Our Team
Thomas Ries - President
tries@ecosphererestoration.org
813.376.9076
Tom Ries is President and Founder of Ecosphere Restoration Institute.
Tom is a nationally known Ecologist with more than 37 years of experience in restoring natural systems in Southwest Florida. His work has garnered numerous environmental awards, and resulted in the restoration of more than 2,400 acres of wetlands. In 2013, Tom received a prestigious National Wetlands Award in Conservation & Restoration from the Environmental Law Institute, in Washington DC.
Tom founded Ecosphere Restoration Institute in 2007 to advance restoration activities through innovative public-private partnerships.
He had been a partner at Scheda Ecological Associates since 1997, and served as Southeast Biological Services and Restoration Director for Environmental Science Associates (ESA), an environmental science and planning firm with offices throughout the U.S.
Tom graduated from the University of South Florida with a B.A. in Biology and a minor in Geology. In his early career, he mapped wetlands for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (National Wetland Inventory - NWI) and implemented dozens of coastal habitat restoration and stormwater retrofit projects in Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor while working for the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program.
To learn more about Tom, visit his LinkedIn profile here.
tries@ecosphererestoration.org
813.376.9076
Tom Ries is President and Founder of Ecosphere Restoration Institute.
Tom is a nationally known Ecologist with more than 37 years of experience in restoring natural systems in Southwest Florida. His work has garnered numerous environmental awards, and resulted in the restoration of more than 2,400 acres of wetlands. In 2013, Tom received a prestigious National Wetlands Award in Conservation & Restoration from the Environmental Law Institute, in Washington DC.
Tom founded Ecosphere Restoration Institute in 2007 to advance restoration activities through innovative public-private partnerships.
He had been a partner at Scheda Ecological Associates since 1997, and served as Southeast Biological Services and Restoration Director for Environmental Science Associates (ESA), an environmental science and planning firm with offices throughout the U.S.
Tom graduated from the University of South Florida with a B.A. in Biology and a minor in Geology. In his early career, he mapped wetlands for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (National Wetland Inventory - NWI) and implemented dozens of coastal habitat restoration and stormwater retrofit projects in Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor while working for the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program.
To learn more about Tom, visit his LinkedIn profile here.
Holly Greening, Board Member
hgreening@coastwisepartners.org
Holly was both Executive Director and Senior Scientist of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program during a 27-year tenure with TBEP. Holly has served on the Estuarine Research Federation Governing Board, the National Academy of Sciences Ocean Studies Board, and four National Research Council committees. She was Co-Chair of the 2011 Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Conference, Chair of the Association of National Estuary Programs, and Associate Editor for the scientific journal Estuaries and Coasts.
Holly has authored more than 25 peer-reviewed publications with a focus on estuarine ecology and collaborative watershed management, and is the recipient of regional and national awards for coastal stewardship. She retired from TBEP in 2018 and is providing volunteer consulting services to coastal management programs throughout the United States.
hgreening@coastwisepartners.org
Holly was both Executive Director and Senior Scientist of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program during a 27-year tenure with TBEP. Holly has served on the Estuarine Research Federation Governing Board, the National Academy of Sciences Ocean Studies Board, and four National Research Council committees. She was Co-Chair of the 2011 Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Conference, Chair of the Association of National Estuary Programs, and Associate Editor for the scientific journal Estuaries and Coasts.
Holly has authored more than 25 peer-reviewed publications with a focus on estuarine ecology and collaborative watershed management, and is the recipient of regional and national awards for coastal stewardship. She retired from TBEP in 2018 and is providing volunteer consulting services to coastal management programs throughout the United States.
Kurt Allebach, Board Member
Kurt.Allebach@live.com
Kurt comes to Ecosphere after a career where he's served in the US Army Medical Services Corps, worked as a hospital administrator, and a range of roles in information technology for companies like Microsoft and Raymond James. He has a B.S. in Biology from Christopher Newport University that he’s looking forward to finally taking advantage of and an M.S. in Administration with a concentration in Health Service Systems from Central Michigan University.
He also supports the Coral Restoration Foundation in Key Largo, Florida where he serves as a technology advisor for their Cerulean AITM Reef Health Monitoring solution.
Kurt.Allebach@live.com
Kurt comes to Ecosphere after a career where he's served in the US Army Medical Services Corps, worked as a hospital administrator, and a range of roles in information technology for companies like Microsoft and Raymond James. He has a B.S. in Biology from Christopher Newport University that he’s looking forward to finally taking advantage of and an M.S. in Administration with a concentration in Health Service Systems from Central Michigan University.
He also supports the Coral Restoration Foundation in Key Largo, Florida where he serves as a technology advisor for their Cerulean AITM Reef Health Monitoring solution.
Allison Dhand, Board Member
Allison.dhand@yahoo.com
Allison is a passionate environmental lawyer who graduated from Stetson University School of Law with a Juris Doctor and Certification of Concentration in Environmental Law. Since 2016, Allison has been actively practicing in environmental law and advocacy, starting her career in non-profit work before moving to private practice at a boutique environmental law firm. Most recently Allison worked as a Senior Attorney with the Southwest Florida Water Management District where she focused on environmental permitting for water quality and quantity. Allison's areas of expertise include environmental restoration and protection, and she is deeply committed to preserving Florida's natural resources for future generations.
Allison.dhand@yahoo.com
Allison is a passionate environmental lawyer who graduated from Stetson University School of Law with a Juris Doctor and Certification of Concentration in Environmental Law. Since 2016, Allison has been actively practicing in environmental law and advocacy, starting her career in non-profit work before moving to private practice at a boutique environmental law firm. Most recently Allison worked as a Senior Attorney with the Southwest Florida Water Management District where she focused on environmental permitting for water quality and quantity. Allison's areas of expertise include environmental restoration and protection, and she is deeply committed to preserving Florida's natural resources for future generations.
