Dr. Jill Griffin
Executive Director

Jill spent part of her childhood living on a boat with her parents and three siblings, as they traveled from Miami to South America and back. She spent countless hours underwater in some of the most pristine aquatic habitats of the Caribbean. This resulted in a profound passion and sense of respect for the ocean, which led her to pursue a dual degree in Biology and Anthropology at the University of California, San Diego.

Following graduation, she was accepted into a Ph.D. program at the University of Miami’s, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, studying Marine Biology. Her early research emphasized the pathology and epizootiology of coral diseases, and she later discovered her passion for studying marine mammal health, welfare, behavior, and bioacoustics. Jill graduated with her Ph.D. in 2003 and became the Director of Research and Education at a zoological facility in Key Largo, FL.

In 2007, she was offered a full-time faculty position at the University of Miami, allowing her to continue her passion for research and teaching. While at UM, Jill mentored countless undergraduate and graduate students. She also developed a new, innovative graduate program, called the Master of Professional Science, which grew from 10 students in its inaugural year to 80+ students in just 5 years. Jill was nominated as University of Miami’s Outstanding Program Director two years in a row, as an Outstanding Faculty Member at the UM Apple Polishing Ceremony, named an honorary member of the Golden Key International Honour Society (acknowledged as “an advocate for student success and for an outstanding job in the capacity as an educator”), the recipient of the Excellence in Programming Award and Miami Dade Public Schools Award for Excellence in Service for an outreach event she created called Ocean Kids, the Clinton Global U Initiative for “Extraordinary Commitment to Action”, and was acknowledged as an Engaged Faculty Fellow for “promoting the interrelationship of teaching, research, and service through theory, action and reflection in response to community needs”. She even had the opportunity to participate in the Emmy Award Winning children’s show called “SciGirls” as an on-screen scientist, with the goal of fostering a love for science among young women.

Jill moved to Hobe Sound with her two sons in 2021 to provide them with access to better educational opportunities. After 16 years with the University of Miami, she made the very tough decision to leave “The U” and accepted the position as Executive Director at the Hobe Sound Nature Center in May of 2023.

Jill lives with her husband, two sons, 3 dogs, and 3 cats, which she endearingly refers to as her “zoo”. In high school and college, Jill was a competitive athlete, excelling in gymnastics, soccer, and surfing. In fact, she was part of the first all-women’s surf team in San Diego. During her time in graduate school, she became a Scientific Diver, logging well over 1,000 dives in just four years. She remains an avid freediver and enjoys spending time at the beach, surfing, wakeboarding, skateboarding, and exploring the endless natural landscapes of Hobe Sound and beyond with her family.

Candi Holzsager
Director of Operations

Candi has been with the nature center since 2015 and has contributed to education, marketing, office administration, volunteer coordination, program scheduling, fundraising, event planning, and employee relations.

She is a wildlife expert and can answer any questions you have about local flora and fauna, special events, programing, and donations. She is the definition of a true naturalist!

Candi grew up in Northern Virginia and graduated with a B.A. in English from Christopher Newport University. As a child, Candi spent a lot of time volunteering for wildlife rehabilitation centers. She then went on to work as the Visitor Services Supervisor at The Virginia Living Museum, which houses over 250 native Virginia animals . She also worked at PetSmart, where she educated visitors about how to best care for their animals, as well as how to keep wildlife wild.

Candi, her husband, and their two dogs love exploring Florida’s outdoors. She and her husband also love kayaking, beach walking, snorkeling, and SCUBA diving. Candi also has a rabbit, several species of fish, a poison dart frog, and an African clawed frog. Some of her favorite animals include salamanders, snails, frogs, and nudibranchs.

Tracy Boothby
Naturalist Instructor

Tracy grew up in Rock Island, Illinois, but her dream to be the next Jacques Cousteau drew her to Florida, where she attended the Florida Institute of Technology. She graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Aquaculture from the Jensen Beach campus, which is now Indian Riverside Park. Following graduation, she worked at Florida Power and Light, first as a Lab Technician and then as a Ranger at the Barley Barber Swamp. Later, Tracy moved to Port St. Lucie and worked at the Savanna State Reserve as an Environmental Specialist before accepting the position as an Environmental Educator at the Hobe Sound Nature Center in 1990.

