Chris Forman – Chair
Chris Forman is a co-founder of the LPCA and our current chairperson. He has been a dedicated Lakewatch volunteer, monitoring Lake Powell water quality since the late 1990s. He is a Qualified Stormwater Inspector having completed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Stormwater Erosion and Sedimentation Control Inspector Training Program in 2007. In 2008, he received the Florida Lake Management Society’s Scott Driver Award, which is given to environmental advocates who promote the restoration, protection, and/or appreciation of Florida’s aquatic resources. He completed the University of Florida’s Master Naturalist Program in 2010. Chris has served as a board member with the Friends of Camp Helen State Park. He and his wife, Emily, have lived on Lake Powell for over thirty years. “It’s my backyard; I have to take care of it!”
Norman Capra – Vice Chair
Norman (Norm) Capra has been a member of the LPCA since 2013 when he joined the Board of Directors of the LPCA. He coordinated the First Annual Lake Powell Cleanup. He continues to help with the cleanup, but the work of organizing the cleanup over the years has become a shared activity among Board members and dedicated volunteers under the leadership of Emily Ellis. After his first term as a Board member, he dedicated his time to compiling the Lake Powell Cleanup data and submitting the results to the International Coastal Cleanup Committee of the Ocean Conservancy. Norm has served on the Board of the Friends of Camp Helen, and the Bay County Audubon Society (BCAS). He served as Vice-President and President of BCAS, and remains active on the Board as Conservation Chair. He is also a member of the St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program Science and Technology Committee.
Emily Ellis – Secretary/Treasurer
Emily Ellis is a co-founder of the LPCA and is currently our current Secretary-Treasurer. She began sampling Lake Powell with the Lakewatch program in 1996 and is also certified as a Florida Master Naturalist through the University of Florida. In 2008, she received the Florida Lake Management Society’s Scott Driver Award. And in 2015, she partnered with the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) in their Habitat Rx Program to identify and help eradicate non-native invasive plant species in the community. In 2020, Emily was recognized as ‘Conservationist of the Year’ by the Bay County Audubon Society. She has served as an Advisory Board Member with Safe Water for Walton, Inc., and on the Camp Helen State Park Management Plan. She coordinates the monthly Bird Species Survey for Camp Helen.
Chris Crider – Board Member
Chris Crider is a life-long Bay County resident and the newest board member of the LPCA. He has been an active Lakewatch volunteer, water sampling Lake Powell and is a Qualified Stormwater Inspector; having completed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Stormwater Erosion and Sedimentation Control Inspector Training Program in 2025. Growing up, he enjoyed all of the beauty and fun Lake Powell offers, Chris joined the LPCA to do everything he could to ensure future generations would have the same opportunities to experience this extremely rare ecosystem unspoiled.
Morgan Carolan – Board Member
Morgan Carolan, our newest Board member, is a registered nurse. She is passionate about providing holistic care and treatment. Having more than a decade of clinical experience, Morgan takes an integrated approach with her care model. She hopes to share her clinical experience and provide education through areas of inspired insight toward natural care. She also loves to spend time nature and is active in the community. Morgan has helped us with monthly water sampling on Lake Powell and will contribute to organizing and coordinating activities with our September Lake Powell/International Coastal Cleanup
Mary Jo Capra – Board Member Emeritus
Mary Jo Capra has been a member of the LPCA since 2008 and joined its Board of Directors in 2009, serving as Secretary-Treasurer ever since. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to conservation, public engagement, and responsible stewardship of Lake Powell. Beyond administration, she has been a strong voice in regional advocacy, representing Bay County Audubon before Florida’s Acquisition and Restoration Council on management issues at Camp Helen State Park. She completed the University of Florida’s, Master Naturalist Program, and Florida Master Gardener Program. She serves as data keeper for Lake Watch. Mary Jo’s contributions extend into the arts and wellness. A ceramic artist, watercolorist, and yoga instructor, she teaches Yoga for Healthy Aging at Pinnacle Port and Gulf Coast State College. Through her work with the Alliance, Bay County Audubon, and the Florida Master Gardener program, she remains a vital force in protecting Florida’s coastal ecosystems and fostering community awareness.
Vince DiScuillo – Board Member Emeritus
Vince DiSciullo has been involved with the LPCA and Florida Lakewatch for nine years, having joined our group when he lived in Inlet Beach. Vince and his wife Joy moved to the shores of Lake Powell in March 2019. Living directly on Lake Powell made volunteering for Lakewatch not only an easy decision, but a necessity as a resident enjoying its abundant resources. In the mid-2021 Vince assumed the captain’s role for Lakewatch. He and Joy are now resident’s of the Bid-A-Wee community but they both remain dedicated to the preservation of this beautiful body of water, known for being the largest coastal dune lake in the world. Vince also belongs to the Optimist Club of the Beaches and participates in Elevate Bay, a mentoring program for school children.