Conservation Florida Appoints Four New Members to Board of Directors
Get Up & Go Founder and CEO, Bergeron Everglades Foundation Vice President, Uncle Matt’s Organic Founder and CEO, and University of North Florida Adjunct Professor
ORLANDO, Fla. (October 14, 2026) — Conservation Florida is proud to appoint four new members to the nonprofit’s Board of Directors: Get Up & Go Founder & CEO Justin Buzzi, Bergeron Everglades Foundation Vice President and Executive Director Diamond Rose Bergeron, Uncle Matt’s Organic Founder and CEO Matt McLean, and University of North Florida Adjunct Professor Daniel Button.
“We are so honored to have Justin, Diamond, Matt, and Daniel join the Conservation Florida board,” said Conservation Florida Board Chair Justin Beck. “They all have deep connections to Florida’s natural landscapes, both personally and professionally. Having them as part of our board furthers our already stellar leadership and provides additional expertise that will allow us to continue our critical mission of preserving Florida’s wild places."
“What excites me most about welcoming Justin, Diamond, Matt, and Daniel to Conservation Florida’s Board of Directors is that they’re Floridians who genuinely care about our mission and the future of this state,” said Conservation Florida CEO Traci Deen. “They understand what makes Florida special because they’ve experienced it firsthand, and they share our commitment to conserving our water, wildlife, and wild places for Floridians today, and to come.”
Justin Buzzi is the founder and CEO of Get Up And Go Kayaking, the world’s largest clear kayak tour operator, with more than 30 franchise locations and over 65,000 five-star reviews. Since founding the company in 2016, Buzzi has directed a portion of every tour toward conservation, contributing more than $100,000 to conservation efforts in Florida. He is also a University of Central Florida alumnus and mentor to student entrepreneurs.
"Our waterways and the land around them are home to so many animals and native plants, and they are what make Florida worth exploring,” said board member Justin Buzzi. “I’m proud to join Conservation Florida and help protect them for generations to come."
Diamond Rose Bergeron is a sixth-generation Floridian, conservationist and vice president and executive director of the Bergeron Everglades Foundation. Her work focuses on Everglades restoration, land and wildlife conservation, environmental education and advocacy. Raised among the landscapes and traditions of the Florida Everglades, Bergeron is also involved in stewarding Green Glades West Ranch, a 4,700-acre property bordering Big Cypress National Preserve.
“Florida’s wild places have shaped who I am, so protecting them is deeply personal to me,” said Board Member Diamond Bergeron. “Everything we hope to conserve begins with the land itself. I’ve always loved the idea of planting trees whose shade we may never sit beneath. There is something beautiful about protecting a place for generations we will never meet, for wildlife that will always need room to roam, and for a Florida that deserves to remain wild. That is why it is an honor to serve on the board of Conservation Florida.”
Matt McLean is an entrepreneur and pioneer in the organic food and agriculture industry. A seventh-generation Floridian, McLean comes from a family with deep citrus-growing roots. His great-grandfather farmed without synthetic fertilizers or harmful pesticides, a legacy that helped inspire McLean to found Uncle Matt’s Organic in 1999 with just three acres in his father’s backyard. Today, Uncle Matt’s Organic is the nation’s leading organic orange juice brand, with a full line of organic beverages sold in more than 20,000 stores nationwide.
“As a fourth-generation Florida citrus grower, I believe it’s important to preserve our environment and protect Florida’s wildlife,” said Board Member Matt McLean. “I joined the board of Conservation Florida because I believe in their mission and support their positive impact throughout our state.”
Daniel Button is an experienced clinical therapist, educator and healthcare leader with more than four decades of service across hospital, community, hospice and palliative care settings. Throughout his career, he has developed and led healthcare programs serving diverse communities. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of North Florida. An avid outdoorsman, Button shares a passion for birding, hiking, cycling and exploring wild places, inspiring his commitment to conservation and preserving nature for future generations.
“My wife and I moved to Florida in 2003, and our first reaction was, ‘Why did it take us so long to find Florida?’” said Board Member Dr. Daniel Button. “It is a privilege to support Conservation Florida and to contribute to the preservation of the natural treasures that make this state so special. We are proud to honor the dedication and hard work of the many people who share this commitment and who have worked tirelessly to protect our paradise for generations to come.”
To learn more about Conservation Florida's mission visit conservationfla.org
For more information, contact:
Sarah Shepard, Communications Director
About Conservation Florida
Conservation Florida is an accredited, nonprofit land conservancy dedicated to conserving the Sunshine State’s water, wildlife, wild places — the places that make Florida home. Since its founding in 1999, Conservation Florida has saved roughly 50,000 acres, serving all 67 counties in Florida, by prioritizing strategic and evidence-based land protection, education, and advocacy.