Charleston Waterkeeper

Laura Dukes Beck

Laura, a formerly a member of Folly Beach City Council, served as Mayor Pro Tempore. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her love of the coast and our water is what brought Laura back to Charleston. She spent all of her summers as a youth on a sailboat on the Charleston Harbor or at the beach.  Water quality continues to be of utmost importance to her, and she is honored and excited to be a member of Charleston Waterkeeper’s Board of Directors.

Baker Bishop

Baker O’neal Bishop grew up on the Tennessee river outside of Knoxville, TN, and the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Baker’s love of the outdoors, and particularly fly fishing, began at an early age with his mother teaching him how to tie flies and catch trout in the many mountain steams in the area.

Baker attend Montana State University, in Bozeman Montana, where he majored in Philosophy, Religion, History, and English. While living in Montana, he furthered his fly fishing passion by spending countless days on the rivers around Yellowstone National Park, and teaching and guiding friends and clients on fly fishing outings. Baker’s family has lived in the Roaring Fork valley, in and around Aspen, Colorado for over 20 years.

He has always had a passion for conservation, and through his sweat and hard work, and with the help of his family’s foundation, has been involved in many conservation efforts – including, but not limited to, the following: preserving an elk corridor in Aspen; working with Trout Unlimited to clean up rivers in Tennessee and Colorado; working with Bonefish and Tarpon Trust in satellite tagging operations to learn where his favorite fish (Tarpon) migrate and spawn; working with the Don Hawley foundation, the IGFA, Habitat for Humanity, Project Home, and many others.

Baker has been in the real estate development business for over 10 years, and has helped develop some “green” communities on the Tennessee River, and restored buildings in downtown Knoxville. Baker moved his wife Cortney, his 6 year old son Ryder, his 2 year old daughter Lucy Kohl, and their 2 dogs to Sullivans Island in 2005. He has since left the real estate business for the most part, and started an insurance company on Sullivans Island.

Baker was integral in getting both HomeTeam BBQ restaurants open and running. Currently, Baker sits on the board of the Sullivans Island Parks Foundation and coaches his son in the various sports he plays.

Baker is a professional fly fisherman and fishes the three major invitational tarpon on fly tournaments in Islamorada, Florida; he has multiple wins. He is sponsored by Costa Del Mar and is most at home on the water with a fly rod in his hand or poling a flats boat for his son or friends.

Baker is extremely passionate and concerned about the quality of our waterways and is very active in trying to clean them up and keep them healthy for future generations.

“If I don’t do it, no one will” is his philosophy on conservation.

John Cameron

John Cameron joined the staff of the Charleston Branch Pilots’ Association in 2009, representing interests in policy, regulation, public affairs, industry liaison, port business development, and port safety and security, in support of their mission piloting foreign and domestic ships through the Port of Charleston.

Cameron founded TradeWorthy, Inc. in 2007, and continues as president, offering marine safety, security and operational risk management consulting.

Captain Cameron retired from the Coast Guard in 2007, as Captain of the Port and Sector Commander, Charleston, leading all Coast Guard operations in South Carolina and Georgia.  He also led Marine Safety Operations for the Port of New York, and on 9/11 was assigned to New York City Mayor Giuliani’s liaison staff where he coordinated port security and marine operations through the recovery.  During the Iran-Iraq War, Cameron served as supervisory inspector for the Kuwaiti National Oil Tanker Fleet while under U.S. Navy protection.  He has served as a shipboard engineering officer, a safety inspector for commercial ships and drilling rigs, and as Commander of the Coast Guard’s Salvage and Emergency Support Team.

Cameron holds a BS in Marine Engineering from the Coast Guard Academy, MSE’s in Aerospace Engineering and Naval Architecture from the University of Michigan, and a Professional Engineering license.  Board seats include the Charleston Seafarers port ministry and the Charleston Waterkeeper.

