Staff Spotlight, Francesca Kardos
Park Ranger, Francesca Kardos
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
Francesca's first experience with the Florida Park Service was as a volunteer at Hontoon Island State Park, which gave her a taste of what the park service is all about. She volunteered in many different ongoing projects but her favorite activity was driving the ferry that takes visitors to the island.
In 2018 Francesca moved to South Florida and knew she wanted to continue chasing her dream of becoming a full-time employee for the park service. She had visited MacArthur Beach before and had fallen in love with its beauty. She became a volunteer at the park in 2019 and performed a variety of jobs and soon discovered that her favorite place in the park was the beach. Francesca always has loved the water and is an avid surfer.
After volunteering for a few months, Francesca became a part-time employee at the park. Her hard work and positive attitude did not go unnoticed by park management. In January of 2020, Francesca realized her dream and became a park ranger at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park.
Francesca loves working for the Florida Park Service because every day brings a new learning experience. She hopes that her passion for conservation comes through in her interaction with park visitors and will inspire future generations to protect Florida's natural environment.