Meet the Team

Dr. Stephens is the Director of Mattie M. Kelly Environmental Institute (MKEI) and Distinguished Chair in Environmental Science at Northwest Florida State College. She earned her B.S. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and M.S. and Ph.D. in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at the University of Florida. Through research, teaching, and community engagement, Dr. Stephens connects disciplines and people to create a shared learning experience focused on solution development and application.

Richie Gray is an Environmental Technician at the Mattie Kelly Environmental Institute of Northwest Florida State College. His research aims to build a comprehensive foundation for the Northwest Florida coastal dune lakes. Starting spring 2021, Richie will attend the University of Florida to obtain his degree in natural resource management.

Jennifer Hathaway serves as Communication and Outreach Coordinator for Mattie M. Kelly Environmental Institute. She graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, and has twenty years’ experience in the fields of marketing, public relations, and business administration.

Mae Giddings has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science/Aquaculture from Unity College in Maine and a Master of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida. She has worked on a variety of aquatic science projects in the past, including Atlantic salmon restoration, shellfish sanitation, invasive aquatic plant mitigation and outreach, and bivalve health monitoring. Mae has also worked in education. Her primary professional interest is aquatic animal health. Currently she analyzes phytoplankton as part of the MKEI coastal dune lake project.

Isaac Todd is an environmental assistant at the Mattie Kelly Environmental Institute. He has been a part of the MKEI team since 2016. He has an associate of arts degree from Northwest Florida State College, and is striving to continue education in the environmental field. His current roles at MKEI include managing the oyster reef faunal assessment project, participating in the field sampling of the dune lake fish project, and processing samples from both projects.