Hometown: Painesville, Ohio
Education: B.S. in Biology, Bowling Green State University; M.S. in Coastal Zone Management, Nova Southeastern University
Position: Chief of Resource Management and Science, National Parks of Eastern North Carolina
Where you’ll find her: My office is located in the Outer Banks Group Headquarters at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site in Manteo, North Carolina.
Other national parks she’s worked at: Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida) as the Fisheries Biologist.
What do you like most about the Outer Banks?
I love how diverse the ecosystems are here and the incredible resources that we protect. The Outer Banks is rich in history and every day I learn more stories about how special this place really is. I first came to the Outer Banks in 2000, as part of my Marine Biology field course in college. We spent a week learning about the incredible resources here and it has been a very special place for me ever since.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
A typical day is usually not that typical! I have a team of field staff spread out over 70 miles of seashore that monitor our beaches for shorebirds and sea turtles during the field season, which makes each day exciting depending on what we find! My day usually consists of coordinating and monitoring of and reporting on our natural and cultural resources, reviewing compliance projects, research permits and working with my staff that manage the pony pens on Ocracoke Island.
What inspired you to follow this career path?
I grew up on the water, as my Dad had a charter fishing business on Lake Erie. I knew I wanted to work on and/or near the water as a marine biologist from a very young age. Once I graduated from college, I moved to the Florida Keys to do a Student Conservation Association (SCA) internship with the Florida Keys Wildlife Refuges. From there I went on to work for The Nature Conservancy and more recently Dry Tortugas National Park where I was mainly focused on coral restoration and monitoring, although I managed numerous natural resources including shorebirds and sea turtles, which is what led me here!
What do you like most about working in your position with our OBX National Parks?
What I like most about my position here in the Outer Banks is the amazing people that I get to work with on a daily basis. We have an amazing, passionate team of staff that really care about the work that we do and the resources that we protect.
What is a favorite memory you have from working at our OBX National Parks?
Seeing my first Piping Plover nest!
Why should people care about their OBX National Parks?
The Outer Banks Group parks are rich in history, contain diverse wildlife and provide numerous recreation opportunities!
Is there anything else you’d like people to know about you or the parks?
My hobbies include scuba diving, fishing and enjoying a day at the beach with my family.