Footage from the 2022 Florida Wildlife Corridor Summit

Corridor Connect: Ecology + Economy for a Better Florida

September 26-28 | Caribe Royale Orlando

Welcome to Corridor Connect, where the realms of ecology and economy will converge for three extraordinary days of networking, solution-building, and strategy development aimed at shaping a better future for Florida. Corridor Connect will bring together leaders from business, conservation and government to identify solutions for balancing Florida’s growth with the protection of our most at-risk resource — the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Together we will:

  • Take a step forward in Florida’s environmental sustainability and economic growth

  • Examine the multifaceted complexities surrounding the Corridor’s protection.

  • Build and strengthen relationships vital to creating successful partnerships across industries.

  • Engage in dynamic solutions-focused discussions and develop post-summit action plans.

  • Celebrate Corridor conservation wins

Who should attend?

  • Public Partners and NGOs working to protect the Corridor
  • Regional Developers & Landowners
  • Coastal and Marine NGOs in Florida and Neighboring States
  • Academic Institutions
  • State Business Leaders
  • Key Legislators
  • Funders Interested in Hands-On Solution Building
  • National Wildlife Corridor Experts & Leaders
Request an Invitation

Speakers

Mike Alfano

Principal Planner, Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency

Katie Allen

Director of Landscape Conservation, Appalachian Trail Conservancy

Dustin Angell

Program Director
of Education,
Archbold Biological
Station

Fabiola Baeza-Tarin

Conservation Ecologist, Common Ground Ecology

Dr. John Baldwin

Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Development, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University

Cynthia Barnett

Director, Climate and Environment Reporting Initiatives, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications

Eban Bean

Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist of Urban Water Resources Engineering, University of Florida

Asha Bertsch

Lead Horticulturist, The Underline

Bob Bendick

Director, Gulf of Mexico Program, The Nature Conservancy

Logan Benedict

Adaptation and Landscape Specialist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Nina Bhattacharyya

Urban Agriculture Specialist, USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production

Zach Bodhane

Director of Government Relations, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

Josh
Bomstein

President,
Creative
Contractors Inc.

Rebecca
Bradley

Founding
Principal,
Cadence

Jon Paul “J.P.” Brooker

Director, Florida Conservation, Ocean Conservancy

Samantha
Brown

Office of Greenways and Trails, Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Ramesh
Buch

Director of Conservation Acquisitions, North Florida Land Trust

Deborah Burr

Program Administrator, Division of State Lands, Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Autumn
Calder

Director, Blueprint
Intergovernmental
Agency

Commissioner Lee Constantine

District 3
Commissioner,
Seminole County, Florida

Matthew Corby

Installation Conservation Manager, Florida Department of Military Affairs, Camp Blanding Joint Training Center

Ernie Cox

President,
Family Lands
Remembered, LLC

Capt. Paul Cross

Director of Operations, Plantation Resort on Crystal River

Gabby Curtiz

Safari Tourism
Guide, Gorongosa
National Park

Rev. Houston R. Cypress, Otter Clan

Board of Directors,
Love the
Everglades Movement

Brenna Dacks

Regional Partnership Manager and Rural Tourism Liaison, VISIT FLORIDA

Joshua Daskin

Director of Conservation,
Archbold Biological
Station

Traci Deen

CEO, Conservation Florida

Callie DeHaven

Director, Division of State Lands, Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Mallory Dimmitt

Chief Executive Officer, Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation

Eric Draper

Chair, Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation PES Workgroup

Katherine R. English

Attorney, Pavese Law Firm

John Francis

Goodwill Ambassador, United Nations Environment Programme

Mason Gravley

Lead Adventurer, Athletic Brewing

Secretary Shawn Hamilton

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Jennifer Hecker

Executive Director, Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership

Clay Henderson

Author,
Environmental Lawyer,
and Educator

Carter Henne

President, Sea & Shoreline

Erica Hernandez

Conservation Director, Alachua
Conservation Trust

Dr. Jodi Hilty

President and Chief Scientist, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative

Christina Hite

Co-Founder,
DIX•HITE +
Partners

Kim Holland, PE

Assistant Secretary of Strategic Development, Florida Department of Transportation

Patty
Huff

President,
Friends of the
River of Grass Greenway

Alex Johns

Executive Director of Agriculture, Seminole Tribe of Florida

Dr. Pierce
Jones

Director, Program for Resource Efficient Communities, Center for Land Use Efficiency, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Lena
Juarez

Executive Director,
Florida
Agritourism
Association

M. Jennison
Kipp

Resource Economist, Program for Resource Efficient Communities, Center for Land Use Efficiency, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Greg
Knecht

Executive Director,
The Nature
Conservancy in
Florida

Richard L. Levey, Ph.D., AICP

Managing Director, Levey Consulting

Tori Linder

Conservationist, Path of the Panther

Charles E. “Buck” MacLaughlin

Range Operations Officer, 598th Range Squadron, 23rd Wing, Avon Park Air Force Range

Julie
Morris

Director, Florida Conservation Group

Brittany
Moore

Office of Greenways
and Trails,
Florida Department of
Environmental Protection

Lisa Moore

President, Save Crystal River

Sue Mullins

Director, Rural and Family Lands Program, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

