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What made you decide to start volunteering with Save the Manatee Club?

I’m a Florida girl, and I grew up on the Tomoka River in Ormond Beach, where I shared daily life with an array of wild birds, fish, turtles, alligators, and the occasional dolphin and manatee. But I did not know or fully appreciate manatees until I started volunteering as a Manatee Observer and Rover at Blue Springs State Park (BSSP). Learning about these amazing animals and the human challenges to their environment encouraged me to further volunteer with Save the Manatee Club so I could help improve the overall safety of the manatee world.

Who is your adopted manatee, and why did you choose them?

I adopted Annie as a Christmas gift for my college-age daughter. Kayla and I began volunteering at BSSP together the summer between her high school graduation and her first year of college. Annie came in on our very first day with her calf, and we had to jump into action to keep swimmers away and practice the educating lessons we had only just learned. That incredible experience marked a very happy memory for Kayla and me, and adopting Annie honored her role in our shared story.

Do you have any favorite moments or experiences while volunteering?

Most of my favorite moments involve getting to protect the manatees from swimmers who might get too close when they come into the springs. But I also enjoy those times when the manatees grow curious of the swimmers, especially the children, and want to go “check them out” to see if they are potential plant life. One gentleman nearly lost his leaf-patterned bathing trunks in such an encounter when a female manatee tried to “eat” them off. Things got dicey for a moment, and we weren’t sure who might need rescuing from what, but the man held on, the manatee let go, and both parted ways in fine form.

Tell us briefly about your hobbies, interests, career, where you’re originally from, etc.

I was born in Atlanta but grew up in Florida and graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville. I began my career as Don John’s assistant on Miami Vice, then continued to work in production on such films as Nell, 12 Monkeys, A Time To Kill, Practical Magic, and My Dog Skip before becoming a screenwriter and author. I have written many spec and paid scripts. My first novel, “The Vessels,” was released in 2020. Books two and three of that trilogy are being released in 2023.