Amy was born and raised in the Lowcountry and holds degrees in Anthropology and Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston and a Masters in Environmental Management from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. She previously worked as Chief Advancement Officer for Lowcountry Land Trust and Director of Development and Marketing for Charleston Parks Conservancy. She also spent several years in Washington, D.C. at the National Ocean Service and in Santa Cruz, California managing conservation, philanthropy, and marketing programs for the Planning and Conservation League Foundation and Island Conservation. A native of Colleton County, South Carolina, Amy grew up exploring the fields, forests, marshes, and beaches of the South Carolina Lowcountry and developing a love for its wild landscapes, plants, and animals.