Volunteer Voices - Joe Griffiths

Joe Griffiths has enjoyed a full range of volunteer opportunities at Canaveral National Seashore. Get to know Joe and what he enjoys about volunteering in our national park:

Q: What is your career background?

A: Although my education is in financial management, my entire career was in healthcare. First, I worked in hospitals during college and then in consulting and leading teams of project managers or other consultants with a variety of systems for healthcare workers, including pharmacy, physicians, nursing and healthcare analytics.

Q: How did you begin volunteering at Canaveral National Seashore?

A: I retired during the pandemic in 2020 and immediately started taking Florida Master Naturalist Courses. I reached out to Valerie Stanley at the park to share my interest in volunteering for the National Park Service and was signed up to assist in for sea turtle education and ATV training. That first pre-dawn drive onto the beach to secure and mark sea turtle nests had me hooked!

Q: How long have you been a volunteer?

A: I started volunteering officially in March 2021 after training.

Q: In which volunteer activities have you participated?

A: I have volunteered with the park’s resource management rangers on turtle patrol, helped with interpretation as a Turtle Watch scout and recently transported two washback juvenile green sea turtles to the Marine Science Center for rehabilitation. I also have assisted with rocket launch boundary control, shorebird surveys and helped with database maintenance, served as a canoe guide on the Indian River Lagoon, and helped with beach clean-ups and yard clean-ups at Seminole Rest and at Eldora House.

Q: Do you volunteer anywhere else?

A: Yes, at Marine Discovery Center to help with eco-tours and with IRL shoreline restoration projects in Volusia and Flagler counties, as well as in various roles for my church. I also serve on the sailing race committee for a local club.

Q: Why is it important for you to volunteer?

A: It is important to be a lifetime learner and to leverage life and career experiences to conserve our habitat and help others, regardless of species.  Volunteering is cool!

Q: What has been the highlight for you in the national park?

A: Topping the list is representing Friends of Canaveral in 2022 on Career Development Day to discuss career planning with the Summer Youth Crew. Also, a highlight was helping dig trapped sea turtles out of a sand dune.