When Eric Eikenberg graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, he had little idea who Stoneman Douglas was, or that he would be walking in her boot-prints as an activist championing the Florida Everglades. Eikenberg began his position as the CEO of the Everglades Foundation in 2012 and has since been an unapologetic advocate for one of the most distinctly Floridian landmarks.

Eikenberg is fluent in Floridian. Whether it’s discussing the blue-green algae being discharged from the east and west sides of Lake Okeechobee, the pivotal function of the Everglades in cleaning the water of millions of South Floridians, or the two former Florida Governors that he had the chance to work closely with, Eikenberg seems to have found his calling in Florida. However, when Eric first moved to South Florida from New York, he saw so many Mets, Jets, and Giants colors that he says South Florida was like the sixth borough!

On this episode of Fluent in Floridian, SMPR CEO April Salter discusses with Eric Eikenberg the ties he has to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas the advocate. They also dive into the effect of sugarcane production on water quality, the #NowOrNeverglades movement, and the long trek towards a more permanent solution to the issues in Florida’s water management.If you enjoyed this interview, you might enjoy our episodes with Former Director of Florida’s Audubon Society Eric Draper, Executive Director of the Florida Conservation Voters, Aliki Moncrief and Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.

From top to bottom, the state of Florida is filled with distinctly ‘Floridian’ features, yet in one corner of Orlando it’s possible to experience the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of London. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been one of Universal Orlando’s calling cards ever since it opened in 2010 with the help of PR pro, Alyson Sologaistoa.

Sologaistoa is Fluent in Floridian. As the Director of Public Relations at Universal Orlando, Alyson has a hand in one our state’s biggest economic drivers in the theme park industry. With over 120 million tourists projected to take trips to Florida, there needs to be something for everyone. Guests at Universal can expect for their vacation to be an immersive experience – right down to the Butterbeer taste tested by J.K. Rowling herself.

Listen as Alyson sits down with SMPR president Heidi Otway to discuss her last decade working with Universal Orlando, the way the PR landscape has shifted since the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and her best advice for young professionals in PR.

A transplant from tar-heel country, Scott Maxwell has spent the better part of the last two decades reporting for the Orlando Sentinel as the Taking Names columnist. In his 20 years of reporting, Maxwell has seen it all – describing the Florida political reporting scene as “addictive.”

Maxwell is Fluent in Floridian. From covering the last several election cycles to documenting natural disasters, Scott has earned a masters in Floridian Fluency, all while peppering his writing with his patented wit and astute perception. Some of his best stories are about Florida politicians, but also his readers’ reactions – which range from enthralled to disenchanted.On this episode of Fluent in Floridian, Scott Maxwell discusses the changing landscape of the print media industry, his time as a Florida journalist, and his social media presence.

Check out Scott’s Orlando Sentinel column, Taking Names!

Since this episode of Fluent in Floridian was recorded, Ashley Moody was elected Florida’s Attorney General.Growing up in Plant City during the 1980’s, Ashley Moody’s life was surrounded by family, faith, community, and the town’s singular McDonald’s restaurant.

Who would have guessed that in 2006, the woman with a Master’s in Accounting from the University of Florida would go on to be the youngest circuit court judge in the entire state (besides Ashley herself)? Moody’s experience with the law is drawn from many wells — her first job as a business litigator, her time as a federal prosecutor, being the daughter and granddaughter of judges, and even the experiences of her husband, a federal agent.

On this episode, Moody discusses her vision for Florida as a safe, strong, and prosperous state. She also reflects on the role of Attorney General as the ‘guardian of justice,’ the ability of the attorney general to be proactive in shaping policy, and issues like the opioid crisis, elder abuse, and human trafficking.

Some kids grow up wanting to be an astronaut or a firefighter, but as Sean Shaw grew up in Tallahassee, his vision of the future was shaped by his after-school hang out spot: the Florida Supreme Court.

After integrating the Jacksonville bar association, Leander Shaw, Sean’s father, spent 20 years on Florida’s Supreme Court, becoming the first black Chief Justice in the court’s history in 1990. Sean says it would be “impossible” to say he doesn’t feel pressure to live up to his father’s legacy. Having been elected to Florida’s House of Representatives in 2016, Shaw is now running to be Florida’s Attorney General. He didn’t see himself jumping into the race until he saw the changing political landscape in the wake of the 2016 national election. Shaw wants to bring back decency to politics.

On this episode, Shaw discusses his reputation as a consumer advocate, following his father’s footsteps, and his campaign’s focus on common sense gun laws, medical marijuana, immigration, and protecting the Affordable Care Act.

Since the early 1800s, Matt Caldwell’s family has had roots in Florida. Today, Matt is staying true to those roots and running for Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Before deciding to run for Agriculture Commissioner, Matt Caldwell was your average, everyday, pocket constitution carrying member of Florida’s House of Representatives.

The man who once tweeted that he’d rather engage in fisticuffs with a coyote rather than an alligator (any Floridian would), decided to jump into a statewide election to shift the focus to the issues he sees as most important: “jobs, water, and the second amendment.”

In this episode, you’ll hear him talk about his background growing up in Fort Myers, his experience as one of the trailblazers in Florida Gulf Coast University’s inaugural years, and his love for the natural beauty of the state.

Love and family. Devoted Health, a start-up launching Medicare Advantage plans in 2019, aims to connect those words with healthcare.In this episode, Dariel Quintana, the Florida market president for Devoted Health, talks about what’s changed with healthcare in his two decades in the industry, what’s remained the same, and why choosing a healthcare plan needs to look more like online car shopping.

Listen in to hear how Florida stacks up with other states’ Medicare Advantage options, tips for people approaching age 65, and find out how Devoted Health is using world-class technology – and love – to change the way we think about healthcare plans.If you enjoyed this interview, you might enjoy our episode with Former Director of Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use Christian Bax.

Born in Oklahoma, raised in Alaska, attended high school in Miami and college at Duke: not the path you would expect from the twelfth president of the University of Florida, but Kent Fuchs is far from an ordinary university president. In college, Kent had his sights set on engineering, then business, and eventually the ministry before turning to a life of higher education. In his third year as UF’s president, he is reflective of the experiences he has had that led him to the University of Florida.

Even though he grew up in the culturally vibrant 1960’s, President Fuchs witnessed minimal culture growing up with no television. Now, as the president of a preeminent research institution, President Fuchs is having to make decisions about free speech and social media.

It isn’t often someone can go from executive assistant to executive director, but since starting with the Florida Police Chiefs Association in 1999, that’s exactly what Amy Mercer has done. As executive director of one of the largest policing association in the country, Amy is on the cutting edge of police technology and technique, but the job has continued to develop new challenges over the nearly two-decades.

Mercer is fluent in Floridian. One of the hardest parts of her job is addressing the negative glare cast on law enforcement by a select few. Mercer says, “I know the type of commitment and dedication that the majority of our law enforcement members have. They’re truly individuals that’s wanting to make a difference to better their communities and the citizens that they serve better their lives, but I do recognize that unfortunately in all industry there are some bad apples, and law enforcement is no different.”

Although she doesn’t have personal experience as a member of law enforcement, Mercer does have inspiration for her new career, stating “my great-grandfather on my mother’s side, he was in law enforcement. Years ago, he was in Ripley’s Believe it or Not, as the longest acting living sheriff in Georgia, where I’m originally from.”