Lisa Kovalanchik is the Assistant Curator and Pre-K – 4 Program Coordinator based at the Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island. When she’s not working to maintain the animal collections and exhibits at the facility, she works to coordinate the reservation and teaching of PreK-4 grade programs taught throughout the school year, as well as teaching a variety of classes. Kovalanchik is originally from Pennsylvania, but grew up spending a lot of time at the beach which fostered her love of marine ecosystems. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marine science from Coastal Carolina University, she spent a few years working in the field of animal husbandry and environmental education before taking on her current position in 2013. Her current studies for her master’s degree in marine science at UGA keeps her busy, but in her free time, she loves playing tennis, reading, and spending time on the rivers with her husband near their home in the beautiful South Carolina lowcountry