Oyster River Ecology Board of Directors
Rusty Chinnis
Rusty Chinnis
Rusty Chinnis
Rusty has been a resident of the Longbeach Village on the north end of Longboat Key for four decades. He is an avid angler, photographer, writer, fly casting instructor, and has been a clean water advocate for over thirty years. He was a founding member of the Sister Keys Conservancy, Sarasota Bay Watch and served as President of the Fl
Rusty has been a resident of the Longbeach Village on the north end of Longboat Key for four decades. He is an avid angler, photographer, writer, fly casting instructor, and has been a clean water advocate for over thirty years. He was a founding member of the Sister Keys Conservancy, Sarasota Bay Watch and served as President of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. Rusty also serves at Chairman of the Suncoast Waterkeeper and is the Outdoors Editor of The Anna Maria Island Sun, Reel Time.
Keegan Murphy
Rusty Chinnis
Rusty Chinnis
Keegan Murphy is a graduate of the University of Central Florida where he majored in Accounting. During his time at UCF he was very involved in the fishing club where he would eventually become President. After graduation, Keegan would go on to pursue a career in public accounting where he provides advisory and tax services to middle market clients located throughout the country.
Ryan Horstman
Rusty Chinnis
Ryan Horstman
Ryan spent most of his youth in the Sarasota area fishing and enjoying the outdoors. He is a consulting ecologist and arborist for a local consulting firm. He is an avid naturalist with a deep understanding of natural systems and how they relate to people and the built environment. A dedicated family man, he’s always eager to enjoy the trails or water with his family.
Elliot Prout
Joy Leggett-Murphy
Ryan Horstman
Elliot is a native Floridian born and raised in Bradenton. His professional background is in sales and finance and he has always had an interest in the outdoors and wildlife. He regularly leads nature tours in Manatee and Sarasota counties to educate others about local ecology. In his free time you can find him camping, hiking, or playing ultimate frisbee.
Joy Leggett-Murphy
Joy Leggett-Murphy
Joy Leggett-Murphy
Joy is dedicated to preservation and enhancement of green spaces. She is an attorney with the Trust for Public Land where she uses her diverse skillset to assist communities across the southeast increase green space. In her free time, you will find Joy enjoying time with her family and getting out to natural areas, especially our beaches.
Rob Brown
Joy Leggett-Murphy
Joy Leggett-Murphy
Rob is a fixture in local environmental issues having spent a career spanning over 40 years protecting local waterways and habitat values. Rob brings dedication and technical expertise to ORE's team with a deep knowledge of local issue, connections with regional environmental organizations and diverse education in marine/estuarine biochemical processes.
Oyster River Ecology STAFF
Damon Moore, Founder & Executive Director
Damon Moore is a habitat restoration practitioner with 20 years of experience developing and implementing local habitat restoration projects. His career has included ten years working in private-sector consulting and ten years working for Manatee County Government within the Natural Resources Department. Damon played an instrumental ro
Damon Moore is a habitat restoration practitioner with 20 years of experience developing and implementing local habitat restoration projects. His career has included ten years working in private-sector consulting and ten years working for Manatee County Government within the Natural Resources Department. Damon played an instrumental role in local large-scale habitat restoration projects including the restoration of Perico Preserve and the Robinson Preserve Expansion Project, among many other habitat improvement projects across the region. He is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner (CERP) through the Society for Ecological Restoration. Damon enjoys spending time with his lovely wife and daughter as well as fishing, hiking, uploading plant and insect observations in iNaturalist, and volunteering on habitat restoration projects.