Brian Criscuolo

Brian was drawn to the mission of Charleston Waterkeeper because of the fundamental importance of water in our lives as well as the fully scientific approach to defending our right to water.

Originally from Connecticut, Brian graduated with a degree in Computer Science from Boston College in 1996 and started a career in software development. Now employed as Lead Software Engineer for Mark/Space, Inc. of Los Gatos, CA, he also operates warmwinds software, an independent consultancy. Brian studies the use of remote and virtual collaborative teams as a model for the future of work.

Experiencing the power of “all politics is local,” Brian served two terms as a local representative while in Connecticut, learning that through compromise true progress can be made on difficult issues. Especially at the local level, Brian has found the ability to work with those of differing viewpoints leads to a sum of far greater successes than the individual parts would reveal themselves. Brian has also served on the board of directors of neighborhood associations and tax districts, applying the same philosophy on a much smaller scale.

Along with his wife, Martha, Brian owns earthArt Pottery and Art Studio in Charleston. He resides with Martha and his daughters, Prue and Bea, on James Island.

David DiBenedetto

David DiBenedetto is the editor in chief of Garden & Gun, where he oversees all print and digital platforms. Formerly the executive editor at the title, DiBenedetto was part of the team responsible for the magazine’s National Magazine Award for General Excellence in 2011. Previously he was the editor of SaltWater Sportsman, where, in addition to implementing a complete redesign of the 78-year-old magazine, he led the title to its first ever National Magazine Award nomination (General Excellence) in 2007. SaltWater Sportsman was the first, and is still the only, fishing publication to be nominated for such an honor. Prior to his time at SaltWater Sportsman, DiBenedetto was the deputy editor ofField & Stream. He began his career at Men’s Journal in 1995 as an editorial assistant just three days after graduating college and worked his way to senior editor in 2001.

Also an author, DiBenedetto wrote On the Run: An Angler’s Journey down the Striper Coast in 2003 for HarperCollins. The book received numerous accolades, including a coveted starred review in Publisher’s Weekly. DiBenedetto was born and raised in Savannah, GA and now resides in Charleston, SC with his wife, Jenny, and their Boykin spaniel, Pritchard.

Lindsay Nevin

Lindsay is originally from Atlanta, GA and has wife and two young children.  He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2000 with a degree in Finance.

Mr. Nevin began working in the Charleston real estate industry in 2000.  He began his career working with a regional builder and then went on to become the General Manager of the I’On Group where he managed their local developments.  After gaining critical knowledge with these two organizations, he combined his construction and development backgrounds to open Flyway in 2008.  Flyway is full service real estate and construction company focusing on adaptive re-use and urban infill developments.

An active member in the local Charleston community, Lindsay brings his construction and development skills to area non-profits by serving on the boards of The American College of the Building Arts, Charleston Waterkeeper, and Charleston Affordable Housing.

Keith Sauls

Keith Sauls has earned 15+ years of experience in growing firms strategically in both the technology and financial services industries. In March of 2010 Keith’s investment group purchased Twitpay, an early stage payment processing technology company and repositioned it to focus on nonprofit fundraising over Twitter and other social networks. He remains active with Twitpay as the EVP of Corporate Development, as well as spending most of his time focused on strategic decisions at the board level.

While much of Mr. Saul’s professional career has been oriented toward growing ultra-high net worth financial services companies, he also has experience with technology and software with LiveOak Equity in 2000-2001.  LiveOak was the largest VC in the southeast at the time and focused on Healthcare IT.  His early work there piqued his interest in technology and became the stepping stone to his subsequent participation in a number of early stage investment opportunities including the last three purchases made with a group in Atlanta that purchased Acculynk, Moneta (Rialto), and Twitpay. These three focus on emerging payment-processing technologies with significant intellectual property embedded.

Keith has extensive nonprofit experience as a board level volunteer for a number of Atlanta/Charleston based nonprofits/foundations and a significant knowledge of complex charitable giving strategies and trends via work with two of the country’s leading family office firms. Keith recently moved with his family full time to Charleston, SC.

