Board of Directors

Merrie Lynn Parker, Ed.D., Secretary/Treasurer is retired Manatee School District administrator. She is a Life Member of Manatee Fish and Game, joining in the 1970’s. She spent many pleasurable hours hunting and fishing with her late husband Chick Parker. She is a certified Master Naturalist, enjoys painting water colors of wildlife and its natural habitat and kayaking the local tributaries and water bodies.
Merrie Lynn maintains a connection with the Manatee County Environmental Lands Management & Acquisition Committee to be sure local conservation dollars is well spent.

Karen Willey, a Nationally Certified Interpretive Guide, is a semi-retired environmental educator and climate change communicator. She is an avid member of the Florida Native Plant Society and spends as much free time as she can botanizing on wild lands. Karen sold her company, Around the Bend Nature Tours, in 2019 which reached 100,000 students over 20 years on field trips in Manatee and Sarasota County. Karen now lives in Asheville, North Carolina but maintains her rooted connection to Southwest Florida by facilitating zoom meetings for the Sarasota Audubon Society.

Damon Moore, a professional Restoration Ecologist and Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner who has played an instrumental role in many local habitat improvement projects and initiatives. Damon is currently Director of Oyster River Ecology, Inc. He grew up in Manatee County loving the outdoors and wade fishing local waters. He has split his career between county government (Manatee County) and private consulting, always working on natural areas restoration and management projects. He spends his free time volunteering on habitat restoration projects, adding to his list of observations on iNaturalist, and fishing.

Nick Baden is a retired attorney whose roots run deep, his family has resided in Manatee County
since the 1870's. Nick has steered Manatee Fish & Game Association for nearly 50 years and is famous for the hush puppies he would stir up for the annual fish fry.
Nick is a fisherman, hunter, conservationist and craftsman whose most interesting project was hand building a wooden Wee Lassie Kayak with strip construction. He was an early and fierce advocate for the land that became Robinson Preserve. Nick also sits on the Board of the Palma Sola Botanical Park, and you may find him there working on the latest garden project.

Sarah Denison Williams is a Florida Master Naturalist and Certified Interpretive Guide with a passion for connecting people to wild Florida. She currently works as the Community Education Manager for Big Waters Land Trust, where she leads programs that highlight the importance of land conservation and watershed health. Originally from Jupiter, FL, Sarah moved to Manatee County in 2010 to attend New College of Florida, where she earned a degree in Environmental Studies. Sarah later served in the Peace Corps and completed a Master’s in Sustainable Tourism from USF. Sarah spends her free time fishing, paddling local waterways, and volunteering with conservation groups.

Garrett Sweeterman grew up in Englewood, where his appreciation for the outdoors began at an early age. Surrounded by Florida’s waterways and natural beauty, he developed a lifelong passion for fishing and scuba diving—interests that continue to shape both his personal and professional journey.
Garrett is a graduate of Florida State University and spent several years working in conservation as a wildlife technician with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Northwest Florida.
Now residing in Palmetto, Garrett works full time in the financial services industry. In his free time, he is always planning his next outdoor or underwater adventure—whether exploring new dive sites or chasing the next great fishing opportunity