Meet The Explore Summer Camp Instructors

Our instructors are the best of the best.  They are caring, supportive, concerned about the welfare of all students, knowledgeable about their subject matter, work extremely well with parents, and are genuinely excited about the work that they do in UWF’s Explore Summer Camps.

The safety of your child is our number one priority, and we take pride in our outstanding reputation in providing a very safe and enjoyable experience for your child. Our staff is full of energy and driven to provide motivating curriculum choices for you and your child. Everyone in the Explore Summer Program staff has a thorough background check at the time of their assignment. 

Meet Our Instructors

Instructor bios are listed below in alphabetical order by last name.

Yvonne Akers, L.D. McArthur Elementary, Escambia County School District

Summer Program: Music and Me (Grades 1-3)

Yvonne Akers has been teaching for over 18 years. She has taught grades K, 1st, 5th and 6th. She is reading endorsed. This means she has had over and above the required training for teaching reading. She has been a district reading coach for the past three years. She has a background in music education and she strives to foster student's talents while providing a balanced education.

Leslie Bennett-Worthen, Summerfield Crossing Elementary, Hillsborough County School District

Summer Program: Marine Science (On Site Manager)

Leslie has been teaching in Hillsborough County as a 3rd grade teacher for the last four years. She also enjoys teaching gifted education. She has worked an several research projects leading her to places such as Italy, England and even as far as Indonesia. She has had the unique opportunity of working with the children of Indonesia where she implemented a program about the importance of recycling. Last year Leslie was the Marine Camp instructor for the 1st and 2nd grade and is looking forward to working again this coming summer.

Julia Berry, Hellen Caro Elementary School, Escambia County School District

Summer Program: Jr. Forensic Investigator

Julia Berry has been teaching for 28 years. During the 2007-2008 school year, she was recognized as the Teacher of the Year for her school and one of the top five finalists for Escambia County. As the gifted coordinator and teacher of K-5th grade gifted students, she initiated and wrote the proposal to start the gifted program on the Westside of town. Berry has her Masters in Gifted Education and a B.A. in Communicative Disorders. She teaches UWF Gifted Endorsement courses to help classroom teachers get their Gifted Certification. Her passion is teaching her students and colleagues how to think creatively.

Kristin Beverly, The Global Corner

Summer Program: My Summer Passport Around the World (Grades 1-3)

Kristin Beverly has a life-long love of different cultures stemming from a childhood of experiences in Austria, Costa Rica and Paraguay. She earned a Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education from Wheaton College and taught bilingual 4th grade as well as 6th grade Social Studies and Language Arts. Kristin also developed and taught summer programs for children preparing to live overseas. In addition, she developed and taught a year-long geography class to lower elementary homeschool students in North Carolina. She also collaborated to develop and teach a year-long geography/current events class to homeschool students in Pensacola, FL. Most recently Kristin has been sharing her love of our world and the people who live in it as an instructor with The Global Corner.

Cindy Bradley, A.K. Suter Elementary, Escambia County School District

Summer Program: Jr. Mad Scientist (Grades 1-3)

Cindy Bradley has lived in Pensacola her whole life and graduated from UWF. She has been teaching for 9 years in Escambia County. She is certified to teach grades 1-6 and Gifted Education. She taught fifth grade at Longleaf Elementary for 4 years and for 1 year at A.K. Suter Elementary. For the past 4 years, she has taught third grade at A.K. Suter Elementary School. This year, she is teaching a Gifted Cluster class made up of 12 gifted learners and 5 high achieving students. She is always looking for ways to incorporate more hands-on, high interest activities in her classroom. She loves teaching Science and encouraging her students to get excited about learning.

Jared Bray

Summer Program: Game Design and Development (Grades 7-9)

Jared Bray is a third year student at the University of West Florida. He has been interested in designing and programming games since high school and is pursuing a degree in Computer Science as well as minoring in Game Development. Jared assisted in teaching the Game Design & Development camp in 2011 and is returning to teach it a second time. He worked as a Computer Science tutor to help other students during his sophomore year and is currently training to work as a student Systems Administrator for the SSE building..

