LAND TRUST STAFF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EMILY ELLISON

Emily Ellison, a sixth-generation Georgian, grew up hiking and camping with her parents and siblings, and nearly all her favorite activities still include being outside, surrounded by nature – gardening, hiking, biking, kayaking, and occasionally playing a round of golf. Although she had planned to retire upon moving to St. Simons fulltime in 2015, one trip to Cannon’s Point Preserve won her heart, and she is honored to be a member of the Land Trust team. A former journalist, book editor, and writer, Emily is the author of several published books, including the award-winning novel, The Picture Makers. Emily has also been a non-profit executive for more than 25 years. She was the visionary and co-founder of the Atlanta Girls’ School, a nonsectarian college-preparatory school for girls; served for five years as the President and Executive Director of Literacy Action, Inc., a community organization working with undereducated adults; and, immediately before moving to the Georgia coast, was the CEO of the YWCA of Greater Atlanta, a nearly 120-year-old Atlanta nonprofit serving women, children, and families. She is Trustee Emerita of the Atlanta Girls’ School and serves on the Board of Directors of Friends of Fort Frederica.  She is married to Chuck Perry, a retired journalist, editor, and book publisher, and they are the proud parents of one adult daughter who lives with her husband in a historic area of Brunswick, Georgia. Emily’s favorite Land Trust property is seen from the lookout tower at the north-end of Cannon’s Point Preserve.

FINANCE & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, SUE TUTTLE

Before moving to the Golden Isles from Connecticut in 2005, Sue ran her own full-service bookkeeping company and has maintained long-standing relationships with her original clients along with new ones she developed in the St. Simons area. She started as a part-time contractor for the Land Trust in 2008 and was hired full-time in 2011. In addition to accounting, Sue has worked in the construction, real estate, property management, civil engineering, and manufacturing industries as well as in the non-profit sector providing the perfect professional background for her positions overseeing land stewardship and finance at the Land Trust. Since a young girl, she has always loved gardening, hiking, biking, kayaking, horseback riding, and being close to the beach. These passions are also in keeping with the important roles she holds on the Land Trust team. For Sue, the only thing better than being outdoors is spending time with her children and grandchildren in Las Vegas, NV, and Charleston, SC.

STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR, STEPHANIE KNOX

Stephanie was born and raised in Narberth, Pennsylvania. Her love of the outdoors began at a young age when she enjoyed camping, fishing and hiking with her family. She attended the Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, PA, where she studied wildlife Conservation and Management and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Biotechnology and Conservation. In May 2010, she began an internship with Little St. Simons Island conducting breeding monitoring of the American Oystercatcher. This position evolved into the Ecological Management Technician at LSSI, and she fell in love with coastal Georgia. In January 2014, Stephanie began her current position as Stewardship Director with the St. Simons Land Trust. Her responsibilities include overseeing a wide array of scientific research projects, natural and cultural resource management, and community education. Stephanie works alongside numerous private and public partners who assist with making Cannon’s Point Preserve a model for conservation and a platform for education through the ecological management plan and the practices that take place on site. Stephanie sits on the board of another local nonprofit, Coastal WildScapes, and volunteers with the SSI Sea Turtle Project as part of the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative.

Communications Director, Raleigh Kitchen

Raleigh was raised on St. Simons Island attending elementary, middle, and high school in the area. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2013 where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Ecology. Raleigh first became involved with the Land Trust in 2016 when she was asked to serve on its Stewardship Committee. At the time, Raleigh was the Lead Naturalist on Sea Island where, for six years, she led thousands of nature tours for guests and members, and managed the sea turtle conservation program on the island. In 2018, Raleigh was recruited to join the Land Trust team as its Membership and Outreach Manager. Since then, Raleigh’s role has expanded to Communications Director which includes managing the organization’s internal and external communications, website, social media, and advertising. She also manages the Pennies for Preservation and Ambassador programs. Raleigh’s love of the Georgia Coast expands into her volunteer roles within the community. She has served on the boards of Coastal WildScapes and Green Scene of Coastal Georgia, and is an active volunteer with the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative where she patrols St. Simons’ beach for sea turtle nests from May-September. Raleigh and her husband, Jacob, are now raising their two kids on the island where they both grew up, instilling in them a deep desire to love and protect this special corner of the world.