Tracy serves as the Education and Camp Coordinator at the Nature Center, and she leads many of our most popular education programs, including but not limited to the natural history and conservation of rainforests, snakes, alligators, black bears, and endangered species. She has been a member of L.E.E.F. since 1986 and served as Regional Director during her tenure.

Tracy’s husband, Dave, owns an aquaculture business, and they have two sons, Josh and Shawn, and four cats. She is incredibly knowledgeable about Florida’s wildlife and the remarkable history of the Nature Center. Tracy is loved by everyone she has crossed paths with and has worked tirelessly to share her passion for conservation with thousands of children and adults during her time in residence at the Nature Center. In her spare time, she loves to hunt for sea glass at the beach.

Crissy Page
Naturalist Instructor & Volunteer Coordinator

Crissy grew up in sunny Southern California, and her family loved animals. At one point, they had five cats, fish, a bunny, and a Golden Retriever! As a child and teenager, Crissy spent countless hours volunteering for animal shelters, wildlife hospitals, and veterinary clinics. However, she found her true passion for wildlife when she moved to Northern California to pursue her college degree. She fell in love with the redwoods and the Pacific Northwest, graduating with a B. S. in Wildlife Management and Conservation from Humboldt State University. Following graduation, she took a two-week road trip across the country to Florida, visiting National Parks and various monuments along the way. Crissy has had a lifelong affinity for animals and often dreamed about pursuing a job as a veterinarian, a Cat Café Owner, or becoming an Animal Planet personality.

After settling down in Jupiter, Crissy spent the next 5 years working as an Educator at the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. She loved working with a variety of native Florida wildlife, including snakes, turtles, foxes, otters, sea birds, raptors, and even Florida black bears and panthers! While there, she led the Junior Naturalist Department for children ages 5-14, teaching her “nature-nerd” students about the importance of their role in conservation, how to properly care for a variety of animals, and how they can each make a difference in the world.

Crissy currently serves as an Educator, Naturalist, and Volunteer Coordinator at the Nature Center. She loves working with our teaching animals, both on- and off-site, as well as sharing her vast portfolio of wildlife facts with anyone who will listen.

Crissy lives with her partner, three cats, and a cocker spaniel. They love spending time in the kitchen cooking, finding new places to explore, bike riding, traveling, and spending time with friends at the beach. Crissy also loves nature journaling, painting (primarily watercolor), birding, and petting every dog and cat she encounters! In fact, those who know her call her the “cat whisperer”, because she loves to cat sit and is a well-respected cat foster mom.

Megan Crawford M.P.S.
Wildlife Educator

Megan grew up in Indiana, where her passion for animals began with a love for horses. She began riding at the age of 7, and has continued riding and competing at local shows. Ever since kindergarten, Megan wanted to be a veterinarian, which motivated her to work with any animals she could. This included working at a zoo in the education department, stationed at the giraffe and sting ray areas, and volunteering at a horse rescue facility. These passions ultimately led Megan to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

While at UT, Megan studied abroad in Thailand, where she was able to work with elephants, sea turtles, and help with coral reef restoration on the island of Koh Tao. She fell in love with the ocean and decided to get a Master’s degree at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, studying Marine Mammal Science.

Megan was also involved in developing and presenting outreach material for UM’s Marine Mammal Lab. For her thesis, she worked with the Navy’s Marine Mammal Program, studying how technological enrichment affected California sea lion activity budgets. After graduation, Megan worked as a marine mammal trainer for the program before deciding she wanted to pursue a career inspiring future wildlife conservationists.

Megan is a Wildlife Educator and Assistant Volunteer Coordinator. She loves working with people of all ages and learning as much as she can about Florida’s native species. In her free time, Megan enjoys horseback riding, SCUBA diving, and snorkeling. She loves hiking, walks on the beach, and reading fantasy novels.