Christina Cornelius, Gulf Breeze Middle School, Santa Rosa County School District

Summer Program: Jr. Tech Kids (Grades 1-3) and Tech Kids (Grades 4-6)

Christina teaches Language Arts at Gulf Breeze Middle School. Through many technological resources, Christina is able to teach her students how to become good readers and communicate effectively. She is a member of the Literacy Learning Team at GBMS - a program that is extremely successful every year at encouraging independent reading of Florida's Sunshine State Young Readers Award novels. She hosted a book club in the 2010-2011 school year sponsored by the Pensacola Opera and accompanied her students to a performance of Little Women. Christina is also very involved in the GBMS Band program. She assists in teaching the beginning band and will accompany band students to Dixie Band Camp this summer. Christina conducts with Band Director Susan Smithey at the band's Winter and Spring Concerts each year. Christina has her BA from Florida State University and completed the Teacher Ready Program at UWF to pursue her Education Career.

Kris Danford, Department of Theatre, University of West Florida

Summer Program: Broadway Bound: A Musical Comedy Production (Grades 2-9), Theatre Academy for Grades 6-10

Kris Danford is the head of the Musical Theatre program at UWF. Previously based out of New York City, Kris is a classically trained actor, singer and teacher. She earned her Master's degree in Acting from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor training in Sarasota, FL. She also holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the State University of New York at Fredonia in Fredonia, NY. In addition to maintaining her acting and teaching careers, she is also a voice, speech and dialect coach, most recently having served as assistant dialect coach on The Devil's Disciple at The Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, FL. Kris' performance credits include four seasons at The Asolo Repertory Theatre, The American Theatre of Actors (New York, NY) The Peterborough Players (Peterborough, NH) and several seasonal contracts throughout the regions. Favorite roles include Hermione inThe Winter's Tale and Cathy in The Last Five Years (Asolo Rep.)

Gina Emery, Niceville High School, Okaloosa County School District

Summer Program: Marine Science (Lab Instructor)

Gina has been teaching for 4 years. She teaches Honors Biology and AICE Marine Science at Niceville High School. Gina holds a Bachelor of Science degree from New Mexico State University in Medical Technology and was a Medical Technologist for 16 years. Gina attended Northwest Florida State College and completed the Educators Preparation Institute and is certified to teach Middle School Science and Biology grades 6-12. Gina has a passion for teaching that she passes along to all that take her courses. Gina enjoys the outdoors especially fishing and spending time on the water with her family and friends.

Winston Foster, Woodham Middle School, Escambia County School District

Summer Program: Photoshop, Advanced Photoshop, & Art Studio

Winston Foster has been teaching for 5 years. Prior to teaching, he spent 15 years working as a Graphic Designer in the private industry. He is currently the Art Teacher at Woodham Middle School where he also serves as the advisor for the Yearbook and Art Club. In 2007 and 2008, he worked as an Instructor with the University of West Florida Explore Summer Programs teaching Cartoon Camp. Winston is a graduate of the University of West Florida with a BA in Studio Art and a M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction.

Jennifer Hale, Francis M. Weston Audubon Society, Roy Hyatt Environmental Center, Escambia County School District

Summer Program: Marine Science (Grades 3-4)

Jennifer Hale Butera currently works for the Francis M. Weston Audubon Society (FMWAS) of Pensacola, Fla. as a Naturalist at the Roy Hyatt Environmental Center (RHEC) where 2th-5th graders and teachers in Escambia County are taught various environmental concepts. Ms. Butera has also developed and delivered the Environmental Encounters summer camp at the RHEC. She has a B.S. degree in Biology from the University of South Alabama in 1997 and a M.S. in science and math education from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2003. In addition, she was the Marine Education Specialist at the J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium in Biloxi, Miss. She participated in a variety of programs to include: K-12 education, teacher workshops, membership programs, out of town educational trips, year round youth programs ands summer camps.

