The Florida Springs Council began as a coalition of
conservation organizations.
Rainbow River Conservation logo
Silver Springs Alliance logo
Rainbow River Conservation logo
In 2014 local springs groups like Ichetucknee Alliance, Friends of Wekiva, and Rainbow River Conservation joined larger conservation groups like Sierra Club and Save the Manatee Club to combine their efforts, skills, and expertise to protect Florida's Springs.
The result was the Florida Springs Council, a 501(c)3 non-profit coalition designed for collective advocacy focused solely on the protection and restoration of Florida's springs. Representatives of those groups were the first members of FSC.
Since then we've evolved into a much larger organization with thousands of individual members, while maintaining a model of cooperation with our partner organizations. Each member on our board of directors represents a springs or environmental organization. Each organization brings specific expertise and local knowledge to the Council, and we have greater strength when we work as one on local or statewide springs threats. We lobby in Tallahassee for better laws, coordinate legal challenges, and take other action as needed to protect Florida's springs.
Ryan Smart lives in Jacksonville Beach and holds a Master's in Water Policy & Public Administration from the University of Florida, where he was honored for his environmental advocacy work as the 2017 University of Florida Bob Graham Center Young Floridian of the Year.
He took the helm as FSC's first Executive Director in 2018, after having served as the Director of the Florida Conservation Coalition and President of 1000 Friends of Florida.
“My goal as the Florida Springs Council’s first executive director is to build the power, influence and resources of springs advocates across our state. We are putting those who pollute and abuse our springs on notice. No more. We are going to do whatever is necessary – through science, local governments, the Legislature, and the courts - to reverse the destruction of North Florida’s springs and waters.”
BRENDA WELLS
Communications
Director
brendawells@floridaspringscouncil.org
CHLOE
DOUGHERTY
Communications
Associate
chloe@floridaspringscouncil.org
Board of
Directors
Every member of our board represents a springs or conservation organization.
CASEY FITZGERALD
PRESIDENT
Free the Ocklawaha Coalition
BRAD RIMBEY
VICE PRESIDENT
Homosasssa River Alliance
ROBERT PALMER, PHD
TREASURER
Florida Springs Institute
MIKE CLIBURN
SECRETARY
Friends of the Wekiva
MAXINE CONNOR
League of Women Voters
of Citrus County
KIMBERLEIGH DINKINS
1,000 Friends of Florida
BURT ENO, PHD
Rainbow River Conservation
MERRILLEE
MALWITZ JIPSON
Our Santa Fe River
JOHN JOPLING, ESQ
Ichetucknee Alliance
SEAN MCGLYNN
MICHAEL MCGRATH
Wakulla Springs Alliance
Sierra Club
LISA RINAMAN
St. Johns Riverkeeper
DR. URSULA SCHWUTTKE
Withlacoochee Aquatic Restoration, Inc.
Communications
Advisory Board
Our Communications Advisory Board is a team of volunteers who take on special projects. Each is a springs enthusiast, each brings a special skill, like writing, fundraising, public speaking, photography, local knowledge, social media, or design, that allows the Springs Council and our smaller member groups to better communicate the needs of our springs. If you have an interest in taking on a project with the Springs Council, email our Communications Director at brendawells@floridaspringscouncil.org
KIMBER GREENWOOD
Kimber is a travel and adventure photographer who specializes in stunning underwater portraiture. She's also a certified cave diver.
She has taken on several projects for the Florida Springs Council.
Current Project: Kimber is our creative director on a grant-funded project to change perceptions around lawns and bottled water use.
CHELSEY & CHRIS STEVENS
Chelsey and Chris, through their website "Sunshine State Seekers," gather and share information about how to fully experience the natural side of Florida.
Chris and Chelsey also co-host The Florida Madcaps Podcast, sharing their deep knowledge of the natural areas of Florida,
LINDA
WILINSKI
Linda is a talented photographer in the Rainbow River area and a friend to otters. Linda donates her photography skills and talent for telling stories to conservation causes across Florida.
Current Projects: Linda headed up a calendar fundraising project for FSC, she also provides the majority of the images we use in our communications.
CHELSEA
TURNER
Chelsea is our go-to source for making sure that our website tells the story that moves our mission forward.
Chelsea specializes in brand management for outdoor recreation, hospitality, and leisure industries at Little River Creative.
Current Project: Website improvements and general digital presence coaching.
HUNTER
TURNER
Hunter is the guy we turn to for cool graphics.
He's the artist behind "Old Florida Vibes." Hunter helps us with artwork for stickers and merchandise and also donates event proceeds to FSC.
Current Projects: Hunter is our merchandising coach, and is hosting art events that raise awareness and funds for Springs Conservation.
MICHELLE
COLSON
Michelle Colson on land, she is "Mermaid Michi" in the water. Michelle is a content creator, known as "Guardian of the Waters" and has used her extensive platform to help elevate the cause of springs conservation.
Current Projects: Michelle is hosting live educational online events with FSC and other conservation organizations to help us all as a community reach a larger audience.
RYAN
WORTHINGTON
Ryan is a Florida Master Naturalist who, through video, helps foster awareness, appreciation, and ultimately conservation of the habitats that make Florida special.
Ryan also co-hosts The Florida Madcaps Podcast, with Chris and Chelsey, the Sunshine State Seekers, also FSC advisory board members. The podcast focuses on the natural areas of Florida and the issues affecting them.
Current Project:
First Person Video Shorts:
Ryan is always on the move, and everywhere he goes he coordinates with us to create educational videos about an issue affecting the springs he visits.
DANIELLE
MOSICHUK
Danielle started the "Florida Springs Passport" out of a love for exploring Florida's springs.
The Florida Springs Passport is an interactive adventure booklet that includes 20 locations with pictures and visiting information, and comes with discounts from local eco-tour companies to help you get out on the water!
Danielle reached out and offered to work with us and other advisory board members on a booklet that could help get new springs enthusiasts out exploring and offer an introduction to springs advocacy.
EMERITUS
Communications
Advisory Board Members
REME VAUGHT
HASTINGS
Reme was one of the first springs advocates to join our advisory board. She used her photography skills to help introduce more people to the issues facing our springs.
Most notably she joined us in Tallahassee to speak before a House Committee, showing lawmakers her photos of algae-impaired springs.
BRANDY
CLARK
Brandy created and took on the management of an Instagram presence for FSC member group Rainbow River Conservation.
KELLY
DEL VALLE
Kelly was our first social media consultant. She curates the springs-centric Instagram account, the spring state (and can also be found on Instagram as @tannicroots)
Kelly created one of our most popular sticker designs, and created our first tee-shirt as a fundraiser. She also accompanied us to Tallahassee to speak before lawmakers to amend the Clean Waterways Act.