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Jody developed a passion for conservation at a very young age and always knew she wanted to help ‘Save the World.’ Raised along the coast and being drawn to the water, as avid SCUBA diver, triathlete and adventurer; marine and estuarine conservation has come natural to Jody. Grateful for her employment at Brevard Zoo, Jody has learned a host of skills including team management, grant writing, event planning, partnership establishment and budget management. As the Assistant Director of Conservation for Brevard Zoo, located in Melbourne, FL Jody enjoys overseeing a dynamic team of ambitious conservationists who have dedicated their lives to the preservation and restoration of species ranging from the Eastern Oyster to the Florida Scrub jay to the Florida East Coast Diamondback Terrapin as well as Living Shoreline restoration and stabilization and a variety of international conservation efforts. With a background in environmental education, and animal behavior and a BS from Florida Institute of Technology, sharing conservation and sustainability messages makes it easy to get others excited about making eco-friendly choices that can a difference. This was recognized in 2013 by Walt Disney World Conservation Fund who named Jody and the oyster restoration team as a Heroes of Conservation, as well as Field & Stream magazine as a Conservation Hero for work in estuarine habitat restoration. She leads the efforts for some of the nation’s largest community based volunteer and citizen scientist outreach projects for oyster habitat.