Staff Spotlight, Ava Ridley

A smiling woman in park ranger uniform, holding a pot of long grass.

Ava Ridley was born in Michigan and moved to Florida to study environmental science. She has loved the outdoors since childhood and enjoys just being in nature. She attributes her love of the outdoors to early experiences fishing, swimming, wakeboarding and walking in the woods. 

After graduating college, Ava knew she wanted to work outdoors and leave a positive impact on the environment, so she sought work at a state park. 

What Ava loves most about the outdoors is the element of discovery. She enjoys learning about the different native species and sharing her passion for the outdoors with people. 

As the park services specialist at Lake Manatee State Park, Ava’s job includes resource management activities such as exotic plant control, participating in prescribed burns, maintenance and interpreting to visitors. Her favorite aspect of her position is that there is never a dull day. From field work to interacting with visitors, each day is diverse and exciting. 

Ava truly loves her job and that's what keeps her coming back every day. Her goal as a park services specialist is to continue protecting and preserving Lake Manatee State Park.

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