BiographiesforCFI-TallyAdvisoryBoard:
HarryKroto,Ph.D.HonoraryPresident
SirHarold(Harry) Krotois currentlyaFrancisEppes professorofChemistryat Florida StateUniversity,where heis carrying outresearchinnanoscienceandcluster chemistryas wellas developingexcitingnew Internetapproaches toSTEM educational outreach.In1996hewas knightedfor his contributions tochemistryandlater that year was oneofthreerecipients oftheNobel Prize for Chemistryin1996.Heis aFellowof theRoyal SocietyofLondon,andholds anemeritusprofessorshipattheUniversityof Sussexin Brighton,United Kingdom.Theresearch program focusesonthecomplex rangeof molecular constituentsincarbonvapour; thedevelopment of novel 2and3D metal-cluster/organicframeworks as wellas peptides;thestabilizationofsmall fullerenes;andcarbonnanotubebaseddevices behaviour. Hehasalsoinitiatedthe Global Educational Outreachfor Science,Engineering, andTechnologyprogramme (GEOSET- toexploitthe revolutionarycreative dynamics theInternet(which hecalls ittheGooYouWiki-World) to improve the general level ofscienceteachingworldwide.
HarryobtainedafirstclassBSchonours degreeinchemistry(1961)andaPhD, in molecular spectroscopyin 1964attheUniversityofSheffield(UK). After post-doctoral positionsattheNational ResearchCouncilinOttawa,Canada(1964-66) andatthe MurrayHillBellLaboratories(NJ,US) in1966-67 hestartedhis independentacademic career attheUniversityofSussex. In1970 his research groupconductedlaboratory andradioastronomystudiesonlonglinear carbonchainmolecules,andwithCanadian astronomers discovered thattheyexistedininterstellar space.In1985together withRobert Curl,RichardSmalleyandresearchstudentsJimHeath,Sean O’Brienand Yuan Liu atRiceUniversity(Texas)hecarriedoutlaboratoryexperimentswhichsimulated the chemical reactions in theatmosphere ofredgiantstars.Theseexperiments uncoveredtheexistenceofC60Buckminsterfullerene,a newform ofcarbonfor which he togetherwithCurlandSmalleyreceived the1996Nobel PrizeinChemistry.
In1995,helaunchedtheVega ScienceTrust( filmsofsufficientlyhighqualityforbroadcastonUKnetwork television. Hehas several otherawards includingtheCopleyMedalandFaradayLectureshipoftheRoyal SocietyandtheLongstaffMedal oftheRoyal SocietyofChemistry.He holdssome30honorary degreesfromuniversities allover theworld.From2004 hehasbeenontheBoardof Scientific Governors atScripps Institute.Hewas electedaForeignAssociate ofthe NationalAcademyofSciences in2007.
Warren BrackmannPresident
Warren Brackmann graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a BSc in Computer Science. He worked in Information Technology, mostly data and computer communications, and related research, for over 30 years. He is now a freelance photographer and has taken photographs for organizations in Ottawa, Ontario, Tallahassee, Florida and in South Georgia. His fine art photographs have been exhibited in galleries such as the Brokaw-McDougall House and Gallery 1020ART in Tallahassee, the Southern Rivers Fine Art Exposition in Camilla, Georgia and the Albany Area Arts Council Gallery in Albany Georgia. He is also a co-director of the Freethinkers Forum, Tallahassee, Florida, where he has been an active participant for over four years.
Nathaniel HallVice President
My name is Nathaniel Hall. I was born and raised near Tupelo, MS. I have lived in Tallahassee 3 years now, and am a 28 year old Software Tester with a local Telephony Software company.
I have been an active participant with the Tallahassee CFI Branch for over 6 months now. I have been involved with the Tallahassee Atheist group for over a year and a half. I am an avid Social Networker advocating for Secularism, Humanism and Science. I'm excited for the opportunity to serve on the board position and spread the knowledge of those topics at CFI Tallahassee with such intellectual, helpful and caring people. I would hope to continue planning exciting and entertaining scientific presentations that will attract audiences young and old.
In my free time I enjoy weightlifting, watching documentaries, protesting in favor of the Separation of Church & State and serving the community. I would like to become more involved with The Clergy Project in the future. This project has a special place in my heart because I was on my way to the Ministry when I was in my early 20's. I was a Creationist, misogynist, racist and homophobic Southern Baptist who reveled in my ignorance. I slowly questioned more and more and looked elsewhere for answers. I wish I would have had a resource and organization like CFI in my area while growing up. I am very grateful for this organization and I look forward to helping us grow in leaps in bounds.
Thank you all for all that you have done to make this a great organization!
GaryJ. Whittenberger,Ph.D.Secretary
AlthoughGarygrewupin Indiana,hehas livedinTallahasseefor mostof his life. After gettinghisbachelors degreeinpsychologyfrom PurdueUniversityinWest Lafayette,Indiana,Garyobtainedhismasters anddoctoral degreesfromFloridaState UniversityinTallahassee,where hespecializedinclinicalpsychology.Hethenworked for 23yearsas adrug abuse program coordinatorfor theFederal Bureau ofPrisons, where hedelivered psychological services toinmates,developed newprograms, and evaluatedthem.Sincehis retirement,Garyhas spentmuchtime reading,writing, and beingactiveinfree-thoughtgroups.Heis alsoco-leader oftheFreethinkers’Forum at thelocal UUchurch.Gary’s articles have been publishedin Skeptical Inquirer, Skeptic, American Atheist,andtheTallahasseeDemocrat.Herecentlypublishedhisfirstbook (2010) -- God WantsYou tobe an Atheist,andmoreinformationaboutthebook can beobtainedat
Garyis interestedinphilosophy,religion,science,includingpsychology, and their interrelationships.Garyis an avidsports andtheatrespectator. He and his wife,Marci, have onedaughter–Amy.
