Staff Spotlight, Hannah Pridgeon

Hannah Pridgeon, Employee of the Year

Hannah Pridgeon, Park Service Specialist

Hannah shows up with a positive attitude every day, ready to work, and does not shy away from a challenge.

After working in the medical field, Hannah was itching for a major career change geared towards nature conservation. In 2021 Hannah began her park service career serving as a park ranger at T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park.  

Over the past few years, Hannah has taken on extra duties including helping to oversee the park’s newly renovated cabin facilities and operations, assisting with staff trainings and branching out into many administrative tasks. Additionally, she also took on the challenge of filling in with volunteer manager duties while another staff member was on extended leave.  

Hannah’s supervisor says, “She is always there for her co-workers and is first to think of her team when out in the field planning her work. She shows up with a positive attitude every day, ready to work, and does not shy away from a challenge.” Hannah’s hard work and dedication earned her the Florida Park Service District 1 Employee of the Year Award for 2024.  

Hannah is passionate about Florida State Parks and says her favorite part of the job is “pointing out interesting things to our visitors that are right under their feet and also interpreting the many ways to help protect the park’s natural resources including our sand dunes, beach mice and sea turtles.”

Recently, Hannah has stepped into a new role as the park service specialist for T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park and is excited to continue working with the park’s natural resources.  

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