Elicia founded Vertae to protect and raise awareness of the local, endemic, and endangered plants of the Rhône region. She brings her background in science, clinical project management, and teaching to the organization’s day-to-day operations, alongside a lifelong love of language, nature, animals, and art. Based in Chaponost, she leads Vertae’s school and crèche workshops, partnerships, and outreach — and creates most of the artwork and video content that appear in Vertae’s shop, art exhibitions and social media content.

Elicia has a Master's in Health Law from the Northeastern School of Law in Boston and a B.A. in Spanish Literature from UNC Chapel Hill. She has lived between Chapel Hill, NC, USA and Lyon, France since 2018 and is a fish keeper who loves to nerd out about all things related to plants, languages, and world culture. You're likely to find her reading a book in a local café or talking a walk with her family through the local fields. Most importantly, she is a mom who hopes to convey her love for nature to her young son.