The dream of a true believer

Carissa serves as the Operations and Education Director at Butterfly Tampa, where she helps oversee their diverse programs and initiatives. She applies her expertise in managing education programs, coordinating community outreach, and fostering partnerships to further the organization’s mission. Her favorite animal at Butterfly Tampa is the White's Tree Frog, Jarah.  She holds a B.S. in Political Science from the University of North Georgia. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors with her family or working on her passion for growing and cultivating plants. 

Shiv is Butterfly Tampa's Curator of Herpetology. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and an M.S. in Biology from the University of South Florida. Shiv has numerous active research programs, which focus primarily on molecular ecology and diseases in herpetofauna. At Butterfly Tampa, his favorite animal is Brooks, our Apalachicola Kingsnake. In addition to a passion for wildlife, Shiv enjoys cooking, climbing mountains, and watching cricket in his free time.

Brady is the Horticulture Curator, Plant Shop Manager, and Visitor Services Lead at Little Red Wagon Native Nursery. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of South Florida concentrated in field analysis. Passionate about native plant ecology and conservation, Brady has hands-on experience with over 500 plant species, specializing in pollinator garden design and habitat restoration. He leads community engagement efforts on the environmental benefits of native plants, and his favorite native plant is Frogfruit. In his free time, Brady enjoys hiking, kayaking, and watching hockey. 

Colleen is one of Butterfly Tampa's reptile caretakers. She holds an A.S. in Zoo Animal Technology and is currently pursuing a B.A. in Animal Studies with a minor in Anthropology at Eckerd College. Her favorite reptile is Brick, our corn snake, and her favorite butterfly is the Atala! In addition to animals, Colleen has a passion for plants as well, with her favorite native plant being the vibrant Blanket Flower. In her free time, she enjoys running, working out, and wildlife photography.

Zach is one of Butterfly Tampa's insect caretakers. He is currently pursuing a B.S. in Biology, concentrated in Ecology and Evolutionary studies. He holds a special interest for ants and spiders, which he plans to investigate further through research projects involving arthropod phylogeny. At Butterfly Tampa, his favorite arthropod is Lucas, our regal jumping spider. In his free time, he likes to collect retro video games and to go for walks at different nature preserves in Tampa.

Jessa is one of Butterfly Tampa's reptile caretakers. She holds an M.S. in Conservation Biology from the University of South Florida, where she studied the thermal ecology of Pinewoods Tree Frogs. She has a deep passion for amphibians, with her favorite at Butterfly Tampa being the White's Tree Frogs and her favorite overall is the Arboreal Salamander (Aneides lugubris). In her free time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, camping, thrifting, and caring for her own collection of amphibians. 

Sophia is one of the horticulture staff members at Little Red Wagon Native Nursery. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science- Policy and Sustainability from the University of South Florida. She has a background in animal care and is interested in pursuing a future in wildlife rehabilitation and environmental conservation. Her favorite animal at Butterfly Tampa is Toastie the Ball Python and her favorite butterfly is the cloudless sulphur. In her free time, Sophia enjoys attending live music events, painting, doing yoga, and calisthenics. 

Eileen is one of Butterfly Tampa's Horticultural Specialists. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of South Florida, which she earned in December of 2021. She has since come to work at Butterfly Tampa in August of 2022 upon graduation, where she resides today. Her favorite Florida native plant as of today is Teucrium canadense (Wood sage). In her free time, she enjoys learning more about Florida native as well as non-native plants and caring for her own plants. 

Trinity is a member of the Horticulture Staff at Little Red Wagon Nursery. She is currently pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy at the University of South Florida with a concentration in analysis and a minor in Anthropology. A lover of wetland ecosystems, her favorite native plants are pickerel weed and bald cypress. In her free time, she enjoys crafty activities like drawing, crocheting, and collage, as well as long road trips to hike and camp in new places.

Sydney is one of the horticulture staff members at Little Red Wagon Native Nursery. She will soon graduate with her B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Evolution from the University of South Florida’s Honors College. She is very passionate about environmental conservation and has been involved with several local restoration projects, and she also holds a passion for animal behavior care/observation. She enjoys numerous outdoor activities in her free time such as kayaking, hiking, and rock climbing, and her favorite Florida native wildflower is Frost Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum). 

Margot's many responsibilities include digital marketing, website and project management since 2019!  Her favorite butterfly is the tiny but colorful Atala and her favorite native plant is Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens).  In her spare time, Margot enjoys retail therapy and spending time with her favorite human: her granddaughter.