Our Team
Meet the Team Fighting for Florida’s Wildlife
At the heart of our mission is a dedicated team of wildlife defenders who work relentlessly to protect black bears and safeguard the wild places they call home. United by passion and driven by purpose, we challenge harmful policies, expose threats, and fight for lasting protections that ensure all wildlife can thrive, now and for generations to come.
Adam Sugalski is a leader in animal and environmental protection. His advocacy work and grassroots efforts have led to meaningful change. In 2015, after learning of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s plan to reinstate hunting of the Florida black bear, Adam launched the Stop The Florida Bear Hunt campaign. He played a pivotal role in organizing statewide protests, mobilizing public opposition, and presenting testimony at Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) hearings. His courses of action were instrumental in pressuring the FWC to halt the bear hunt in 2016, a landmark victory that garnered national media attention and public acclaim.
Following this success, Adam founded OneProtest, a nonprofit focused on exposing and confronting systemic animal cruelty and environmental exploitation. He subsequently transitioned the "Stop The Florida Bear Hunt" initiative into Bear Defenders, a campaign under OneProtest, created to apply the hard-won lessons from stopping the Florida bear hunt to protecting bears worldwide. As a FAA licensed drone pilot and experienced investigator, Adam employs advanced technologies, including drones, to document and expose environmental crimes such as poaching, deforestation, and illegal wildlife trade. In addition to his advocacy work, Adam serves on the board of the Consumer Protection Foundation, where he works to uncover corporate greenwashing, regulatory failures, and consumer deception, ensuring transparency and ethical accountability.
Nicole Cordano is the Campaign Director at OneProtest, where she leads campaigns that expose cruelty, drive policy reform, and protect wildlife. She oversees operations ranging from undercover investigations and animal rescue to anti-poaching, research, and strategic advocacy. Nicole also directs the Bear Defenders campaign and played an instrumental role in the landmark victory to halt Florida’s black bear hunt, co-organizing the statewide “Stop the Florida Bear Hunt” protests in 2015 and 2016, coordinating action alerts, and delivering testimony at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meetings. Nicole is a dedicated animal and environmental advocate, dual-certified herbalist specializing in plant medicine for both humans and animals, agroecologist, writer, and investigator. Her work, rooted in agroecological principles, sustainability, and coexistence, has led to protections for black bears and numerous other species affected by flawed wildlife policies and corrupt government agencies.
Nicole’s approach bridges grassroots advocacy with policy reform to confront the systemic failures driving biodiversity loss and animal exploitation. She also serves on the board of the Consumer Protection Foundation, where she helps expose corporate greenwashing, consumer deception, and environmental harm. By uncovering injustice and empowering others through knowledge, she aspires to create a world rooted in compassion, ethics, and consciousness, where animals, nature, and humanity live in harmony.
Chuck O'Neal is a lifelong defender of Florida’s natural heritage and founder of Speak Up Wekiva, Inc., which led the legal charge to stop the controversial 2015 Florida Black Bear Hunt. After filing an administrative complaint opposing the use of silencers in wildlife hunting, Chuck brought a pivotal lawsuit against the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, challenging the bear hunt as ecologically reckless and legally unsound. His leadership galvanized statewide resistance and helped halt the hunt in subsequent years, safeguarding one of Florida’s most iconic and imperiled species. A Duke University graduate with degrees in Mathematics and Public Policy,
Chuck combines rigorous policy insight with grassroots mobilization. He authored the Florida Black Bear Habitat Restoration Act and helped stop the sale of 169 state-owned conservation lands to private developers. As Chair of the Florida Rights of Nature Network, Chuck helped pass the groundbreaking Right to Clean Water charter amendment in Orange County, which was approved by 89% of voters, making it the largest jurisdiction in the U.S. to recognize legal rights for nature. His work continues to bridge law, ecology, and civic action to defend Florida’s ecosystems, wildlife, and water for future generations.
Shannon Geis has devoted the majority of her life to protecting and preserving Florida’s wildlife, with a profound commitment to safeguarding the Florida black bear. A long-time resident of Florida, Shannon has spent numerous hours in the Ocala National Forest, immersing herself in the natural environment of black bears. Through her direct observations and experiences, she has gained an in-depth understanding of bear behavior and the complexities of their habitat. Over the past eight years, Shannon has volunteered at a wildlife sanctuary within the forest, where she has cared for rescued, captive-bred exotic animals, including black bears. She has also played an instrumental role in rehabilitating orphaned bear cubs, successfully helping them return to the wild. Her commitment to wildlife protection extends well beyond Florida's borders.
Shannon actively advocates for the protection of bear species around the world, using her expertise to promote conservation efforts on a global scale. Rooted in field experience, compassion, and a strong conservation ethic, Shannon's work reflects a deep understanding of ecological balance and the importance of preserving natural habitats. She remains a vital voice in the ongoing efforts to protect and conserve wildlife, particularly Florida black bears.