From Federal Service to First Coast Ecological Services
After more than two decades working in coastal science with the United States Geological Survey and the National Park Service, I recently made the difficult decision to step away from federal service and begin a new chapter with First Coast Ecological Services.
This decision was not about stepping away from coastal science, but rather stepping away from federal service and continuing this work through a different path. In many ways, it is an opportunity to remain focused on the coastal issues, ecosystems, and long-term monitoring efforts that have defined my career for more than two decades.
At the same time, I would be dishonest if I did not acknowledge how difficult the past year and a half has been for many federal employees. Since January 20 of last year, uncertainty surrounding the future of federal agencies, shifting priorities, staffing concerns, and the overall atmosphere within public service began to take a real toll on morale. For the first time in my career, the sense of purpose and fulfillment I had always associated with federal service began to fade.
I spent more than 23 years believing deeply in the mission of coastal science and public stewardship. That never changed. What changed was realizing that the stress, uncertainty, and growing disconnect from the work I loved were beginning to outweigh the satisfaction that had carried me through most of my career.
Leaving federal service was not an easy decision. In many ways, it was one of the hardest professional decisions I have ever made. But it also created an opportunity to reconnect with the parts of coastal science that I care about most: field work, long-term monitoring, practical problem solving, and directly supporting the protection and restoration of vulnerable coastal ecosystems.
“For more than 23 years, coastal monitoring and field science have shaped both my professional career and my personal life. I have spent countless days working in salt marshes, mangrove forests, barrier islands, tidal creeks, and remote stretches of coastline throughout the southeastern United States. Those experiences have given me not only technical expertise, but also a deep respect for how dynamic and vulnerable these systems truly are.”
About five years ago, I transitioned to the National Park Service, where I served as a Coastal Ecologist with the Southeast Coast Inventory and Monitoring Network. In that role, I helped lead long-term shoreline monitoring and coastal change projects across several national parks and protected areas throughout the Southeast.
One of the most meaningful accomplishments of my career came during my time with the National Park Service when I helped document mangrove expansion along the Georgia coast. Observing and documenting these changes firsthand provided a powerful example of how rapidly coastal ecosystems are responding to changing environmental conditions and warming temperatures. That experience reinforced the importance of long-term field monitoring and the value of consistent, defensible scientific data in understanding coastal change over time.
Prior to joining the National Park Service, I spent approximately 18 years with the United States Geological Survey working on coastal and wetland science projects throughout the Gulf Coast, the Everglades, as well as projects in Panama and Belize. My work focused heavily on wetland elevation monitoring, marsh vulnerability, GIS and spatial analysis, ecological field monitoring, and hurricane-related GPS surveying and flood documentation. Much of that effort centered on understanding how coastal wetlands respond to sea-level rise, storms, flooding, and long-term environmental change over time.
Working within the National Park Service reinforced something I had already come to believe strongly throughout my career: long-term monitoring matters. Reliable field data plays a critical role in helping managers understand coastal change, prioritize restoration efforts, respond to storm impacts, and make informed decisions about the future of vulnerable ecosystems and infrastructure.
Over time, however, I also began to recognize a growing need outside of traditional federal science programs. Coastal communities, nonprofits, reserves, agencies, and restoration practitioners increasingly need experienced scientists who can provide practical, field-based support quickly and efficiently. Many organizations need high-quality coastal monitoring and analysis but may not have the staff, time, or specialized expertise to carry out that work internally.
I began to realize there was an opportunity to take everything I had learned over the course of my federal career and apply it in a more flexible, responsive, and service-oriented way. That realization ultimately led to the creation of First Coast Ecological Services.
First Coast Ecological Services was built around the idea that strong coastal management begins with reliable field data. The company focuses on Surface Elevation Table (SET) installation and measurements, wetland elevation monitoring, shoreline monitoring, GNSS surveys, GIS analysis, coastal mapping, and long-term environmental monitoring support.
“My goal is simple: provide accurate, defensible, field-based coastal data that helps agencies, organizations, and communities make informed decisions in the face of sea-level rise, storms, erosion, and long-term environmental change.”
I live, work, and spend my time on these coastlines. I have seen firsthand how rapidly these systems can change and how important good science is for understanding and responding to those changes. Whether supporting restoration projects, monitoring shoreline movement, or helping develop long-term datasets, I believe field-based coastal science remains as important today as it has ever been.
Although I am stepping away from federal service, I am not stepping away from the coast. In many ways, this next chapter feels like a continuation of the same mission that has guided my career for more than 20 years.
The coastlines of the southeastern United States are changing rapidly. Reliable data, long-term perspective, and experienced field scientists will continue to play an important role in helping communities and agencies adapt to those changes.
I am excited for what comes next.