Hayley spent most of her time growing up in both Florida and Tennessee. The differences between those two places made her fall in love with the outdoors. She could find peace at the beach, or she could take in a scenic view while hiking in the mountains! With family so close to the Great Smoky Mountains, she would visit constantly. Feeling the same positive impact over the course of many years led her to dream of becoming a park ranger. In December 2020, Hayley graduated early from the University of North Carolina at Asheville with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Environmental Management and Policy, and a minor in Economics.
After graduating, she joined an AmeriCorps program in Sheridan, Wyoming, where she worked with youth and local nonprofits for nine months--assisting with various types of outdoor programs. Upon completion, she moved back across the U.S. to Wilmington, North Carolina. Environmental jobs were very sparse where she lived, so when she learned about the Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) opportunity at Moores Creek National Battlefield, only thirty minutes away, she had to apply!
Hayley's passion is to educate and work with individuals enough to impact the way they view their surrounding communities. She believes that if they have a good understanding of where they live and what resources are available for them to use and see, they will learn to love, appreciate, and care for their environments. She is looking to use this experience to have a better understanding of what it is like to work in a national park, and to make a positive impact on her surrounding communities.