Mr. Garland has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the University of New Hampshire (School of Journalism). Mr. Garland has more than 30 years of experience as a journalist and public outreach specialist.

A newspaper reporter in Maine and New Hampshire in the 1980s, he moved to Florida in 1994 to join Florida Today as Palm Bay bureau chief and columnist. In 2000, he joined St. Johns River Water Management District, serving as communications coordinator and sharing the agency’s message through presentations, media events and interviews, as well as writing thousands of magazine articles and news releases.

Seeking new challenges, Mr. Garland joined the Sebastian Inlet District in August 2021 with a goal of heightening public awareness about the agency's storied history and unwavering mission to maintain the vital link between the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the waters of the Indian River Lagoon.