Don Rainey

Water Resources Regional Specialized Agent

Don Rainey

Don is a UF/IFAS Extension Regional Specialized Agent (RSA), who is responsible for the Southwest Extension District water resource program. He began his extension career in 2005 as a Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent for Sarasota County. His educational programs include urban and Ag. water quality, quantity, and supply the best management practices. His audiences and stakeholders include Extension Agents, landscape maintenance professionals, golf course and specialty turf managers, builders/developers, pest control operators, Agriculture producers, government decision-makers, and environmental agency specialists.

As an RSA, he addresses regionally-applicable water resource protection issues that are critical to economic development and environmental protection, for example, delivering advanced Green Industries and Golf Course and Sports Fields BMP programs with the focus on nutrient reduction and water conservation strategies. Don is also responsible for the creation and dissemination of educational programs and materials that are designed to affect knowledge gain and behavioral change for urban and agricultural audiences.

Don earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Georgia in 1995, where he studied Horticultural Science with an emphasis on Landscape and Grounds Management and a minor in Ag. Economics. In 2012, he earned a Master of Environmental Science from the University of Florida, where he focused on the study of urban soils, physical and chemical soil and water variability, and behavior within a residential community.

Between 2009 and 2018, Don served as the statewide coordinator for the Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMP) training and certification program, an urban water quality program that addresses nonpoint source pollution.

Don is a frequent speaker at FTGA conferences and educational seminars and a veteran instructor for the Florida Golf Course Superintendent BMP Training program. Don was part of the National Golf Course BMP design team, where he and fellow UF Specialists produced the GCSAA BMP Planning Guide and Template that was adopted for use in all 50 states. Don has been recognized at both the national and state level for his programming excellence and recent graduate of “Leadership in the City,” an Ohio State University Certification program for Extension leaders.

Southwest Extension District

University of Florida IFAS Extension
1200 N. Park Rd., Room 145
Plant City, FL 33563
Phone: (941) 457-0219
E-mail: drainey@ufl.edu

Publications

Other faculty

  • Basil Iannone

    Dr. Basil Iannone

    Associate Professor and State Extension Specialist, Urban and Residential Landscape Ecology

  • Ryan Klein

    Dr. Ryan Klein

    Assistant Professor

  • Chris Marble

    Dr. Christopher Marble

    Associate Professor

  • Eban Bean's head shot photo

    Dr. Eban Bean

    Associate Professor

  • Taylor Clem

    Dr. Taylor Clem

    County Extension Director

  • Mary Lusk

    Dr. Mary Lusk

    Assistant Professor

  • Headshot of Michael Dukes

    Dr. Michael Dukes

    Director, UF/IFAS Center for Land Use Efficiency

  • Jennison Kipp

    M. Jennison Kipp

    Resource Economist

  • Andrew Koeser

    Dr. Andrew Koeser

    Associate Professor

  • Jerry Murphy

    Gerald Murphy JD, AICP, CFM

    State Specialized Program Agent – Flood Resilient Communities

  • Hayk Khachatryan

    Dr. Hayk Khachatryan

    Professor and Extension Economist

  • Yilin Zhuang

    Dr. Yilin Zhuang

    Water Resources Regional Specialized Agent

  • Lakesh Sharma

    Dr. Lakesh Sharma

    Assistant Professor

  • Gail Hansen

    Dr. Gail Hansen

    Professor

  • Nick Taylor

    Dr. Nick Taylor

    State Specialized Extension Agent

  • Catherine Campbell

    Dr. Catherine Campbell

    Assistant Professor

  • Paul Monaghan

    Dr. Paul Monaghan

    Extension Specialist in Community-Based Social Marketing

  • Photo of Andrea Albertin

    Dr. Andrea Albertin

    Water Resources Regional Specialized Agent

  • Sudeep Sidhu

    Dr. Sudeep Sidhu

    Water Resources Regional Specialized Agent

  • Claire Lewis

    Claire Lewis

    Director, State Specialized Agent

  • AJ Reisinger

    Dr. Alexander Reisinger

    Associate Professor

  • Tina McIntyre

    Tina McIntyre

    Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Agent

  • AJ Lindsey

    Dr. AJ Lindsey

    Assistant Professor

  • Lisa Krimsky

    Dr. Lisa Krimsky

    Water Resources Regional Specialized Agent

  • Erin Harlow

    Erin Harlow

    Residential and Commercial Horticulture Agent

  • Laura Warner

    Dr. Laura Warner

    Professor

  • Wendy Wilber

    Wendy Wilber

    Statewide Coordinator

  • Michelle Atkinson

    Michelle Atkinson

    Horticulture Agent