Pete is the Baykeeper and Executive Director of Peconic Baykeeper, a Hampton Bays-based environmental nonprofit dedicated to the protection and restoration of Long Island’s Peconic and Eastern South Shore Bays. Pete grew up just a short walk to Little Peconic Bay, where the brown tide algal blooms he witnessed as a child led him on a path in marine conservation and education. Pete holds a degree in Marine Science Biology from Long Island University’s Southampton College as well as a Master’s in Teaching Biology from Stony Brook University. His professional experiences include working as an environmental educator in multiple states and as a Bay Management Specialist with Town East Hampton, aiding in the cultivation and restoration of millions of shellfish into the East End’s waters each year. Pete’s current role as Baykeeper is a culmination of this journey and his life’s mission to protect and restore our aquatic resources.

Mission Statement: Peconic Baykeeper is a 501 (C)(3) Not-For-Profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring Long Island’s drinkable, swimmable, and fishable waters. Established in 1998 as Long Island’s clean water advocate, Peconic Baykeeper uses science, education and law to defend critical watersheds from the Peconic Estuary through the Eastern South Shore bays. Peconic Baykeeper is a proud member of the international Waterkeeper movement, working actively with civic groups, baymen, businesses, children, and the community at large to protect and restore water quality and the island’s watersheds.