A lifetime environmental educator, David Rahahę́·tih Webb brings nearly three decades of experience in environmental education and more than twenty years of nonprofit leadership to his role as Executive Director of Muddy Sneakers Outdoor Classroom. He has led environmental, conservation, and cultural institutions across the Southeast, with a career grounded in connecting young people and communities to place-based learning, science, and stewardship.
David has served in senior leadership roles including President and CEO of a historic zoological park and nature center, Nature Center Director at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, and Director of Nature Centers for Miami-Dade County. In these roles, he oversaw countywide environmental education and ecotourism programs, six nature centers and museums, and the county’s sea turtle protection program. He also founded the STEM Institute at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida in partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University and regional school districts. Earlier in his career, David led programming and fundraising teams at regional museums and aquariums where he served over 500,000 guests annually. David taught science in public school systems, and served on state curriculum and standards committees. His leadership has been recognized with honors including the Gulfshore Business 40 Under 40 award.
An award-winning author, artist, conservationist, and historian, David is an enrolled citizen of the Tuscarora Indians of the Kahtenuaka Territories, where he serves as Council Vice Chair and as a culture carrier within his community. He is the author of The Spanish Seminole: The Untold History of the Spanish Indians as Shared by a Descendant and Indigenous Carolinians: A History from Original Peoples to Present-Day Tribes, and a co-author of the peer-reviewed Working Together: The Significance of Protocols of Engagement Between Indigenous Peoples and Universities. His writing and scholarship bridge environmental education, Indigenous history, and culturally responsive teaching practices.
As a traditional and contemporary Native American artist, David works in sculpture, beadwork, textiles, and mixed media. His work has been featured in museum exhibitions and permanent collections throughout the eastern United States, and he was a recipient of the 2025 Artist in Residence in Everglades Fellowship. Deeply rooted in community, David is passionate about sharing history, nature, culture, and story—work that continues to inform his leadership at Muddy Sneakers and his commitment to educating the next generation of environmental stewards.