Staff Spotlight, Rebecca Thornhill and Laura Adams
Rebecca Thornhill, Park Ranger
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park
Park Ranger Rebecca Thornhill is a Florida native. Her passion for preserving the Real Florida aided greatly as she embarked on her career with the Florida Park Service. Rebecca started out as a seasonal employee at Ichetucknee Springs State Park and later moved on as a park ranger at Blue Spring State Park for two years.
Eager to gain opportunities to flourish in resource management, Rebecca found her home at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. Her daily duties range anywhere from vehicle maintenance, boardwalk repairs in an old growth cypress forest, treating exotic plants, interpreting the wonders of the strand and prescribed fire.
Rebecca couldn’t be happier with the opportunity to work at Fakahatchee. She wishes to continue to grow in the park service and sees each day as a learning opportunity.
Laura Adams, Park Services Specialist
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park
Park Services Specialist Laura Adams is a lifelong Floridian. Laura began her Florida State Parks experience at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in 2019. Entering the Florida Park Service from a career in public education seemed like a natural step to take when she began to realize just how important Florida’s natural resources were in her own life.
Her enthusiasm for the natural world, joined with her passion for engaging all learners, supports her roles in the volunteer program and interpretive efforts of Fakahatchee. She believes that cultivating a sense of connection between people and the public lands in their communities is the only way to ensure that future generations can experience what we call “… the Real Florida.”
Laura joined the team at Fakahatchee primarily because of the resource management opportunities the park provides. She is passionate about the role of prescribed fire in Florida’s natural communities and looks forward to developing as a fire professional.
In her free time, Laura enjoys exploring new trails and searching endlessly for wildlife — especially snakes.