Development & Marketing Director, Sara Baker

Originally from Michigan, Sara Baker has called the southern coast home for nearly two decades. She first became involved with the St. Simons Land Trust in 2014 through the Ambassador Program, bringing with her over 15 years of marketing, sales, and project management experience, including work with Fortune 500 companies. As she and her husband, Kevin, raised their twins on St. Simons, Sara developed a deep commitment to preserving the island’s natural beauty for future generations. In 2016, she officially joined the Land Trust team to create, launch, and manage the award-winning Pennies for Preservation program, which she led for five years. She also developed the annual sponsorship program and contributed to communications and outreach, and capital campaign initiatives. After pursuing a startup opportunity in 2022, Sara returned “home” to the Land Trust in 2025 as Development and Marketing Director. Demonstrating her strong commitment to the community, she serves on the board of the Coastal Symphony of Georgia and holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in advertising, graduating cum laude from Oakland University.

Land Steward Technician, Ethan Frye

Ethan Frye was born and raised in McLean, Virginia, and graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. During his undergraduate education, Ethan conducted research on oak and squirrel interactions and assisted with many other research projects at the College. Ethan then moved to the Golden Isles, where he grew up visiting every summer, and worked as a park ranger on Jekyll Island. Ethan enjoys hiking, reading, kayaking, and learning more about plants and animals. Ethan joined the Land Trust in March of 2025 and is thrilled to contribute to the conservation of vital land on the island.

Membership Manager, Dalia Patterson-Charles

Dalia, a mother of two daughters and a University of Florida graduate, is a Florida native who relocated to the Golden Isles in 2015. Originally from Juno Beach, she lived for 31 years in Deland, FL. In her previous life, she taught middle and high school social sciences and was a reader for the College Board. Putting her history background to good use, she spent two years as a museum and historic district tour guide on Jekyll Island. The organizational and communication skills she developed as a teacher are invaluable in the multiple roles she plays at the Land Trust, including never forgetting a supporter’s name. Ironically, during the 1970’s, her grandfather lived on St. Simons, and she used to visit the island as a teen. Life has come full circle, and Dalia is happy to be living in beautiful Southeast Georgia with her husband, Fred. She is a gardener extraordinaire and a fabulous cook who often treats the SSLT staff to delicious pots of homemade soup. Dalia’s favorite Land Trust property is 1810 Frederica Road, our office, with its beautiful backyard.

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, MARTY MOODY

Marty’s concern for land conservation and community planning brought her to the Land Trust in 2011. Since then, she has worked in a variety of roles, including volunteer, administrative assistant, and coordinator of the annual Oyster Roast. Under her direction, the Oyster Roast increased from 400 attendees to more than 1,400. Today she serves as the Land Trust’s Volunteer Program Coordinator. Having grown up in California, exploring state and national parks with her family, Marty has always had a love for the outdoors. She is committed to fitness and enjoys daily gym classes, hiking, biking, and kayaking. She attended Modesto Junior College and Western Kentucky University. Marty has been a member of P.E.O. International for 21 years. She and her husband Berry and their three sons are true citizens of the world, having lived in Australia, South Africa, Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia as Berry worked on various construction projects on nearly every continent. They continue to enjoy traveling and cherish time with family. The Old Stables Corner is Marty’s favorite Land Trust property and she is grateful to see its beauty every time she drives past it.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, KIMBROUGH HAVERSTOCK

Kimbrough Haverstock joined the St. Simons Land Trust team as their Administrative Assistant in September of 2023. Kimbrough grew up in Savannah, GA, and attended Hollins University in Roanoke, VA. After college in 2003 she moved to St. Simons Island where she worked in real estate and fell in love with exploring the island. It was then that she began to learn about all the important things the St. Simons Land Trust does for this area. After working in real estate, she began her career working in schools at Frederica Academy as an administrator. Kimbrough moved away to Atlanta in 2010 where she continued her work in school administration at The Lovett School. She missed St. Simons often and happened upon the fortunate opportunity to move back here with her family in 2020. Kimbrough and her husband Lee have 2 children, and she is thrilled to be back here raising her family and working for this incredible organization. Kimbrough’s favorite Land Trust property is the Old Stables Corner since she has fond memories of visiting there as a child.