Pamela Hicks, Booker T. Washingtion High School, Escambia County School District

Summer Program: Explorations in Space (Grades 1-3), Energy Blasters for Grades 4-6, To Space and Back (Grades 4-6)

Pamela Hicks has taught science for over 30 years in Escambia County schools. Her specialties are chemistry and physical science. In addition to teaching middle and high school science, Pam has conducted numerous teacher-training workshops in Northwest Florida.  She has bachelor's degrees in education and biology. She earned her master's degree in education from the University of West Florida. In addition to holding Florida certifications in general science 5-9 and chemistry 6-12, Pam is nationally board certified in early adolescent science. Currently, she teaches 9th and 11th grade science at Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola Florida.

Lindsay Holladay, Avalon Middle School, Santa Rosa County School District

Summer Program: Creative Writing for Kids (Grades 4-6)

Lindsay Holladay graduated from Florida State University with her BS in English Education, and began teaching at Avalon Middle School in Santa Rosa County. This is her 5th year teaching Language Arts at AMS. She is currently teaching 6th grade Language Arts, but has had experience teaching all middle school grade levels. She strongly believes that all aspects of communication are vital to being successful. During the 2009-2010 school year she was recognized as Avalon Middle School's Rookie of the Year and was recognized as Avalon Middle School's Teacher of the Year during the 2010-2011 school year. She is also a Mentor Teacher, Co-chair of the Literacy Leadership Team, Beta Club sponsor, and head of the Language Arts Department.

Lisa Jones, Niceville High School, Okaloosa County School District

Summer Program: Marine Science (Grades 5-6)

Lisa Jones has been teaching science for 15 years, the last nine years in Okaloosa County. She currently teaches AP Biology, AICE Marine Science, and Environmental Science at Niceville High School. She graduated from the University of West Florida with a B.S. degree in Biology/Medical Technology, and she worked as a Medical Technologist for 10 years before becoming a teacher. In 2009 she earned her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from UWF.

Kevin Kern, Department of Theater, University of West Florida

Summer Program: Broadway Bound: A Musical Comedy Production (Grades 2-9),
Shakespeare Summer Company (Grades 1-9), Theatre Academy for Grades 6-10

Kevin is an Associate Professor of Theatre at UWF, where he has served on the faculty for 6 years teaching courses primarily in Acting.  Kevin also serves as the Artistic Director for The Pensacola Shakespeare Theatre, the professional theatre of northwest Florida.  

Sheyna Marcey, Museum Education Coordinator, West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc.

Summer Program: Pensacola's History and Archaeology Camp (Grade 4-6) and (Grade 7-9)

Sheyna Marcey graduated from the University of West Florida with a BA in Telecommunication and Film; she has been with West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc. (WFHPI) for eight years. Sheyna has worked as a museum interpreter, Living History Coordinator and is currently a Museum Educator. She is responsible for the managing of daily operations and part-time staff and may be seen regularly conducting tours and interpretive talks. Historic Pensacola Village annually welcomes thousands of students of all grades levels. Sheyna has been a part of History and Archaeology Camp for many years in her role as Museum Educator and is now co-director along with Irina Sorset. Sheyna and Irina both are certified Interpreters with the National Association of Interpretation. Her passions are European History and travel. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of Pensacola history with visitors and looks forward to leading History and Archaeology Camp as co-director this year.

Jodi Maker, Niceville High School, Okaloosa County School District

Summer Program: Marine Science (Grades 5-6)

Jodi has been teaching science in Okaloosa county for 8 years. She graduated from University of North Dakota with a B.S. in Education and Human Development. In 2009 she was named UND's Alumni of the Year. She received her M.Ed in Educational Leadership/Curriculum and Instruction from UWF in 2002 and is currently enrolled in the Emerald Coast Cohort at UWF pursuing her Ed.D.in Educational Leadership and Instructional Technology. She has been on the faculty of Niceville High School since 2004. She is currently teaching AP Environmental Science but has previously taught marine science and biology. She is also the sponsor of the Niceville's Environmental Activists Ready to Help (E.A.R.T.H.) Club.

