Meet Your ANC Naturalists

Hollie Terry
ANC Director of School Programs

Hollie joined the ANC team first as a Naturalist, then as an Educational Program Assistant, and is now the Director of School Programs. A former school teacher and proud veteran, her love of the outdoors combined with degrees in both biology and education help her to share her knowledge and love for nature with anyone who spends time with her at the ANC.
Hollie is responsible for overseeing Lanark Field Days, the ANC Homeschool Program, the Nature on Wheels Program, and the ANC Teambuilding Program. Due primarily to her top-notch team of over a dozen Naturalists, each season keeps getting bigger and better than the one before. When she is not at the ANC, Hollie enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is married to her high school sweetheart and has two beautiful daughters, EdenLynn and Oakleigh.

Matt Vines
Camps & Community Programs Coordinator

Matt is a Millbrook native and an Auburn graduate with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife sciences. Growing up, Matt spent a lot of time outdoors exploring and fishing, he also spent a lot of his summers in the Florida panhandle fishing and looking for sea life. When not working, Matt spends most of his weekends fishing, camping, hunting, shooting, hiking, and exploring. Matt is in charge of the ANC’s camp and weekend programs. The best part is of working at the ANC is being able to combine his passions for the outdoors and education.

Kristen McCord
ANC Assistant Director of School Programs

Kristen has been working at the Alabama Nature Center since September of 2015. She started as an ANC Naturalist leading Lanark Field Days and quickly became involved in all the programs that ANC offers. Kristen knew when she started working in conservation education that this was her calling! In 2017 she became the ANC School Programs Specialist, assisting the Director of School Programs with Lanark Field Days by leading field trips and developing programs. Kristen also leads the 21st Century afterschool program at local public schools and the Nature Scholars Homeschool program designed for homeschool students age 12 and above. While Kristen has always had a passion for reptiles, amphibians, and other misunderstood critters, she developed an interest in bees while working at the ANC. She is now the ANC bee keeper; caring for the on-site honey bees, harvesting honey for the gift shop, and leading a variety of pollinator centered programs. Kristen has a degree in Wildlife Ecology and Management from Auburn University where she took a special interest in studying reptiles (especially snakes), amphibians, and predatory mammals. She also volunteered at the Southeastern Raptor Center by caring for sick and injured birds of prey. Kristen loves being out in the woods, hiking with her dogs, and connecting kids with nature.

Kristen LeMaster
ANC Program Support Specialist

Kristen joined the ANC team in January of 2019 and immediately knew she had found her home. She loves leading field trips at the ANC during Lanark Field Days as well as taking the nature center on the road with the Nature on Wheels program and is an intergral part of the ANC Homeschool program. She was born near Atlanta, GA and grew up playing in the creek that ran through her backyard and riding horses. So, it was no surprise to anyone that she chose to major in Wildlife Science when she attended Auburn University. While at Auburn, she developed a passion for birds of prey when she worked as a rehabilitator and, during her senior year, as the Rehabilitation Director for the Southeastern Raptor Rehabilitation Center. In fact, she has a raptor to thank for how wonderful her life has been. In an effort to get to know the Golden Eagle that was Auburn’s mascot, Tiger VI, she also got to know her future husband, Paul, who was one of Tiger’s trainers. After college, they were blessed with three wonderful sons: Wyatt, Sam, and Jack. Kristen stayed at home with them teaching them and transporting them to all of their various activities. The whole family has been involved with the Boy Scouts of America since Wyatt, who is now in college, was 6 years old. Kristen was able to put her degree to use leading nature related classes at Cub Scout camps, as a den leader for her youngest son, and counseling Boy Scouts in natural science related merit badges. She instilled her affection for nature so well in her children that her oldest son is also working at the ANC. When Kristen is not teaching her own children or the ones at the ANC, she loves to spend time in the mountains hiking and kayaking and at the beach observing nature and stand up paddleboarding. No matter what she is doing, she always finds a way to share her love of the natural world with everyone around her.

