SHELL KEY PRESERVE

Jenna has her degree in Environmental Science and Business Marketing! She holds certifications as a freshwater master naturalist, as well as certifications in advanced plant identification, boater safety and belaying. With experience working with Florida Fish and Wildlife and in outdoor education, Jenna loves focusing her tours on relaxation and bird identification- something that many guests say becomes a new favorite interest after her tours! Her favorite fact to tell on tours is that red mangroves filter salt out of the water they take in to grow, so they can grow in any water type. When she’s not out kayaking, Jenna loves to surf, longboard, and rock climb. Fun fact about Jenna: She’s an avid backpacker, and has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro!

Chris holds his degree in Graphic Design and Fine Arts! He considers Shell Key to be his classroom, with his learned expertise stemming from his past 5 years as a guide. With coursework in environmental science from the University of New Hampshire, Chris focuses on not only educating his guests, but providing a peaceful and relaxing tour that focuses on their wellbeing. He truly enjoys seeing the excitement, smiles, and laughter his guests experience when they are introduced to the amazing environmental aspects and habitats of the area! When he’s not guiding tours, Chris can be found either running or at the gym. Fun fact about Chris: he was born and raised in Miami/ Ft. Lauderdale, making him a true Florida local!

Alessia holds her degree in Biology, but her fascination with the environment started long before college! During high school, she was enrolled in an environmental science academy, and continued fueling her passion through international study opportunities while completing her undergraduate program. Alessia specialized in sea turtle research during her education, studying abroad in the Bahamas, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, and Ghana! With a Florida Naturalist certification for coastal areas and previous experience guiding tours in Captiva, Alessia brings her passion for sea turtles and shelling to her tours in Shell Key. Her favorite part about guiding is bringing visitors and locals alike out to one of Florida’s greatest untouched estuaries and being open to the different gifts Mother Nature provides. When Alessia has the day off, you can expect to find her traveling, hiking, rock climbing, or doing yoga. A fun fact about Alessia: she’s been to 5 of the 7 continents!

El holds their bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and their master’s degree in Wildlife Conservation and Management! Their degrees specialize in environmental and climate change communication, as well as environmental policy. They have experience volunteering with the Manatee Observation & Education Center in Ft. Pierce and Audubon St. Petersburg performing data collection and public education. Their favorite thing about working with Get Up and Go Tampa Bay is creating social media content that gets people passionate about nature and interested in touring with us! When they’re not working, El is often found out hiking or kayaking- they love to go shelling in their free time. Fun fact about El: they help run the Tampa Bay social media pages, and are the creator of the Tiny Guy Tuesday series!

Grace graduated from Eckerd College with a degree in Marine Science. She is passionate about public outreach and marine conservation. Her favorite thing about giving kayak tours is being able to spend her days immersed in nature educating guests on the unique ecosystems within Shell Key Preserve. Fun fact: she has swam with many different species of sharks including bull sharks, great hammerheads, black tip reef sharks, and Caribbean reef sharks.

Ben holds his degree in Biology, and has expertise in crocodilians and shells! He brings his previous experience as an environmental educator and reptilian caretaker at Gatorland to his guiding for our Tampa Bay team. Ben is also certified for open water SCUBA diving, and his favorite thing about guiding at Shell Key is exploring the beach with guests! When not out on the water, Ben is often at the gym and is also an avid skier! One of Ben’s favorite facts to tell guests on tours is that shells are made by living creatures known as mollusks. A fun fact about Ben is that he once pet an American crocodile!

Jada holds her degree in Marine Biology with expertise in coral reefs and shells! Bringing her experience as an advanced American Academy of Underwater Science diver to her guiding for the Tampa Bay team, Jada also has previous experience volunteering with Tampa Bay Watch’s Shells for Shorelines program. Jada’s favorite thing about guiding in Shell Key is spending time on the water surrounded by wildlife and educating others. Her favorite fact to tell guests on tours is that, other than fish poop and shells degrading, there is no natural source of white quartz sand in Florida; it all came from erosion of the Appalachian mountains through rivers to deposit here. When not guiding for Get Up & Go- Tampa Bay, Jada can be found diving or snowboarding. A fun fact about Jada is that she has participated in a photogrammetry project to obtain 3D models of coral reefs!