Tia McHugh, West Navarre Primary School, Santa Rosa County School District

Summer Program: Jr. Art Rageous & Art Rageous

Tia McHugh has been teaching first grade for two year at West Navarre Primary School.  Tia especially enjoys teaching her first graders the skills they need to be highly successful readers.  Tia serves on the PTO, and is a tutor for students struggling in reading and math. In her spare time, Tia enjoys spending time with her family, reading, studying art, writing, poetry, learning new things/skills, going to the beach, and crafts.  Tia has her BS in Applied Developmental Psychology/Child Development. Tia is currently seeking her Master’s of Arts in Education here at UWF.

 

Jennifer Messer, L.D. McArthur Elementary, Escambia County School District

Summer Program: Digging up Bones & Weird Science

My name is Jennifer Messer. I teach Kindergarten at McArthur Elementary School. I have been teaching for 10 years. One of my favorite subjects is Social Studies. I am interested in learning about different teaching methods as well as finding new ways to make learning fun.

Penny Moore, Avalon Middle School, Santa Rosa County School District

Summer Program: Marine Science (Grades 1-2)

Penny Moore has been teaching middle school science for 8 years at Avalon Middle School. She was recognized by the faculty as their 2008 Teacher of the Year. Penny has been active in various aspects of the school's growth. She has co-sponsored Science Olympiad, acted as the BEST sponsor, has served on the school advisory counsel, discipline committee, safety committee, Literacy Leadership team, and was an integral part of the planning of the school's career day. She believes that getting students excited about science is crucial to the future and encourages all of her students to do the best they can, always!

Mary "Bea" Nash, Ferry Pass Elementary School, Escambia County School District

Summer Program: Marine Science (Visual Arts)

Bea has been an art teacher for over 25 years. She is currently an Art Instructor with Escambia Schools. With a double major in Art and Elementary Education, she brings knowledge and imaginative art projects for all ages. Last year Bea was lead art instructor at the Marine Science Youth Camp with previous summer camp experience. Growing up on the shores of South Carolina, her love for the beach is evident.

Roy Oberto, Museum Education Coordinator, Arcadia Mill

Summer Program: Explore Arcadia Mill (Grades 4-6)

Roy Oberto has been the Museum Education Coordinator at Arcadia Mill Archaeological Site since October of 2010. Roy graduated with his MA in Public History from the University of West Florida. During his time as a graduate student, Roy worked on many projects in Pensacola and throughout the country. For his capstone project, Roy traveled to Philadelphia to work with the National Park Service and designed an educational classroom on the Liberty Bell. As Museum Educator, Roy oversees the interpretative and education materials for the museum. He is also responsible for organizing school tours, training tour guides, and expanding the school-tour curriculum.

Sam Osheroff, Department of Theater, University of West Florida

Summer Program: Shakespeare Summer Company (Grades 1-9), Theatre Academy for Grades 6-10

Sam Osheroff is a professional actor, director and teacher. He holds an MFA from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory in Sarasota, FL. Sam has appeared on Law and Order and has acting credits in New York and at many regional theaters throughout the country, including Asolo Rep, The Pioneer Playhouse and Peterborough players. He has taught acting, improv, voice and movement at the New York Film Academy and Talent Ventures International in New York City. He is currently adjunct professor of acting at UWF where he teaches the Meisner method, play directing and voice and movement.

Gerald William Russo, West Florida High School of Advanced Technology, George Stone
Criminal Justice Training Center, Escambia County School District

Summer Program: Crime Scene Investigation (Grades 7-10)

Gerald Russo is the former Director of Corrections for Escambia Co., Florida and a retired Inspector for the Florida Department of Corrections.  Mr. Russo has a Masters of Science degree in Public Administration from Troy State University, a B.A. in Political Science from UWF and an A.A. from PJC.  He has over 29-years of instructional experience at both the adult and secondary level as an adjunct instructor at Pensacola Jr. College, Troy (State) University and as an Academy Instructor for the Region 1A F.D.L.E. Criminal Justice Academy located at George Stone Career Center.  For the past five years he has supervised the Criminal Justice Academy at West Florida High School of Advanced Technology where he teaches classes in Criminal Justice Operations, Comprehensive Law Studies, Psychology and Sociology.  One of his additional duties at WFHS is sponsoring a Florida Public Service Association Criminal Justice Chapter that has earned awards in the areas of forensic investigation, traffic stop, defensive tactics and novice/advanced firearms which have included numerous “first place” shooting teams and multiple “Top Gun” recipients.  He also was recognized by FPSA as the 2009 Criminal Justice Advisor of the year.