Sharon Mann
ANC Program Support Specialist

Sharon was born and raised in Prattville, Alabama. After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in Business, she moved out of Alabama for the first time. Living in different cities all across the United States as well as in England gave her an even greater appreciation of the unique biodiversity of her home state. While living in so many different places has given her a fantastic opportunity to explore a variety of plants and animals, she is very happy to now be back in Alabama. Her enduring love of nature, conservation, and children drew her to the Alabama Nature Center. She joined the ANC’s naturalist team in February of 2020. There are so many wonderful programs at the ANC. Sharon enjoys the field trips, homeschool program, and the NOW program. She looks forward to every day that she gets to spend at the Alabama Nature Center.

Tammy Smith
ANC School Programs Specialist

Tammy joined the ANC Naturalist Team in Fall 2016 and has quickly become a favorite in each program she leads. She grew up in central Florida where freshwater springs, rivers, and lakes, as well as opportunities for outdoor recreation, were abundant. Exploring the outdoors and observing animals as a child is a treasured pastime for Tammy, and is part of what inspired her to pursue a career in environmental education. Her first botany class in college gave her a glimpse of what it would be like working in the field, and it was then she knew she had found her passion! Since then she has worked as a naturalist and interpretive ranger for South Carolina State Parks as well as in the classroom as a preschool teacher. The impression she has on children as an educator is very important to her, as she feels it could play a key role in forming their likes, dislikes, and thought patterns regarding nature. She is fascinated by the connections we make with each other and our environment, as well as the patterns that organisms display in the natural world. Tammy is sure to inspire you when you visit ANC because, in her words, “I love to explore, learn, and share with others and the Alabama Nature Center provides the perfect opportunity for these experiences.”

Cody Barber
ANC Naturalist

Cody grew up in Hope Hull, AL where he spent most of his days exploring his land and enjoying nature. He joined the ANC first as an intern in the fall of 2022 and enjoyed every minute of it. He was then hired for weekend work just to be a part of the ANC and eventually worked full time during summer camp! Cody graduated from Huntingdon College with a Biology degree with a minor in Environmental Studies. He joined the ANC as a Naturalist to spread his love for nature and animals to our future generations. During his free time he enjoys hiking, bass fishing, and exploring.

Jan Byrne
ANC Naturalist

As Alabama’s first official female Boy Scout, Jan brings her own brand of outdoor skills to the ANC’s conservation education programs. A graduate of Auburn University, Jan has worked as a district executive with the Tukabatchee Area Council Boys Scouts of America, as a soil conservationist for the USDA’s Soil Conservation Service and as a teacher for junior and senior high school science and biology students. Wielding her signature cardinal hiking stick, “Redbird” is one of the students’ most beloved Naturalists.

Annabelle DuBose
ANC Naturalist

Annabelle recently graduated from AUM with a degree in Biology. She has a passion for world conservation and everything outdoors, and she enjoys sharing those passions with the younger generations. She’s also a part time art teacher and loves any chance she gets at combining those two worlds. She have a soft spot for homeless animals so she shares her home with five cats and two dogs who are basically her children. When she’s not at work you can probably find her tending to my plants, researching random fun facts, or painting something. Annabelle is super excited to be working at the ANC and can’t wait to see what new opportunities await!

Perry Haga
ANC Naturalist

By day, Perry is a graduate student at Troy University, studying warblers and teaching ecology labs. By night, she enjoys crafting, hiking, and looking for birds! Perry grew up in Ohio, and has loved discovering all of the amazing habitats in her Alabama backyard.

