Meet the Judges
Eric Michael
As director of marketing and communications at The Nature Conservancy, Eric Michael has channeled his editorial expertise into maximizing conservation efforts. With extensive experience in journalism, including writing an outdoor column for Orlando Sentinel, working as editor in chief of Sport Diver Magazine and teaching journalism at the University of Central Florida, Michael understands the power a single story or image can have.
Carlton Ward Jr.
Carlton Ward Jr. has devoted his life to capturing images that illuminate Florida’s past and raise awareness about threats to its future. From founding the nonprofits Florida Wildlife Corridor and Wildpath to spending years chasing the Florida panther for his National Geographic film, “Path of the Panther,” Ward’s mission to keep Florida wild is unrelenting. His work has appeared in Flamingo, the Smithsonian and National Geographic, among others.
Chad Crawford
Equal parts entertaining host and conservation enthusiast, Chad Crawford has brought awareness to Florida’s wild side through projects like the TV series “How To Do Florida” and, most recently, “Protect Our Paradise,” a docuseries in collaboration with Conservation Florida that exposes environmental threats to Florida’s natural habitats. He currently serves in a leadership role at Conservation Florida where he combines his passion for storytelling and preserving Florida’s wild places.
