Our Team
Executive Director
Gil Smart
With more than three decades of experience as a high-profile newspaper columnist and investigative reporter, Gil Smart is adept at taking a deep dive on complex issues in search of solutions. A Pennsylvania native, father of three, sometimes musician and long-time champion of environmental causes, Gil fell in love with wild Florida and can conceive of no greater moral cause than fighting for better water quality and protecting the "River of Grass."
Our Board
We are fortunate to have such a dedicated and accomplished board with a wide range of expertise.
Together, we are committed to serve as the voice and conscience of 22 million Floridians who recognize the importance of clean water to marine life, human life, and economic vitality.
Blair Wickstrom
President
As publisher of Florida Sportsman magazine, Blair Wickstrom oversees all related media and products associated with the brand, including: television, online, social media, Expos and radio. In addition, Wickstrom writes a regular column in the magazine, Florida Sportsman Watermen, which focuses on water quality issues facing the state. Wickstrom is currently a Board of Director for: Bullsugar.org, Friends of the Everglades, and Rivers Coalition.
Jason Bultman
Vice-President
Jason Bultman is a native Floridian, outdoor enthusiast and waterman, with an unrelenting commitment to protecting wilderness. With bioengineering degrees from the University of Florida and the University of Pittsburgh, Jason supports heart transplant programs along the east coast. With a few friends he started and became a leader for a nonprofit The Bicycle Collective while living in Utah, fundraising, event planning and community-building for 10 years.
Inspired by the tenacity of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the beauty described in her "River of Grass," Jason is focused on how to contribute to the restoration of the Everglades. In his spare time Jason can be found surfing, paddling and harnessing wind on the Indian River Lagoon, gardening, playing tennis, and riding a bicycle. Jason lives in Sewall’s Point with his wife Michelle and their 5 kids.
Richard Trotta
Treasurer
Richard was born in Miami in 1958 and his love affair with the Everglades started soon after. Richard has explored the Glades from its Shingle Creek headwaters to Sandy Key. He has served as President of the Herman Lucerne Memorial Foundation. The Foundation has made Everglades National Park as its sole beneficiary. Living in Islamorada, Florida he is now focusing his efforts on helping the River of Grass flow as nature intended from the southern lip of Lake Okeechobee to the bights and bays of Florida Bay.
Billy Hinners
Secretary
Billy Hinners’ career in software spans several decades and continents, with both startups and large enterprises and roles in both product development and corporate IT.
Recently, Billy defined digital strategy as VP of Technology for nationwide residential solar startup, Sunrun. Billy’s Sunrun innovations resulted in multiple patents, a Department of Energy SunShot award and Sunrun’s rapid rise to IPO. Previously, he worked for several years at Autodesk in a variety of software engineering roles in the San Francisco bay area, Switzerland and Australia. He’s also held leadership positions at various startups throughout his career. Currently, Billy is cofounder and CEO of a nascent enterprise software startup.
At home, Billy enjoys running and he’s also happy to spend time out on the river or in the ocean.
Billy received his Bachelor’s in Engineering Science and Mechanics at Georgia Institute of Technology. He now serves on the Advisory Board of Georgia Tech’s College of Computing.
Philip Kushlan
Director
Philip Kushlan is a Coconut Grove resident and a passionate advocate for the conservation of South Florida’s unique ecosystems. He is an avid boater, diver and underwater photographer and graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Science and a Master of Science in Biology. He also serves on the boards of the Zoo Miami Foundation, Miami Waterkeeper, and as board chair of Friends of the Everglades.
Suzee Bailey
Director
Suzee Bailey’s passion for preserving and restoring our waterways led her to found Residents for Resilience, a non-profit aimed at motivating state and local governments to focus on safe and clean drinking water, flood mitigation, coastal resiliency and restoration.
With a background in television and journalism, the Fort Lauderdale resident has published articles and advocated for clean and sustainable waters at local government meetings. Suzee’s advocacy led to the City of Fort Lauderdale’s partnership with Miami Waterkeeper Waterway Quality Testing program, with 10 sites now being tested weekly for bacteria levels. Data is then posted on the Miami Waterkeeper website or the SwimGuide App.
She also helped prompt a City of Fort Lauderdale ordinance limiting application of fertilizers with nitrogen or phosphorus from June 1-Sept. 30.
Prior to focusing on local waterways, Suzee helped found the Belmont Childcare Association. She served two terms on the Board of Children’s Aid Club, two terms as President of the Nurmi Isles Homeowners Association and five years on the Las Olas Mobility Task Force. She currently serves on the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Sustainability Advisory Board.
Ray Judah
Director
Ray Judah graduated from the California State University of Humboldt with a Master of Science in Natural Resources and Bachelor of Arts in Zoology.
As a former environmental land planner with the Lee County Department of Community Development and Lee County Commissioner (1988-2012) he remains a strong advocate for providing a balance between management of growth and responsible stewardship of our precious natural resources.
During his tenure on the Board of Lee County Commission, Commissioner Judah assumed a leadership role in the efforts to protect the Caloosahatchee and coastal estuaries by advocating for restoration of the historic southern flow-way to the Everglades and responsible management of Lake Okeechobee. He also served as liaison with federal, state, and local agencies of officials on issues pertaining to natural resource issues and throughout his career he has written articles, commentaries, and spoke on behalf of land and water issues affecting Southwest Florida.
Michael Beautyman
Director
Michael Beautyman spent 10 years at the law firm of Ropes & Gray in Boston, six years as Chairman of a Department at Faegre Drinker Biddle in Philadelphia, and several decades running his own law firm, Beautyman Alvstad, LLP.
Over the years Michael has been involved in a number of environmental projects, some involving litigation. He was partially responsible for the passage of Massachusetts' bottle bill in the 1970's.
Michael is a sportsman who has been ranked in the top ten in the United States in four different sports, and ranked #1 in the world in masters tennis.
He founded and runs the Beautyman Cup, an international masters tennis competition pitting Team USA against Team World.
Gary Oster
Director
Gary Oster is a successful executive with over five decades of business experience. He founded Topline Growth Partners (TGP) and serves as its Chief Growth Strategist. TGP is a results-oriented consultancy that designs strategic, customized programs that drives growth, effectiveness, efficiency and higher performance.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from the University of Baltimore. A passionate sport fisherman, photographer and writer, Oster lives in Sewall's Point, Florida with his wife Lisa. He currently serves on the Boards of Catch the Wave of Hope, The Plantation and Vote Water.
