Scott grew up in rural southwest Georgia and attended the University of Georgia, studying wildlife biology and environmental resources. In early 2006, Scott began working at Little St. Simons Island as a naturalist, and is currently the Island's Ecological Manager. In this role, Scott works with a wide range of public and private conservation partners and LSSI staff on a wide variety of projects, including developing an overall conservation plan for the Island.
Willy was born and raised in Macon, Georgia and received his
B.S. degree in Forest Resources from the University of Georgia. For over a decade, Willy has led sea kayak excursions along the waters of Georgia’s coast. And, since 2000, he has worked with the National Outdoor Leadership School, leading expeditions to exciting nature locations around the globe. Willy’s greatest passion is any kind of outdoor exploration or adventure.
Stacia is renowned in her field and became the Naturalist Supervisor for Little St. Simons Island in September 2008. Prior to arriving to lead the Island naturalist staff, Stacia was the naturalist for Sea Island Company for eleven years and prior to that was the naturalist for Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island for seventeen years. Stacia says that teaching others, especially children, about the natural world is her greatest joy.
Ben is a native Georgian from Atlanta. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Ecology. Ben joined the Little St. Simons Island naturalist staff in September 2008. His previous position was on Little Cumberland Island conducting night patrols for sea turtles on the beach. Ben likes to find snakes and enjoys spending his free time fishing and exploring the creeks.
Kerry is a native of the Georgia coast, originally from Savannah. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2009 with a degree in Wildlife. Before joining the Little St. Simons Island naturalist team, Kerry was a curator and educator at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center in Savannah. When not hiking, fishing, or searching for wildlife, he enjoys researching the history of the coast.
Amy joined Little St. Simons Island in 2008 as the organic gardener with experience growing food for restaurants in Milwaukee and Chicago where composting provided the soil needed for gardening in the inner city. She teams with the naturalist, kitchen, and maintenance staffs to divert our island waste into new growing soil to expand our gardens and orchard. When Amy is not in the garden or the kitchen she enjoys exploring the Golden Isles by kayak.
Sydney, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, began working on Little St Simons Island as a turtle intern during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. During her internships she also assisted the Island’s kitchen team. In 2010, she traveled to St. Croix as an intern working with Hawksbill Sea Turtles and on the Georgia Coast assisting with a study of Least Terns. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State. Sydney currently works in the Naturalist Department as well as the kitchen.
Abby came to Little St. Simons Island in May of 2007 for the sea turtle monitoring internship. After spending the summer on the beach, she fell in love with the Island and returned in September 2008 as a naturalist. She has worked with animals on St. Catherine's Island and on a project in Mississippi tracking bobwhite quail. Abby is from Hilton, NY. She graduated from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a bachelor's degree in environmental biology. She enjoys birding, kayaking and exploring.