Kate Irwin
ANC Naturalist

Kate Irwin comes to us from Montevallo, Alabama. She has a background in agriculture that was enriched through her local Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter. Following high school, she pursued higher education at the University of Montevallo where she received her MBA and B.S. in Environmental Studies. Kate began working for the Alabama Nature Center as a school programs intern during the spring and summer of 2019 while she was attending the University of Montevallo. Because of her knowledge and skills, she was hired as an ANC Naturalist when her internship ended. She has since been involved with ANC field trips, homeschool, weekend programs, camps, and more. Kate’s knowledge and passion for nature is evident in all of the programs she leads. Kate enjoys working at the ANC because every day brings something new. She is recently married and enjoys most outdoor activities, but her favorite is spending time with her dalmatian, Eda (Ed-ah), at the beach.

Connie Jones
ANC Naturalist

Connie is a retired teacher from Autauga county. She grew up in a military family and traveled to many states and countries. In her college years she worked summers at Camp Grandview as a counselor and after 3 years she was named as the Director. She has been married for over 25 years and has a cocker spaniel named Jasper. She enjoys traveling, being active in civic organizations, church, and enjoying recreational activities. Being at the ANC allows her to teach and to connect children with the outdoors through hands on activities.

Ava Claire Mattox
ANC Naturalist

Ava Claire is a native of Wetumpka, Alabama and grew up exploring the Coosa River. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Auburn University in Social Work. After graduation, Ava Claire worked in Savannah, Georgia as the Development Manager for the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity. She has since returned home and is working on her Master’s degree in Natural Resources. Ava Claire hopes that those visiting the ANC are able to understand the importance of caring for our natural world and the creatures that inhabit it with us!

Rebecca Perdue
ANC Naturalist

Rebecca is a recent master’s graduate in natural resources from Auburn University. She has worked at nature centers throughout Alabama, including Camp McDowell, as well as multiple zoos. Her love of educating people about the animals in their backyards and how to help them led Rebecca to work at ANC as a camp counselor in 2019 and has now led her back to become a Naturalist.

Russell Puffer
ANC Naturalist

Russell is from Marietta, GA, and recently graduated from the University of Alabama with an undergraduate degree in unemployment philosophy.
I keep myself entertained by playing music, training my dogs, and growing plants at the Cloverdale community garden!

Debra Raymond
ANC Naturalist

Debra recently retired from almost forty years of teaching experience where she developed a variety of versatile skills. She completed the Discovery Science Curriculum at Eastern Oregon University, creating integrated science lessons for multi-aged groups of students. During several summers she participated in graduate level geology and geography classes through Portland State University; engineering integrated learning activities for primary and secondary classes. She spent four years teaching in Egypt at a private international school in New Maadi, a southeastern suburb of Cairo and was able to do some wonderful traveling throughout the Middle East. She likes hiking, snorkeling over beautiful reefs, walking along the beach, and reading mysteries. She loves being outdoors and enjoys sharing nature with others. Working at ANC gives her a chance to do some of her very favorite activities.

Blake Roper
ANC Naturalist

Blake is a Native Alabamian and has lived and worked in many parts of the state. He attended Auburn University in the 70’s and earned a B.S. and an M.S. in Wildlife Biology with a minor in Forestry. He found employment with the Alabama Air Pollution Control Agency, one of the precursors of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Over his 26 plus year career as an Environmental Scientist he worked in Air, Water and Coastal Zone Management programs and spent 10 more years in the field with a private consultant. He enjoys being outside and likes to teach people to observe their outdoor surroundings and find ways to understand how all of the parts work together.

Sullivan Smith
ANC Naturalist

Sullivan is a recent graduate of Auburn University where he earned a B.S. in Organismal Biology. He loves to spend his free time outdoors doing all sorts of activities like fishing, hiking, and kayaking. He has been working the summer camps at the ANC since 2022, and has developed a passion for sharing knowledge about conservation to younger audiences.

Susan Smith
ANC Naturalist

When it comes to sharing her heartfelt love for children and conservation education, Susan exemplifies a kind of sacrificial giving like none other. Susan not only gives the Lanark Field Days program her best during programs, she also works overtime to enhance program quality with new activity ideas. Known for her trail chants, treasure hunts and hands-on, educational games and crafts, Susan is a true treasure to the ANC team.

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