Dr. Gretchen Lescord is the incoming LAKEWATCH Director and the newest addition to the team. She is also an Assistant Professor in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences (SFFGS) at the University of Florida.

Originally from coastal New England, Dr. Lescord spent her early career in Canada, where she researched the ecology and water quality of lakes, with a special interest in contaminants, such as mercury and arsenic, and how they accumulate in freshwater fish and the food webs that support them. She obtained her Ph.D. in Boreal Ecology, with a specialization in stressed aquatic ecosystems, at Laurentian University. She has studied the chemical ecology of lakes and rivers across North America and has over 13 years of experience in some of the world’s most specialized and advanced laboratories.

As a new member of the Florida LAKEWATCH team, Dr. Lescord will bring her expertise to the organization's ongoing efforts to protect and monitor Florida’s waters. She will work closely with LAKEWATCH staff continuing to collect and analyze data on water quality, aquatic plants, and wildlife populations in lakes across Florida. She will also collaborate with other UF Faculty and Florida State Agencies charged with monitoring, researching, and managing lakes with information going to inform policy decisions and promote lake management practices that benefit freshwater ecosystems and the people of Florida.

You can contact Dr. Lescord at: lescord.g@ufl.edu

Mark Hoyer is the outgoing Director of Florida LAKEWATCH. Mark works closely with a Laboratory Manager, Laboratory Technicians, Regional Coordinators, Research Scientists and Graduate Students to accomplish the Mission and Goals of the Florida LAKEWATCH program. Mark has been with Florida LAKEWATCH since its inception in 1986.

Mark has lived in Florida for 40 years coming from multiple Midwest locations. Mark received his Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from Iowa State University and a Master of Science Degree in Limnology from the University of Missouri Columbia.

Mark is an avid outdoorsman enjoying all outdoor activities including but not limited to fishing, hunting, camping, hiking and vegetable gardening. It is also a good thing that Mark and his wife like to travel because their son and daughter-in-law have moved to New Zealand. You can contact Mark at: mvhoyer@ufl.edu.

Dr. Daniel Canfield is the founder of Florida LAKEWATCH. He is a professor of Limnology at the University of Florida, and his specialty is applied research that directly relates to the management of aquatic ecosystems. Among his many achievements in this area is the TEAM (Together for Environmental Assessment and Management) approach — a process for developing effective lake management plans or water resource policy.

He also is one of the founders of the Fishing For Success program, which received a national award in 2003 and the Albert “Ray” Massey Award for Citizen Volunteers from the City of Gainesville for 2005. Among other lake management activities, he currently serves as the Univ. of Florida member on the Technical Advisory Group for the Harris Chain of Lakes Restoration Council.

He has served as president of the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) and is a recipient of its prestigious Secchi Disk Award for his many contributions to the management of America’s lakes. The Florida Lake Management Society has also honored him with the Ed Deevey Jr. Award in “recognition of contributing to our scientific understanding of Florida’s water bodies.”

You can contact Dan at: Decan@ufl.edu.

Christy Horsburgh is the Scientific Laboratory Manager for Florida LAKEWATCH. Christy manages the LAKEWATCH Laboratory staff and the lab’s day to day operations along with managing all LAKEWATCH databases. She works closely with the Director of LAKEWATCH in developing and maintaining program goals and budgets. Christy has been with Florida LAKEWATCH since its inception in 1986.

Christy is a native Floridian and grew up on the west coast of Florida. Christy received her Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology and her Master of Science Degree in Limnology from the University of Florida.

Christy enjoys kayaking, hiking, snorkeling and exploring Florida’s natural beauty.

You can contact Christy at horsburg@ufl.edu.

Daniel Willis is a Research Coordinator II for Florida LAKEWATCH. Dan trains and coordinates with volunteers to collect water quality data for Florida’s waterbodies. He helps compile the data and disseminate the information back to the volunteers and the general public. Dan has been with the Florida LAKEWATCH program in some capacity since 1991.

Dan was born in Florida and grew up in Okeechobee, Florida. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida and received his Master of Science degree from the University of Florida's Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences program.

You can contact Dan at: djwillis@ufl.edu or (352) 273-3638.

Jason “Mo” Bennett is a Regional Coordinator for Florida LAKEWATCH, and is responsible for the North Florida and Panhandle regions.  Mo works to train and support new and existing volunteers. He has been with LAKEWATCH since 2006.

Mo is from Missouri (hence the nickname), but has lived in Florida since 2003.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, and his Master of Science degree in Fisheries from the University of Florida.

Mo enjoys woodworking, fishing, and scuba diving with his son.  You can contact Mo at: jpb@ufl.edu or (352) 273-3639.

Marina Schwartz is a Regional Coordinator for Florida LAKEWATCH. Marina works closely with LAKEWATCH staff in multiple aspects of limnological research and data management, coordinates and trains volunteers, and facilitates regional meetings. Marina also edits the LAKEWATCH newsletter. She has been with LAKEWATCH since 2018.

Marina is a Florida native from the Tampa area. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Integrative Animal Biology from the University of South Florida in 2016 and a Master of Science Degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida in 2019.

Marina and her husband, Andy, love to travel, and enjoy finding new hiking, camping, and fishing adventures across the United States. She is always in pursuit of the perfect cup of coffee. You can contact Marina at: mevanskeene@ufl.edu or (352) 273-3640

David Watson is a Regional Coordinator for Florida LAKEWATCH. David has been with Florida LAKEWATCH since 1996.

David received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Alabama and a Master of Science in Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture from Auburn University.

David is an avid outdoorsman enjoying hiking and beach sunning. You can contact David at: dlwatson@ufl.edu.

Colton Hasson is a Laboratory Technician for Florida LAKEWATCH. Colton cleans glassware and sampling bottles and bags them for transportation. He also assists with keeping the laboratory clean. Colton has been with LAKEWATCH since May of 2013.

Colton is currently enrolled at Santa Fe College where his studies focus on biology and science.

Colton is a sports enthusiast, including football, basketball, baseball, soccer and golf. He was born in Gainesville and bleeds orange and blue! Go Gators!

You can contact Colton at: cjhasson@ufl.edu

Deanna Linn is a Laboratory Technician II for Florida LAKEWATCH. She performs chlorophyll and nitrogen analysis for the lab. Deanna has been with Florida LAKEWATCH since August 2022.

Deanna grew up in central eastern Idaho and graduated from the University of Idaho in Moscow with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics.

Deanna loves the outdoors. In Idaho, she mostly went backpacking, camping, skiing and ice skating, but she looks forward to doing more water activities here in Florida. She also enjoys dancing including east coast, west coast and country swing, Argentine tango, salsa and casino.

You can contact Deanna at: dlinn@ufl.edu

Thomas McManus is the Chemist II for Florida LAKEWATCH. He is responsible for nitrogen, phosphorus, and chlorophyll analysis, as well as assisting the laboratory manager with all other laboratory operations and analysis as needed. He has been with LAKEWATCH since April 2023.

Thomas is from Colorado and has lived in Florida since 2006. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Cell Science, with a minor in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Florida.

Thomas enjoys fishing, boating, surfing, and about anything else on or near the water.

You can contact Thomas at: tfmcmanusvii@ufl.edu