Kelley
Hi, I’m Kelley, a Southern Californian native. I grew up in the hills of Los Angeles County and spent much of my childhood riding horses and playing in the dirt. A true tomboy, there were no limits for me. I would spend my summers on the lake near my grandparents in the Mojave Desert, riding horses on the now nonexisting trails of “The Valley”, camping with the horses in the hills of San Jacinto Valley, hanging with family in San Diego, or soaking up the rays with my friends at our local beaches in Santa Monica and Venice, or up at the beaches in Venture county.
Growing up, my mother called me either a monkey because I was always climbing trees or a fish because you couldn’t pull me away from a water fountain or get me out of any body of water. I was a tomboy water baby.
Beyond being a tomboy, it should be no surprise that I joined the Navy reserves and then went active duty with the Army. When I moved to Colorado, my husband and I became avid offroaders, rock crawling with our Jeeps. Boy did I love the challenges rock crawling gave me. Facing fears and building confidence for years. If you have never rock-crawled in Moab, I’d highly suggest it.
While we lived in Colorado, and outside of spending as much time as possible in the Rockies, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Web Design and Multimedia and then a Bachelor’s in Arts in History and secondary social studies education, as well as a minor in human nutrition. To say I am a jack of all trades is an understatement, but many times I have been able to utilize all my skills at once.
After moving to Florida, I vowed to be more involved in the activities that make my heart happy and that meant being out in nature and embracing my tomboyish ways. Within the first 6 months, I attended all three of the required naturalist courses that gave me the designation of a Florida Master Naturalist. I have no plan to stop until I get my certification in marine conservation and restoration as well. Nowadays, you will find me outside, on one of my two daily 2-mile walks, riding my bike on dirt bike trails, on my skateboard around the neighborhood, or on my weekly hike at a nearby national or nature park. I have had the joy of solo camping already and recently came back from a camping trip with my husband, but above all, I love to be on the water, paddling my little heart out on my paddleboard. As a matter of fact, I was just hired on with an established Florida eco-tour company that is new to the area. I am excited to be a part of the start-up team and the owners and my teammates are amazing. I couldn’t be happier being with a company that cares just as much about the environment and educating as I do. My heart is definitely happy.
Beyond that, I am a life learner, and having landed in what feels like paradise, I can’t see life being any different than full of amazing adventures.
Michael
Michael is a Colorado native who spent a great deal of time growing up on the water with his family, skiing and fishing. Though he is a native of the Rocky Mountain state, he has always felt more at home near saltwater.
Michael has spent several decades in the apartment renovation field and spent the last two working with one of the largest apartment management companies in Denver. When he isn’t assisting me on the water or on the trail with media work, he will work in renovations here in Florida as well.
Michael is also a Florida Naturalist in Coast systems and loves to be on the beach, hunting for shark teeth, paddling on his SUP board, or fishing off our dock. It is safe to say, that he hasn’t been this happy in years. Florida life suits him.
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