Jesse holds his degree in Environmental Studies with minors in Coastal Management and Biology. With special expertise in reptiles and sharks, Jesse is also SCUBA certified for open water! Jesse brings his experience from volunteering with Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and working as an Aquatic Specialist for Solitude Lake Management to his work as a guide at Get Up and Go Tampa Bay. His favorite part about guiding kayak tours is the ability to share the importance of creatures that people rarely see in the wild and introduce them to creatures they never knew existed. His favorite fact to share on one of his tours is that bonnet head sharks are able to eat and digest seagrass! When he’s not guiding a tour, Jesse is often found at rehearsal for his hard rock band- he’s the lead singer and guitarist! A fun fact about Jesse: his favorite show as a child was the Crocodile Hunter. If he couldn’t watch it, he wouldn’t watch TV at all!

Carmen double-majored in Marine Science and Biology, with a minor in geology for her degree! She has also researched the effects of red tide on Florida coasts and has volunteered with FWC, Rookery Bay, and was an educator at Florida Aquarium. With previous experience in guiding tours down in Captiva, Carmen has expertise in bird identification, sharks, and mangroves. Her favorite fact to share with her groups is that sharks have been swimming in the water for longer than trees have lived on land! Carmen’s favorite aspect of guiding tours in Shell Key is the new adventure that each day holds, and the amazing biodiversity seen out in the Preserve. When she’s not out on the water for Get Up & Go- Tampa Bay, Carmen enjoys paddle boarding and diving, and once had a manta ray swim above her while diving into the Pacific Ocean! A fun fact about Carmen is that being stung by a stingray led to her curiosity of the oceans!

Ashley holds her degree in Marine Science with a concentration in Biological Oceanography and minor in Photography! She specialized in Marine Biogeochemistry, and has expertise in sea turtles, dolphins, and humpback whales. With previous experience as a naturalist for the Pacific Whale Foundation in Maui, Ashley also taught marine science and sailing to teenagers in the Caribbean, and guided scuba dives all over the world! She is a certified PADI Divemaster and Rescue Diver while also having her International Boaters License and Sailing license. Ashley’s favorite thing about guiding at Shell Key is getting people excited about nature, and the way each tour is a new adventure! When she’s not guiding, Ashley loves free diving, scuba diving, and playing with her dog. She loves getting questions from guests, and her favorite fact to share on tour is that dolphins only sleep with half of their brains at a time. A fun fact about Ashley is that she has sailed across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans!

Bria has her degree in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Art! She specialized in Molecular Biology while in school, and has expertise in bird identification. With previous experience as an instructor at an environmental summer camp and being SCUBA certified, Bria is knowledgeable both in and out of the water! Her favorite place in St. Petersburg is Shell Key Preserve, and you can often find her sharing her knowledge on birds and upside down jellyfish with guests while she’s out on tour. Her favorite thing about guiding at Shell Key is going out when it’s quiet in the Preserve, and showing guests all of the different species of birds that rely on the ecosystem! When she’s not paddling for Get Up & Go Kayaking, Bria loves kiteboarding and foiling. A fun fact about Bria: you may find her out exploring Shell Key even on her days off!

Raven holds her degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Sustainability. She specialized in Ichthyology (the study of fish) and parasitology (the study of parasites), and also studied fisheries sustainability. With expertise in bird identification, Raven aims to complete her Florida Master Naturalist certification by the end of the year! Her experience as an environmental scientist, as well as a volunteer for many prominent organizations, such as: Tampa Bay Watch, Birds in Helping hands, Friends of the Pelicans, and Seaside Shorebird Sanctuary. Raven brings her wealth of knowledge to guiding in Shell Key, and her favorite thing about guiding is the versatility of the Preserve, and how each day holds new encounters and surprises within it! When out touring with guests, Raven’s favorite fact to share is the connection between manatees and the myth of mermaids. When she’s not out guiding for Get Up & Go Kayaking, Raven loves biking, paddleboarding, birding, and reading. One fun fact about Raven: she’s had baby Southern flying squirrels land on her three separate times while out exploring Florida!