Brys Stephens

Brys Stephens is a food writer and consultant who spends most of his time writing, cooking, and developing recipes. Brys studied English at Washington and Lee University, and got his JD and MBA degrees from Wake Forest University. His interest in food and our food sources grew from his deep roots in the South and his lifelong love of travel. An Alabama native, Brys grew up sailing, fishing and kayaking on the waters of the Southeast, and currently lives on Sullivan’s Island.

Victor Wilson

Victor Wilson has a long and distinguished history of service to a variety of organizations and institutions.  He began his college career at the University of Georgia (UGA) where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. He also received his Master’s degree in Student Personnel in Higher Education from UGA.

Mr. Wilson has worked at Northern Arizona University and Agnes Scott College in addition to holding positions at UGA that included Director of Orientation, Assistant Director of Admissions, Assistant to the President, and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. In June of 2004, he was appointed to his present position and joined the College of Charleston as Executive Vice President for Student Affairs. He has contributed leadership to several national organizations including the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA).  Mr. Wilson has also contributed to the field through numerous presentations with some examples including Imperatives for Further Learning: Discussions Between White and Black Men, Right or Wrong:  The Power of Positive Ethics, and The Ever Changing Face of the African-American Male. Among his publications, he has authored A Lesson in Black and White: Top Ten Tips for Black Students at Predominately White Institutions, Incorporating Crisis Planning and Management Into Orientation Programs, Staff Development, and Fostering Interracial Friendships on Campus: Taking it Up a Level.

Wilson’s service and leadership activities extend outside the campus to the surrounding community. His efforts have been recognized with awards/honors such as the President’s Award for Outstanding Service and Contributions to the National Orientation Directors Association, Outstanding Master’s Graduate Award from UGA’s Student Affairs Administration Program, and the naming of the Alumni Room after him at the UGA Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity House which was dedicated in his honor in October 2001.

Wilson, through his role as the chief student affairs officer at the College of Charleston, strives to maintain his continual commitment to students and their overall development while on campus. He has remained an advocate for diversity education and the elimination of racism in our society.

Mr. Wilson balances his work and service activities while enjoying time being a father to his 20-year-old son, Hunter, who is a senior at Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C. and a member of the college’s soccer team. Mr. Wilson, who is a trained vocalist, enjoys music of all types, watching college football, reading, and he has a keen interest in U.S. presidential history.

Andy Gowder (General Counsel)

W. Andrew Gowder, Jr. is a shareholder with the Charleston, South Carolina law firm of Pratt-Thomas Walker, P.A.  His practice is focused on land use, environmental and real property law, local government, and corporate formation and governance for both profit and nonprofit organizations.

Mr. Gowder has written and lectured on legal topics relating to land use, urbanism, planning, sustainability and the environment.  He has recently co-authored A Legal Guide to Urban and Sustainable Development with Dan Slone and Doris Goldstein (John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2008) and was a contributor to the 2008, 2009 and 2010 editions of  At the Cutting Edge, Land Use Law from the Urban Lawyer (American Bar Association, 2009, 2010)

He is currently a member of The American Bar Association, State and Local Government Section where he is the Secretary and a member of its Executive Committee, the South Carolina Bar, where he has served as a member of the House of Delegates for more than a decade, the Urban Land Institute, as a Full Member and Vice Chair of the Sustainable Development Council,  The Urban Land Institute, South Carolina District Council,  as Chairman, The Congress for New Urbanism, Carolinas Chapter, as legal counsel;  and USGBC South Carolina, as legal counsel.

He earned his J.D., cum laude, in 1986 from Wake Forest University School of Law, and his B.A., summa cum laude, in 1983 from Wofford College, where he was Phi Beta Kappa.

He is admitted to the bars of the South Carolina Supreme Court, the United States District Court for South Carolina and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.