Joan PattersonTreasurer
Joan is a retired FSU faculty member with advanced degrees in psychology, education, and information studies. Originally from San Antonio, TX, she has lived/worked in Washington, DC, North Carolina, Alabama, the Province of Quebec, Canada, Kansas, Indiana, Missouri and Florida. For the five years in Canada she was a Cistercian nun, but became a secular humanist about 20 years ago. She moved to Tallahassee in 1995 and in addition to her membership in CFI, she belongs to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee, The American Humanist Association, and Humanists of Florida Association. Her interests include prehistoric cave art, world religions, current research in archeology and human evolution, genealogy, and music of almost all genres (hardcore punk and heavy metal excluded). Joan is widowed and has 5 children/stepchildren, 8 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren (scattered from coast to coast), and a live-in dog and 2 cats.
Gary A.Stilwell,Ph.D.Directorof Communications
Garygrewupin PanamaCity,Florida,gotabachelors degreeinMathematicsfrom Auburn,andthenjoined the IBMCorporation. Uponretirementfromworkinginscience, technology, andsuper-computersatIBM,hebegansecondcareersofscientific computer consulting,and academic research, writing, andteaching. Combininghis professional experienceinthesciences withan academic interest inreligion(MA and Ph.D.inHumanitieswithemphasis onreligion), hebeganwritingandlecturing on these subjectsattheFloridaStateUniversityandAcademyinTallahassee,Florida.
His books–Christianity: 5000YearsofHistory andDevelopment;WhereWas God: Evil,Theodicy, andModern Science;andAfterlife:Post-MortemJudgmentsinAncient EgyptandAncientGreeceareavailablehere
Ray Bellamy. M.D.Director of Programs
Ray is an orthopedic surgeon practicing at Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic and part time faculty member of the FSU College of Medicine. FSU graduate in 1961. Former president of Fla. Orthopedic Society and Capital Medical Society. Member of Tallahassee Scientific Society. Proud to be a 16 gallon blood donor at Southeastern Community Blood Center. Active with the Climate Reality Project of Al Gore's group to oppose global warming deniers. Strongly in opposition to the marketing of pseudoscience such as accupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic, Reiki, and the like, to unsuspecting patients. Enthusiastic tennis player in the 70 and over age division, competing nationally against those who are still alive.
John PorgalMembership Director
John was born in Sanford Florida and grew up as a military brat, moving all over the United States. After 8 years of honorable service as an Aviation Electronics Technician in the United States Coast Guard (Joined, April 1977). John continued working in the Communications industry as a Radio Frequency Communication Engineer, working on and designing various Two-way and Cellular communication systems. Experience in Spread Spectrum Communications, Sonar Communications, and Nortel 6 GHZ DS3 Microwave systems, T1 Microwave systems, (T1 and DS3) Tellabs DACS, Ericsson AC and DC power systems. District Office Liaison, Independent Order of foresters, Public Relations Officer, Independent Order of foresters. Nationally Certified EMT (expired).
Now retired and recently widowed after a 21 year marriage to Cheryl Anne Porgal, John keeps himself busy working on various secular issues. Presently Leader of the Tallahassee Atheists, Tallahassee, Florida. John is an avid Target Shooter, enjoys gardening and taking care of his two dogs.
MarciaZ.Whittenberger,Ph.D.Member at Large
Marcia,known tofamilyandfriendsas"Marci",was born in Illinois,butspentallbuta fewyears ofher lifeinFlorida.Shereceivedbachelors, masters,and doctoral degrees fromFlorida StateUniversityinTallahassee,where shespecializedinschool and communitypsychology.Marci’s professional lifehas consisted ofacombinationof private practice,treatingprimarilychildren andfamilies,andserviceto thestatesof Florida and Georgia,actingas apsychologist for developmentallydisabledpopulations. Shecurrently works atSouthwestern StateHospital inThomasville, Georgia.Marci’s hobbiesincludetheatre,music, andreading.Sheandherhusband,Gary, have one daughter–Amy.
Brandi BraschlerMember at Large
Brandi Braschler is an atheist, skeptic, humanist, feminist, and student. She is currently a senior biological science major at Florida State University, where she is president ofFreethinkers FSU, a campus atheist, skeptic, and freethought group. She considers herself an activist and has participated in many events in Florida, including Occupy Tallahassee, Slutwalk Tallahassee, We Are Women March of Tallahassee, and the protest of the Bradford County Courthouse ten commandments monument. She often helps plan these demonstrations, including the protest of the Genocide Awareness Project, an extreme anti-choice group, when they came to Florida State University.
Brandi was recently added to the Board of Directors of theHumanists of Florida Association, where she serves as Director of their Conference Committee. She also recently founded a local feminist atheist group,Tallahassee Godless Women. When she has free time, she likes to crochet, watch Doctor Who and Star Trek, and complain on her blog,That Weird Atheist Girl.