Year 25 Chatham House Members

Korie Doster
Hi! I’m Korie, I am 22 years old and originally from Sharpsburg, Georgia. Spending my summers visiting family in Massachusetts, I grew a love for the Cape and a passion for marine life and the outdoors. I recently graduated with a BS in Wildlife Science from the University of Georgia, and I want to spend time post-undergrad travelling and learning new skills. I am excited to be an AmeriCorps Cape Cod Year 25 member and for all the experiences I am going to have in this coming year in serving the community of Cape Cod. In my free time, you can find me reading on the beach, watching movies, and cooking.

Daniel Ecsedy
My name is Daniel. I am 26 years old from Woodbury, CT. I graduated from UConn in 2020 with a General Studies degree and minors in both German and Computer Science Engineering. My hobbies include hiking, rock-climbing, skiing, biking, and having (controlled) fires. Most of my life I’ve worked in nature, whether it be work in the woods around my house or working on a ski mountain. I am also no stranger to the Cape. My family does annual camping trips to Nickerson State Park where we enjoy what the Cape has to offer. I joined this program to try and give back my time and effort to a place which I’ve enjoyed so much. It’s also a great opportunity for me to gain new experiences in an amazing environment.

Sophie Gallagher
Hello! My name is Sophie. I am from Sandwich, MA. I am 18 years old, and I just graduated from Sandwich High School. In college I’m hoping to study art history. This will be my second time serving with AmeriCorps, the first being with Vermont Youth Conservation Corps where I spent the summer on a farm tending to chickens, planting and harvesting a whole bunch of vegetables, and tending to all the farm beds, which I really enjoyed. In my free time I love listening to music, knitting, crocheting, watching movies, and going on adventures outside. I love swimming and going on hikes, especially with friends and family. I’m very excited to have this opportunity with AmeriCorps Cape Cod and I can’t wait to learn so many cool things.

Sydney Hy
My name is Sydney, I’m 23, and I have lived my whole life just outside of Boston. I have my Bachelor’s and Master’s in biology from UMass Lowell (UML). Since early 2023, I have been an associate member of my local Conservation Commission to help further explore my interest in ecology, conservation, and policy. I developed an early interest in public health and have spent time working in hospitals and as an EMT. During my Master’s at UML, I worked on a research project studying ant ecology which allowed me to appreciate the intricate parts of nature that are often overlooked. I strive to be an advocate for environmental health, public health, and social justice. I spend my free time doing yoga, photographing wildlife, and creating art. I love trying new things and exploring new places, and I am excited for my time on the Cape!

Margaret Sargent
Hello! My name is Margaret, and I am from Leominster, Massachusetts. I recently graduated from LeMoyne College with a degree in environmental science.  During my time at school, I learned about plant and animal identification, ecosystem management, and sustainability. One summer, I worked as a watershed steward, where I inspected boats for invasive plants. In the future I hope to go to grad school for conservation and pursue a career in the environmental field. I’m very excited to be serving on the Cape. In my free time, I really enjoy playing the flute and listening to music. I also enjoy activities such as hiking and bird watching, as well as watching movies, reading, knitting, and crocheting.

Year 25 Wellfleet House Members

Sara Abbitt
My name is Sara and I’m 18 years old. I was born and raised in Virginia but moved around the state after my parents divorced and ended up living on the Chesapeake Bay as a teenager. My first two years of high school were challenging, considering the COVID-19 pandemic began my freshman year and affected me until the end of my sophomore year. During my junior year, I caught up on my academics and joined a few extracurriculars such as Scholastic Bowl and Forensics. At the end of the year, I decided to graduate early finishing my senior classes that summer. A few weeks after graduation, I started community college and continued for two semesters part time. In November, I started working as a Contact Ranger at Machicomoco State Park, which focuses on teaching Native American history.

Living in both the country and by the coast all my life, I’ve dealt with my fair share of natural disasters. On the Chesapeake Bay, especially where I live, it could take days for electricity to come back after a storm. I have many interests including: painting, film photography, baking, cooking, kayaking, swimming, reading, etc. I enjoy both nature and history, which has inspired me to complete a term of service with an environmental program like AmeriCorps Cape Cod. I would say I’m a bubbly and energetic person, but also passionate about what I believe in. I also have three cats and a puppy that I love dearly.

