing fish.
Laurie Corry, Secretary
Glenn Bakels, Docent Trainer & Liaison
Glenn Bakels, Docent Trainer & Liaison
Having served on the Board since 2013, Laurie has been active on the following committees: Membership, Event Planning, Interpretive Center Initiative & Memorial, and Convocation for Seminole War Historians.
She has a passion for history, culture and archaeology, having traveled to many regions walking on the historical paths of lost civi
Having served on the Board since 2013, Laurie has been active on the following committees: Membership, Event Planning, Interpretive Center Initiative & Memorial, and Convocation for Seminole War Historians.
She has a passion for history, culture and archaeology, having traveled to many regions walking on the historical paths of lost civilizations. She has special interest in the history and culture of the Native American and Indigenous people.
Laurie has done independent research with locating the names of the missing Tennessee Volunteers militia.
She is excited to be a part of the group effort to create a memorial to represent all those who fought and died on this sacred land including the US soldiers, the Seminoles and the Black Seminoles.
Laurie considers herself an explorer and finds enjoyment in hiking, biking, and exploring the great outdoors.
Glenn Bakels, Docent Trainer & Liaison
Glenn Bakels, Docent Trainer & Liaison
Glenn Bakels, Docent Trainer & Liaison
Glenn is a born and raised local Jupiter resident and retired firefighter. One of our longest original members, he serves to establish and lead us to success on our living history tours and education programs.
Glenn is a historian with extensive internal knowledge of the battles that occurred here. He is a long term docent, re-enactor and
Glenn is a born and raised local Jupiter resident and retired firefighter. One of our longest original members, he serves to establish and lead us to success on our living history tours and education programs.
Glenn is a historian with extensive internal knowledge of the battles that occurred here. He is a long term docent, re-enactor and interpreter on the history of these battles.
His friendly, intelligent traits and long-term love of this land make him top-notch on our team!
Board Directors
Tom Odom, Board Director
Dowling Watford, Board Director
Dowling Watford, Board Director
Tom grew up in Valdosta, Georgia, where his parents and older siblings passed on their love of history to him.
After graduating from Valdosta State, the University of Vermont and Georgetown University, Tom became a public defender in Palm Beach County, working as both a trial and appellate lawyer for 36 years and retiring in 2018. His mo
Tom grew up in Valdosta, Georgia, where his parents and older siblings passed on their love of history to him.
After graduating from Valdosta State, the University of Vermont and Georgetown University, Tom became a public defender in Palm Beach County, working as both a trial and appellate lawyer for 36 years and retiring in 2018. His most rewarding experience as a public defender was working in the agricultural region of the 'Glades for 17 years. His wife, Susan Hendricks, is also a career public service attorney.
In 2008, he responded to a newspaper request for volunteers to serve as guides at the Loxahatchee Battlefield. He was trained by Richard Procyk and has been a battlefield docent ever since. Tom says "it is an honor to serve on the Board of Directors of the Loxahatchee Battlefield Preservationists because of my passion for American history."
Dowling Watford, Board Director
Dowling Watford, Board Director
Dowling Watford, Board Director
Dowling Watford is a 5th generation Floridian and currently serves as the Mayor of Okeechobee. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Okeechobee (secretary), Okeechobee Historical Society (treasurer), Okeechobee Battlefield Friends (treasurer), and First Untied Methodist Church (Finance Chairman). He is a Seminole War and Civil War re-enactor.
Dick Kazmar, Board Director
Dowling Watford, Board Director
Dick Kazmar, Board Director
Having held the position of President of the LBP for over three years, and Director
on the Board of Directors for three years previous to that, Dick brings many years
of knowledge and leadership skills to our organization. His love of history has
been demonstrated as a Battlefield Docent since 2013 and he has been spotted a
few times in costu
Having held the position of President of the LBP for over three years, and Director
on the Board of Directors for three years previous to that, Dick brings many years
of knowledge and leadership skills to our organization. His love of history has
been demonstrated as a Battlefield Docent since 2013 and he has been spotted a
few times in costume as Major General Thomas Sydney Jesup. He has served as
the LBP Chairman of the Battlefield Reenactment Committee, the Chairman of the
2021 Convocation of Seminole War Historians Committee and Chairman of the
Interpretive Center Initiative Fund Raising Subcommittee. In his previous life, Dick
spent over 36 years working for Pratt & Whitney as an Aerospace Engineer. He
feels fortunate to have been married to Gail, also an active member of the LBP,
for over 50 years. Together they raised two daughters and enjoy the company of
seven granddaughters.
John Islin, First Recipient of our Isa Hamm Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award
Gene and Dr. Wallis Tinnie, Historical Advisor: Florida Black Historical Research Project
Gene and Dr. Wallis Tinnie, Historical Advisor: Florida Black Historical Research Project
John Islin AKA Jack is an Army veteran and docent trainer who brings his own past military experience, love for his country and history to us for a unique perspective of the past. He has lead as one of our most active docents, he is always ready for a great history chat!
John has a Masters in MBA, Systems Engineering, and Aerospace Scienc
John Islin AKA Jack is an Army veteran and docent trainer who brings his own past military experience, love for his country and history to us for a unique perspective of the past. He has lead as one of our most active docents, he is always ready for a great history chat!
John has a Masters in MBA, Systems Engineering, and Aerospace Science. He was a Colonel, US Army: Combat Aviation Commander, Vietnam: 2000 combat hours, 7 medals for valor, Deputy for Aviation Research and Development at Pentagon. Director, Sikorsky Flight Test Center and Kelly Johnson Award. United Technologies Global management Project (Chairman's Special Award), Group Senior VP, CITICORP Diners Club. Top 25 Execs in the industry 3 consecutive years. Retired in Tequesta.
Gene and Dr. Wallis Tinnie, Historical Advisor: Florida Black Historical Research Project
Gene and Dr. Wallis Tinnie, Historical Advisor: Florida Black Historical Research Project
Gene and Dr. Wallis Tinnie, Historical Advisor: Florida Black Historical Research Project
The Florida Black Historical Research Project provides the general public with previously hidden or forgotten facts about Florida’s Black history, including early African arrivals, Black pirates, the mound builders, Southern Underground Railroad routes, Seminole Maroons and the Seminole Wars, particularly the 1838 Loxahatchee Battlefield
The Florida Black Historical Research Project provides the general public with previously hidden or forgotten facts about Florida’s Black history, including early African arrivals, Black pirates, the mound builders, Southern Underground Railroad routes, Seminole Maroons and the Seminole Wars, particularly the 1838 Loxahatchee Battlefield in northern Palm Beach County.
Most notably, FBHRP has established and continues to maintain vital links to the Black Seminole communities of Oklahoma, descendants of Trail of Tears survivors expelled from Florida.
FBHRP conducts and encourages research, organizes presentations, and produces displays and publications, including “We R Florida,” the popular brief history by FBHRP founder, the late Isa Hamm Bryant, who pioneered the effort to bring these important stories to light.