James
Murley

Chief Resiliency
Officer,
Miami-Dade
County

Heather Nagy

Strategic Conservation Planning Coordinator, North Florida Land Trust

John H. Nix

Energy Conservation Engineer, Alachua County Public Schools

Sean M.
Parks

District 2
Commissioner,
Lake County,
Florida

Senator Kathleen Passidomo

President, Florida Senate

Matt
Pearce

Chairman,
Conservation
Florida

Beth
Pratt

California Regional
Executive Director,
National Wildlife
Federation

Queen
Quet

Chieftess and
Head-of-State,
Gullah/Geechee
Nation

Jennifer Roberts

Assistant Bureau Chief, District 3 Administration, Florida Park Service

Valerie
Seidel

President and
Principal Economist,
The Balmoral
Group

Brittany Sellers

Assistant Director of Sustainability, Resilience, and Future-Ready Initiatives, City of Orlando

Gautam Shah

Founder, Internet of Elephants, National Geographic Fellow, TED Fellow

Commissioner Wilton Simpson

Commissioner of Agriculture, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Jeb
Smith

President,
Florida Farm
Bureau
Federation

Taylor V. Stein, PhD

Professor and Associate Director, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida

Lindsey
Stevens

Director of the Sustainable Communities Strategy and Protection, The Nature Conservancy in Florida

Jim
Strickland

Owner,
Strickland
Ranch

Gabriela
Tejeda

Conservation Storyteller, 2023 National Geographic Young Explorer

Travis
Thompson

Radio Host, Cast and Blast Podcast & Owner/Operator, Gasparilla Charters

Carlton
Ward Jr.

Founder,
Wildpath

Shane Wellendorf

Land Conservancy Director,
Tall Timbers
Research Station
and Land Conservancy

Geoff West

Director of Development, Florida Power and Light

Benita M.
Whalen

President,
Dispersed
Water
LLC

Nick
Wiley

Chief Operating
Officer,
Ducks Unlimited,
Inc.

Ben & Louann Williams

Owners and
Managers,
Wetland
Preserve LLC

Kent L. Wimmer

Coordinator, Northwest Florida Sentinel Landscape & Senior Northwest Florida Representative, Defenders of Wildlife

James M. Wohl

Owner, Rafter T Ranch

Dana
Young

President and
Chief Executive
Officer,
Visit Florida

Agenda at a glance

Innovation Corridor

The Innovation Corridor provides businesses, nonprofit organizations and students an opportunity to present innovative, novel, and creative solutions for Corridor protection to state-wide and national leaders in the private and public sectors. We are offering opportunities to purchase a booth or a package including tickets to enjoy the full summit. A limited number of scholarships are available for college student presenters. For pricing and other details, contact Maureen Vicaria at maureen@floridawildlifecorridor.org. 

Learn More
Caribe Royale

Travel Information

Caribe Royale Orlando

Hotel
A discounted room rate of $189/night plus tax and fees is available when you book through our link. The hotel will honor the rate for 3 days before and after the summit, subject to availability. A Government room block is also available.

Parking
Hotel Self-parking $28.00 (plus tax, per night, per vehicle)
Non-registered Hotel Day guest: $30.00 (plus tax, per vehicle)
Valet: $35.00 (plus tax, per vehicle)

Disney Perk:
Transportation is available to the Walt Disney World Ticket & Transportation Center and to Disney Springs. Any hotel guest may reserve a seat on the shuttle so long as space is available. Guests must stop by the concierge desk in the main lobby to reserve transportation.

Sponsorship Opportunities

As a nonprofit organization, we rely on the generous support of sponsors to make this event possible. As a sponsor, you will not only gain valuable exposure for your organization but also play a crucial role in advancing conservation solutions. We are offering a variety of sponsorship levels and perks to accommodate a variety of budgets and objectives. For personalized sponsorship needs please contact Director of Development, Danna Bramlett at danna@floridawildlifecorridor.org.

  • 2 passes to Corridor Connect 2023 (Field Trips not included)
  • Company listed in event app
  • Name included on event website
  • 4 passes to Corridor Connect 2023 (Field Trips not included)
  • Company listed in event app
  • Name included on event website
  • 3 passes to Corridor Connect 2023 (one Field Trip per ticket included)
  • Named sponsorship of one (1) meal (breakfast, lunch or break)
    • Selected based on availability when sponsorship is confirmed
  • Name included on event website

Sponsors

Corridor Connect 2023 is made possible in part by:

Sustainability Sponsor:

Sponsors:

Summit Program Committee

2023 Corridor Connect Committee Members provide program and presenter expertise to ensure that we deliver a collective culture that’s inclusive of all corridor voices and interest. Meet our committee members!

  • Josh Daskin, PhD, Director of Conservation, Archbold Biological Station

  • Mallory Dimmitt, Chief Executive Officer, Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation

  • Elizabeth Guthrie, Manager of Conservation Programs – Florida, Ducks Unlimited

  • Jason Lauritsen, Chief Conservation Officer, Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation

  • Julie Morris, Florida and Gulf Programs Manager, National Wildlife Refuge Association

  • Heather Obara, Associate Director, Alachua Conservation Trust

  • Jim Strickland, Owner, Strickland Ranch

  • Noah Valenstein, Managing Partner, Brightwater

  • Jane West, Policy and Planning Director, 1000 Friends of Florida

2022 Florida Wildlife Corridor Summit

The inaugural-multi-day Florida Wildlife Corridor Summit took place over three days in April 2022 to convene thought leaders for discussions, collaboration, and problem-solving all geared toward conserving the Florida Wildlife Corridor.