Adrianne Sams, Site Director, Arcadia Mill

Summer Program: Explore Arcadia Mill (Grades 4-6)

Adrianne Sams is the Site Manager at Arcadia Mill Archaeological Site in Milton, Florida. She graduated from Murray State University with a Bachelor's degree in Geo-Archaeology and is currently completing her Master's degree in Historical Archaeology at the University of West Florida. Before joining the staff of West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc. (WFHPI), Adrianne worked with UWF's Archaeology Institute as well as the UWF Anthropology Department. She has conducted extensive historical and archaeological research on Arcadia Mill, which also serves as the topic of her Master's thesis.

Carl Shouppe, Woodham Middle School, Escambia County School District

Summer Program: Secondary Robotics (Grades 7-10)

Carl Shouppe is a graduate of the University of West Florida's Department of Professional Studies with a Bachelor's in Middle Level Education. He is a second year teacher and currently teaches 7th and 8th grade Science. This past year, Mr. Shouppe guided Woodham Middle School's Robotics team to a 2nd place overall finish in the BEST Robotics competition at UWF. Mr. Shouppe also sponsors an after-school 4-H Program called Tech-Wizards. In this club students explore technology with a variety of hands-on activities. Mr. Shouppe is a Co-Program Director of Spanish Trail Scout Reservation, a Boy Scout Summer Camp in Defuniak Springs, Florida. In his free time, Mr. Shouppe enjoys Ultimate Frisbee and Frisbee Golf.

Irina Sorset, Outreach Coordinator, Florida Public Archaeology Network & University of West Florida

Summer Program: Pensacola's History and Archaeology Camp (Grade 4-6) and (Grade 7-9)

Irina Sorset has had a lifelong passion for archaeology. Since high school, she has been involved in many archaeological projects including working on the Emanuel Point II Shipwreck, from Tristan de Luna's 1559 fleet. Irina graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and is currently completing her Master's degree at the University of West Florida in the Historical Archaeology Program. Before joining the Florida Public Archaeology Network as the Northwest Region Outreach Coordinator, Irina worked with the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research's Underwater Program and Fernbank Museum of Natural History's Public Archaeology Program. She has supervisory field experience in maritime, terrestrial, and public archaeology.  Irina's research interests include developing and delivering effective archaeological interpretative programs for the general public.

Jacqueline Steiner, Milton High School, Santa Rosa County School District

Summer Program: Explore the Outdoors (Grades 1-3), Elementary Robotics for Grades 1-3 and Marine Science for Grades 1-6

Jacqueline Steiner is in her first year of teaching at Milton High School. Jacqueline teaches ESE English and is also in charge of a transitional program that helps juniors and seniors gain work experience for employment in a post secondary setting. One of her other joys at the high school, is her co-sponsorship of the centennial class of 2015. In her daily classroom, Jacqueline incorporates reading, writing, and speaking skills into her lessons and activities. She firmly believes that the ability to read makes the world a happier place and is a skill that is vital to succeeding and meeting future goals. Jacqueline received dual degrees in Elementary Education and Special Education with endorsements in Reading and ESOL from the University of West Florida.

Carrie Young, Warrington Elementary, Escambia County High School

Summer Program: Explore Hogwarts (Grades 4-6)

Carrie Young has taught in Escambia county for 7 years and is currently at UWF attaining her M. Ed. In Reading. Carrie teaches 5th grade at Warrington Elementary and is looking forward to teaching all about Exploring Howarts at UWF's summer program this year. Carrie resides in Pensacola with her husband and spoiled Doberman Pinscher.