Kristin Williams, Executive Director Kristin is originally from Nassau and has lived in Abaco for the past 4 years. Kristin attended high school at Oldfields School in Maryland and in 2003 she received her bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communications from The College of Charleston in South Carolina.  She and her husband currently live in Marsh Harbour with their two dogs, Charley and Chufa.

Olivia Patterson is the Program Coordinator at FRIENDS and is a 9th generation Hope Town resident. In 2005, Olivia returned home to Abaco after receiving a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, FL.  Olivia is responsible for implementing program activities for the various committees at FRIENDS. She has been instrumental in developing protected area proposals and working with the Bahamas National Trust to create management plans for existing protected areas. Olivia has been director of the environmental camp in Sandy Point since 2005, and helped expand the program to other communities in Abaco through FRIENDS. Olivia is also a contract research assistant with The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation and participates in their survey effort for one month a year.  As a graduate of Hope Town Primary School, Olivia participated in FRIENDS programs, such as the Earth Day Science Fair, as a student.  

d’Shan Maycock is the Education Officer at Friends of the Environment. d’Shan is originally from Nassau and has lived in Abaco for ­11 years with her husband and 4 children. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a Master of Arts in Communication from theUniversity of Texas El Paso, which she received in May 2011. In 2010 she successfully implemented a Rare Pride Campaign to protect juvenile lobsters from illegal fishing. This campaign “Size Matters” has become recognized nationally and internationally as a model to rally the community and key stakeholders to protect our local marine resources. d’Shan is also responsible for engaging with local school groups and the community on educating them on other environmental topics and leading outdoor field trips into our valuable ecosystems.

Lindsey McCoy is currently the Special Projects Coordinator for Friends of the Environment. She has a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Indiana University and a great deal of management and fundraising experience from her work with Foundations and nonprofits in the United States. Her previous position was Vice President of Programs and Administration for The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County. She lives with her husband, Matthew and their son Griffin Frye on Elbow Cay in Abaco.

Ruth Albury, Office Manager