Jennifer “Jen” Clifford
Hi! My name is Jen, 22 years old and hailing from Kittery, Maine. I graduated from Vassar College in 2023 with a BA in Geography and a minor in Education. My studies gave me new tools to think about people’s relationship to land and water, which helped to expand my knowledge of climate change, environmental activism, and global politics. I also learned how to use GIS to create maps and analyze environmental data and interned at Three Rivers Land Trust in summer 2022 to gather GIS data for land management reports. Having grown up hiking in New England’s forests and mountains, I value natural spaces and am excited to learn more about how to sustain them on Cape Cod. I hope that in the future, I can pass on what I’ve learned through environmental education and events. In my free time, I love playing board games, hiking, running, and talking with others about books, movies, anime, and manga! I’m excited to return to the Cape after spending time here with family while growing up.

Emily Gilot
Hi, my name is Emily, and I grew up in Mystic, CT where I spent as much time out on the ocean as I could. I was fascinated by the interaction of land and sea growing up, watching summer thunderstorms, Nor’easter waves, and reading about the 1938 New England Hurricane. This led me to attend SUNY Albany in New York to pursue a B.S. in Atmospheric Science. I was able to apply my degree and passion for the ocean as a marine meteorologist in the Yacht Division at Weather Routing Inc. in Upstate New York from 2020 to Fall 2022. I then moved home in the Fall of 2022 to serve as an AmeriCorps Member with New England Science and Sailing (NESS) through summer of 2023. In this position, I facilitated the same marine science-based programs and shared my enthusiasm for the ocean with my community. While at NESS, I was able to acquire my USCG 25 Ton Inland Master Captain license and use the license while working as a seasonal employee following the end of my AmeriCorps service.

I am excited to be joining AmeriCorps Cape Cod Year 25 cohort and gaining experience in a variety of service projects with the hope of narrowing down my future STEM career possibilities. Ine my free time, you can find her on me beach no matter the weather or season, or simply weather-watching whenever I can. When I am not on the water, I enjoy playing with my cats, reading, learning to make sea glass jewelry, and going to as many UConn women’s basketball games as I can.

Savannah Gray
My name is Savannah, I’m 23 years old, and I was born and raised in Bel Air, Maryland. Growing up I always felt a deep connection with nature, animals, and the ocean. When I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up my answer was always “surfer girl”. Even though I have yet to step foot on a surfboard, I am thrilled to be able to live and serve so close to the ocean this year with AmeriCorps Cape Cod! After graduating from high school, I continued my education as a Gamecock at the University of South Carolina (UofSC). During my time at UofSC I studied Marine Science and fell even more in love with the ocean. After graduating from UofSC in 2022 I taught World Literature and Biology to 10th graders in Baltimore County. Following the 2022-2023 school year, I served with the Student Conservation Association, working with teens to complete conservation projects throughout Maryland State Parks. In my free time I love being outdoors!

Michelle Morrison
Hello! My name is Michelle, and I am from Thomaston, CT. I am 22 years old and have recently graduated with a Bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Connecticut! I like to camp, hike, and watch movies in my free time. I have always had a passion for the outdoors and have spent numerous summers on the Cape. I am so excited to give back to a community and environment that has given a lot to me, and to see a side of Cape Cod that I have not yet experienced!

Claire Williams
Hi! My name is Claire, and I am 22 years old. I grew up in Portsmouth, RI on Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay. I am very lucky to have been surrounded by the ocean and beach while growing up, which has laid the foundation for my love and passion for marine ecosystems. I have also been extremely grateful to have spent summers visiting my grandparents, who live near a freshwater pond on Cape Cod. I have always enjoyed hiking, swimming, and exploring the Cape’s beautiful landscape. I am honored to have this opportunity where I will serve the environment and community in a place that I have come to appreciate so much! I recently graduated from Connecticut College where I majored in Environmental Studies. I also minored in Botany, and I was a part of a Social Justice and Sustainability Pathway program. In many of my college courses, I got to conduct projects in our campus arboretum, which is where I first came to really enjoy field work. I am super excited to learn about marine conservation this year by serving with AmeriCorps Cape Cod!