Hi! My name is Lydia, and I am so excited to be one of the health and wellness managers at SFS Australia. I have been dreaming of doing this job since I was a student in Turks and Caicos in 2022. I loved my semester with SFS and can’t wait to be back!

I am originally from Atlanta, GA, but moved to Southern California in 2020 to get my undergraduate degree at the University of Redlands. I received a B.A. in Environmental Studies and minored in Public Policy/Spatial Studies. While at Redlands, I was able to study abroad three times (to Turks and Caicos in 2022, Palau in 2023, and Austria in 2024). I was also involved with the school’s community service department and food pantry, educational elementary school programs, and environmental clubs!

After finishing my degree at Redlands, I decided I wasn’t done traveling. At the beginning of 2025, I moved to Australia! Since then, I have lived in many different cities throughout Australia, and have traveled to even more! During that time, I lived in Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef, where I spent my free days scuba diving and volunteering with local environmental organizations. I am passionate about environmental activism and am so excited about the opportunity to continue to make a difference with SFS!

While at SFS Australia, my goals are to learn all the local birds by call and by shape, get involved with the community, and make lasting connections with the students in each new cohort!