SHELL KEY PRESERVE

Jenna holds her degrees in environmental science and business marketing! She holds certifications in boater safety, high ropers, and belaying! She has experience working with Florida Fish and Wildlife educating others about the environment! Her favorite thing about giving kayak tours is seeing people get out of their comfort zones and thrive in the open water! She loves the reactions people have when she teaches them something about the plants and animals around them (especially when cormorants follow our boats)! A fun fact about Jenna: she loves backpacking and has completed 1,000 miles of the Appalachian trail thus far.

Chris holds his degree in graphic design and began studying environmental science as well! He is a south Florida native who is absolutely in love with this tropical paradise he calls home. He loves that Shell Key Preserve is an ever-changing educational platform for both himself and our guests. He is naturally inquisitive, awed, surprised, and inspired by what he encounters on his tours. 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! Fun fact about Chris: he is a certified yoga instructor and avid runner!

Alessia’s passion for the environment took hold in her environmental science high school magnet program (JERFSA)! She now holds her degree in Biology from Florida Gulf Coast University! She has a love for traveling and has done study abroad research in Ecuador, San Salvador Bahamas, and Ghana. After two years of guiding on Captiva Island, she has continued her passion here on Shell Key to share the wonders of these ecosystems with tourists and especially locals! Her favorite part of giving tours is getting to take people past the surface level of what catches their eye and show them how vibrant even a “quiet” day can be! Fun fact about Alessia is that she is a shell fanatic!

El holds their bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies & Literature and their master’s degree in Wildlife Conservation and Management! They have experience volunteering with the Manatee Observation & Education Center in Ft. Pierce and Audubon St. Petersburg performing data collection and providing public education on manatees and Black Skimmers. Their favorite thing about working with Get Up and Go Tampa Bay is continuing to share their environmental knowledge with the guides and the public through social media! One fun fact about El is that it’s on their bucket list to paddle every Get Up & Go location!

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! He has experience as an environmental educator and reptilian caretaker with Gatorland! He is also scuba certified! His favorite thing about giving kayak tours is seeing guests get excited about the wildlife they see! A fun fact about Ben is that he has been an avid skier since the age of 5!

Jada is currently studying Marine Biology at University of South Florida! She is passionate about scuba diving and hopes to make it to Australia to contribute to research for conservation of the GBR and coral reefs globally! Her favorite thing about giving kayak tours is seeing people interact with wildlife and sharing the excitement with them when they spot something! A fun fact about Jada is that she is originally from West Virginia and loves to snow board!

Jesse holds his degree in Environmental Science with minors in biology and coastal management. He has previously researched sharks in the Bahamas and volunteered in local preserves! His favorite thing about guiding kayak tours is the ability to share the importance of creatures that people rarely see in the wild. A fun fact about Jesse is that he is an expert classic and hard rock guitarist.

Carmen holds her degree in Marine Science and Biology from Florida Gulf Coast University! She has previously researched the effects of red tide on Florida coasts and has volunteered with FWC and wildlife sanctuaries! Prior to working with Get Up and Go Kayaking, she guided tours through the waters of Captiva Island for 3 years! Her favorite thing about guiding kayak tours is that it is one of the least disruptive way to interact with nature and you never know what each tour will bring! A fun fact about Carmen is that being stung by a stingray led to her curiosity of the oceans!