Renowned Conservationist Mallory Lykes Dimmitt Named CEO, Following Landmark Legislation Establishing Florida Wildlife Corridor

ST PETERSBURG, Fla. – July 15, 2021—Riding the wave of the passage of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, the Florida Wildlife Corridor Coalition announced the appointment of Mallory Lykes Dimmitt as the organization’s CEO, effective August 16, 2021. In her role as the Corridor Coalition’s first CEO, Dimmitt will lead the Corridor Coalition as they continue theircollaborative campaign to connect, protect, and restore the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

“The Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome Mallory back to the organization as our CEO,” said Sue Williams, president, Board of Directors, Florida Wildlife Corridor Coalition. “Her vast experience in both conservation and management that is firmly rooted in a robust history with the State of Florida makes her the ideal leader to usher in the next phases of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Campaign. Working across the state, with the many stakeholders and partners, we believe her leadership will be instrumental in achieving the audacious goal of protecting a connected, wild Florida.”

In addition to Dimmitt’s new position, Jason Lauritsen, executive director, has been promoted to Chief Conservation Officer. In his new role, Lauritsen will oversee all aspects of land and water protection, science, stewardship and local community relationships for the Corridor Coalition.

“I’m thrilled to work alongside Jason and the full team as we enter the next phase of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Coalition’s mission,” said Dimmitt. “The landmark passage of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act officially designated the Florida Wildlife Corridor as a priority area and shined a spotlight on its importance, and we will build on this momentum to continue conserving the Corridor.”

Widely recognized as a national conservation leader, Dimmitt is currently the Vice President of Strategic Development for Lykes Bros. Inc. where she works at the intersection of sustainable agriculture and conservation for a multi-generation family-owned agribusiness with significant, contiguous land holdings in Florida and Texas.

“Mallory has been such a valuable part of Lykes Bros. these last 11 years, first as a Board member then as a key part of our senior leadership team, that it’s very difficult to see her go,” said Johnnie James, President and CEO of Lykes Bros. Inc. “We will greatly miss her vision and energy, but we recognize that this is one of those ‘once in a lifetime opportunities’ for her to pursue her passion for conservation as the leader of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Coalition. While her role is changing, we expect to continue to work closely together on our mutual goals of protecting land in its natural and scenic state and preserving critical wildlife habitat.”

Dimmitt’s previous roles include protecting river corridors and identifying large landscape conservation opportunities across four states in the Colorado Plateau with The Nature Conservancy. Dimmitt was instrumental in developing the vision and initial strategies as a co-founder of the Corridor Coalition’s predecessor organization. Beyond her management role, she participated in four ground-breaking expeditions through the Florida Wildlife Corridor with National Geographic Explorer and photographer Carlton Ward Jr. and wildlife biologist Joe Guthrie. These treks resulted in award winning documentaries produced by the Coalition.

Dimmitt has served as a Board member and Board president for the Corridor Coalition and served as its first Executive Director from 2014-2016. Dimmitt also sits on the Board of Directors of Archbold Biological Station, one of the founding organizations of the Corridor Coalition, as well as the Florida State Fair Authority, WUSF Advisory Board, Love IV Lawrence, Camp Merrie-Woode and University of the South.

Dimmitt received a BS in Natural Resources from the University of the South and was awarded the Doris Duke Conservation Fellowship at Duke University’s Nicholas School of Environmental where she earned a Master’s of Environmental Management. She is an alum of the WedgworthLeadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources and is a current Cornerstone Class 39 member in Leadership Florida.

“We’re excited to welcome Mallory back to the team in a full-time capacity as we navigate the next chapter of the Corridor Coalition,” said Lauritsen. “We look to her unmatched guidance and expertise as we continue to show why the Florida Wildlife Corridor is so vital for the future of Florida.”