Matt Pearce - CHAIR of the Board
Matt is a Florida native and 7th generation Florida cattle rancher who is passionate about protecting habitat for ranching and wildlife. He owns and operates Pearce Cattle Company, a family-owned cow/calf operation with locations throughout South Florida and Central Georgia. He has served on the Florida Cattlemen’s Association Board for 10 years and is the immediate past president. His goal is to serve the industry and assist in successfully passing down the ranching lifestyle to the next generation.
📍 Okeechobee, Florida
Courtney Barnard - Vice Chair of the board
Courtney serves as the director of government affairs in Florida for Verizon. Her areas of focus include local government relations and community engagement. Courtney has over a decade of experience working in public policy and grassroots engagement in Florida. Prior to her role with Verizon, Courtney previously worked in housing advocacy with the Florida Realtor Association and Florida Apartment Association. Outside of work, she volunteers locally and is a lifetime member of Leadership Florida.
Courtney received her master’s in political science, international studies track at the University of Central Florida and her bachelor’s in politics and international relations at Scripps College in Claremont, CA. She also holds a certificate in public policy from the University of Washington, Jackson School of International Relations.
Courtney is a native of California, but has lived in Central Florida for a decade. She is passionate about her local community and loves having nature on her doorstep. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, stand up paddle boarding, yoga, baking, and reading.
📍 Orlando, Florida
Justin Beck - Treasurer
Justin lives in Pensacola and is the CEO of Beck Partners, a commercial real estate services firm. He has a BS in Business Management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Justin is married to his wonderful wife Kristin, and they have three children together. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors, especially fishing and hunting. Justin has a deep appreciation for the natural world and loves all things conservation. He’s a former chair of the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, current chair of the Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation, and trustee at Episcopal Day School in Pensacola.
📍 Pensacola, Florida
eric draper - secretary of the board
Eric Draper provides strategic advice on environmental finance and policy to businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. He is a passionate road and off-road cyclist and serves on the boards of the Florida Bicycle Association and Capital City Cyclists.
He recently completed service as Director of the Florida Park Service. Before being asked to lead the Florida Park Service, Draper was Executive Director of Audubon Florida. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Policy at the National Audubon Society, the Florida House of Representatives Majority Office staff director, The Nature Conservancy’s Florida government relations director, and Clean Water Action's national campaigns director.
During his 30-year conservation career, Draper was a leading advocate for water and land conservation and Everglades restoration. Draper’s service has included EPA’s Environmental Finance Advisory Committee, Florida Agriculture Commissioner’s Water Policy Advisory Committee, Working Forest Partnership (co-chair), Water and Land Legacy Campaign executive committee, Sustainable Florida board, Florida Ocean Alliance board, the Clinton-Gore EPA Transition Team, the Florida Soil and Water Conservation Council, the Florida Water Management District Review Commission, Partners for a Better Florida (co-chair), and FSU Political Science Department (adjunct instructor).
📍Tallahassee, Florida
neil asma
Neil is a third generation Floridian from Winter Garden, where he is the Vice President of Toole’s Ace Hardware, an organization of eleven Ace Hardware stores in Central Florida. He received his BA in English from Washington & Lee University, and MBA from Rollins College.
Neil learned to love nature backpacking and camping with the Boy Scouts of America, reaching the rank of Eagle Scout. He and his wife Sarah are passionate about ensuring their daughter will grow up with the same chance to love natural Florida.
📍 Orlando, Florida
ADAM BABINGTON
Adam is the Vice President of External Affairs at The Walt Disney Company, where he has worked for 10 years. He is a current board member of South Lake Chamber of Commerce. He earned his bachelor's degree from Florida State University and graduated with his law degree from the University of Florida. Adam was raised in Central Florida, and lives in Winter Garden with his wife and three daughters.
📍 Winter Garden, Florida
Mike Forrester
Mike was born in Orlando and grew up in Osceola County. His great-grandfather was a steamboat captain on the Kissimmee River in the late 1800's. His grandfather introduced him to Florida history, while he and his dad traveled the state, visiting many of Florida’s iconic sites and historic locations.
Mike has been a freelance producer and cameraman for The Weather Channel, National Geographic, Bloomberg, CNN and other networks. He is President of Orlando Webcasts which produces live, online corporate meetings, town halls and conferences.
He spends his free time visiting state parks and conservation areas, learning more about our state's fragile ecosystem, and has become endeared to the Florida Scrub-Jay. His concern for the loss of Florida's wildlife corridors and natural habitats led him to become active with Conservation Florida.
📍 Orlando, Florida
David Ward
David serves as the Executive Director of a private family office, responsible for the sourcing, stewardship, and growth of a large investment portfolio across a multitude of industries ranging from commercial real estate, private credit, hospitality, software and technology, agriculture, private equity, and strategic investments in closely held companies.
David was born in Lakeland, Florida and received a B.A. in English Writing from Florida State University and was a member of the Honors Program. He obtained his Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law.
David is a passionate outdoorsman, fisherman, and hunter. He is fond of offshore sportfishing, international long distance trekking, and all types of hunting. David is committed to protecting our wild places for future generations, and advocating for responsible economic and real estate growth that preserves the natural landscapes that make Florida an exceptional place to live, work, and raise a family.
📍 Lakeland, Florida
Will Hollis
Will is a fifth generation Floridian born in Lakeland, Florida and grew up on Crooked Lake in Babson Park, Florida. Volunteering started at a young age for Will when he joined Operation Smile in middle school. He then went on to partake in a medical mission trip through operation smile in high school. A trip that Will remembers to be life changing and humbling. He found his way to DeLand in 2009 when he enrolled in Stetson University, his grandfather and many other family member’s alma mater. He also met his wife, Emily Perryman Hollis, at Stetson.
He is an active community member in the City of DeLand where he serves on the board of directors for The Rotary Club of DeLand and on the Executive Board of Directors for The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia, a non-profit organization that feeds the hungry, houses the homeless, and prevents homelessness.
Will and his wife Emily enjoy hiking and camping all over the United States but feel especially close to Florida’s local state parks, W.M.A.’s, and National Forrest’s that many of us in this room have come to know and love. Will plans to stay active in community involvement as he looks forward to growing with the City of DeLand and raising a family here.
📍 Deland, Florida
Ellery Badcock Linder
After receiving her BA from Auburn University, Ellery’s decade-long career in publishing (Food Network Magazine) and retail e-commerce/marketing (Home Shopping Network) cultivated a diverse professional background anchored in innovation and strategic thinking. In addition to serving as a Conservation Florida board member, Ellery is a trustee at the Tampa Bay History Center. She is passionate about the outdoors and is dedicated to leveraging her expertise to preserve Florida’s wild lands and history.
Ellery was raised in Central Florida and resides in Tampa with her husband and son.
📍 Tampa, Florida
MIKE MILLER
Mike is the Chief of External Affairs for the Florida Virtual School. He has a history degree from the University of Florida and an MBA from Rollins College. He holds a Florida real estate license and serves on the boards of Goodwill, the Central Florida Alzheimer’s Association, and The Florida Network for at-risk youth.
After meeting and marrying his wife Nora in DC, Mike relocated to Central Florida and served as the District Director for US Congressman Ric Keller (Orlando) from 2000-2004. He served two terms as a Member of the Florida House of Representatives representing District 47. Mike has two children and currently resides in Winter Park with his wife.
📍 Orlando, Florida