Sea Turtle Camp Team

Kasey grew up in Toms River, New Jersey, where living near the Jersey Shore meant plenty of year-round trips to the beach. Spending so much time by the ocean sparked a love for marine life and coastal ecosystems, and it didn’t take long for her to realize she wanted to turn that passion into a lifelong career.

In 2008, Kasey headed south to North Carolina to study Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). While working toward her degree, she volunteered and interned at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher. After graduating, she continued to build her experience as an environmental educator during an internship at the University of Georgia’s Marine Extension Service and Aquarium, where her passion for teaching others about the environment took off. Eager to learn even more, Kasey returned to UNCW to earn a Master’s in Environmental Science and Coastal Management. Since then, her wide range of experiences in marine and environmental science has only deepened her love for sharing her knowledge with the public. In 2019, she started her current role, where she gets to keep doing what she loves—connecting people with the wonders of the ocean.

When Kasey isn’t teaching about the ocean, she can be found at the beach reading a book, visiting family and friends, or exploring Wilmington with her husband! She is very excited to have found her way back to Wilmington and loves that she gets to spend winters in North Carolina instead of freezing in New Jersey!

Bailey grew up year-round on Fire Island, New York. She spent her entire childhood on the sands of the tiny barrier island, always doing her part educating visitors, local communities, and other parties about her hometowns’ wildlife, history, and environmental issues. She has deep love and respect for the ocean and all it offers. Her goal is to help others feel the same by educating them about the importance of marine and coastal ecosystems.

In 2016, Bailey ventured to St. Augustine, Florida, to receive her bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management and a minor in Spanish at Flagler College. She was an active member of the college’s sustainability club and always volunteered within the community. During her final semester, Bailey interned at Anastasia State Park and gained abundant experience working with Florida’s wildlife, especially with sea turtles! After graduating in 2020, she completed a 50-week AmeriCorps service term through Conservation Legacy, serving as the Community Volunteer Ambassador for Fire Island National Seashore. During this time, her interest in conservation, community outreach, and environmental education grew stronger. She is currently enhancing her outdoor teaching skills and science/nature content knowledge through the North Carolina Environmental Education Certificate program.

Bailey spends her free time surfing, painting, hiking, cooking, practicing yoga, and exploring nature. She loves to travel and encourages individuals to travel sustainably and support local communities!

Jeb was raised on a farm in rural Virginia, where he grew up racing motocross and spending his childhood outdoors. In high school, he played football and lacrosse, but spent most of his time as a pole vaulter for the track team. He would spend his summers in Virginia Beach with his family, where he learned how to surf at 8 years old.

Jeb moved to Wilmington in 2018, where he received a bachelor’s in environmental science and started teaching surf lessons on Wrightsville Beach. During his summers in school, he would spend every day in the water, either surfing or teaching others how to surf. Surfing has allowed Jeb to travel to some amazing destinations, with surf trips in Florida, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Panama, Canary Islands, and even Iceland. He now spends his free time either surfing, riding dirt bikes, or with his puppy named Boots.

Cora Skaggs is from Kansas City, Missouri, and is currently studying Marine Science with a minor in Spanish at Boston University. Her passion for the ocean began during an incredible summer camp in Jamaica, where she got her Open Water Diving Certification and discovered her love for marine ecosystems. Recently, she spent a semester studying abroad in the Galápagos Islands, gaining hands-on experience assisting with research projects across the islands. While living here for several months, she was able to learn to surf, participate in numerous dives, and discovered her love for marine conservation- specifically for cartilaginous fishes. Cora enjoys anything that relates to the outdoors such as snowboarding, kayaking, hiking, and so much more. She’s excited to inspire campers to love and protect the marine world, and help them uncover a passion for conservation through hands-on activities and fun adventures!

Zoe is a student-athlete at Stony Brook University, where she is on the Swimming & Diving Team and studies Marine Science. Originally from Idaho, she loves the outdoors and has a passion for anything related to marine science or environmental conservation. She enjoys interning at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, where she has gained experience working with penguins, sea turtles, fish, and many other species. She is also a swim coach for a summer league program, working with kids and fostering a love for the water. When she isn’t swimming or working, she enjoys anything outdoors, including hiking, surfing, scuba diving, and camping. Zoe is extremely excited to be a part of Sea Turtle Camp this summer and looks forward to sharing her passion for marine science!

Ryan’s passion for the ocean and conservation began at an early age. His family enjoyed traveling to many of the country’s national parks and protected lands. Growing up in California, Ryan was never too far from the outdoors. With the Sierra Nevadas to the East and the Pacific Ocean to his West, he was always surrounded by nature. While studying Marine Biology and Kinesiology at Humboldt State University, Ryan found a new passion, swimming with the local flora and fauna of the cool, nutrient-rich waters of the Pacific. When he isn’t swimming with fish or stepping from rock to rock in the intertidal, Ryan enjoys hiking, biking, and adventuring in the great outdoors. This is Ryan’s SEVENTH summer at STC and he can’t wait to get back into the swing of things. There is so much to see and experience when it comes to the ocean, it is so vast and unexplored… what wonders lie beneath those crashing waves? He hopes you will come join him and find out. Let’s blow some bubbles!