Community Advisory Board Members
A key component of the ABSI project is to involve stakeholders in a meaningful consensus building process for development and implementation of an ecosystem-based oyster management and restoration plan. This is accomplished through the Community Advisory Board (CAB), assembled by Florida State University and tasked with providing input into that initiative. The 22 members of the CAB include local government officials as well as representatives from the seafood industry, recreational fishing industry and environmental groups. To find meeting dates, deliberations, and reading material for all CAB Meetings, please refer to this page.

Georgia Ackerman
Apalachicola Riverkeeper, Executive Director

Mike Allen
UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, Director

Ottice D. Amison
Franklin County Commission, District 4 Commissioner
David Barber
Barber Seafood, Owner

Frank Gidus
CCA Florida, Director of Habitat & Environmental Restoration

Anita Grove
Apalachicola City Commissioner

Chad Hanson
The Pew Charitable Trusts, Fisheries Science and Policy Analyst

Jenna Harper
Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Manager

Shannon Hartsfield
Seafood Management Assistant Resource Recovery Team (SMARRT), Chair

Becca Hatchell
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Marine & Estuarine Habitat Conservation & Restoration Biologist

Gayle Johnson
Indian Lagoon Oyster Company,
Director of Operations

Katie Konchar
The Nature Conservancy,
Program Project Manager

Erik Lovestrand
Florida Sea Grant Extension Director, Franklin County

Chuck Marks
Acentria Insurance, Vice President (ret.)

Steve Rash
Water Street Seafood, Owner

Alex Reed
Florida Dept. Environmental Protection, Office of Resilience & Coastal Protection, Director

Devin Resko
FWC Marine Fisheries Management, Disaster Relief Coordinator

Portia Sapp
Florida Dept. Agriculture & Consumer Services, Division of Aquaculture, Director

Grayson Shepard
Offshore Charter Guide
Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Chadwick Taylor
Riparian County Stakeholder Coalition

Paul Thurman
Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD), Environmental Scientist