PARTNER PROFILE
ELISABETH KING
Thirty-two years ago , Elisabeth King traveled from her native New Jersey to visit her brother in Charleston . During her stay , she saw an advertisement in The Post & Courier for a threemonth position as a canoe guide on Kiawah . King had a degree in biology but didn ’ t know much about barrier islands . However , it was love at first sight , and her enthusiasm more than made up for any initial lack of expertise as a naturalist .
“ At the time , there was no year-round nature program , so I spent my first winter here fixing bicycles ,” King recalls with a smile . The second winter , she cleaned pools , but it wasn ’ t long before the potential for a nature program , with King at the helm , was recognized . “ Kiawah Island Golf Resort is an amazing company , and they saw the potential , allowing us to grow the program ,” King tells me . Three decades later , King is the Director of Recreation for the Resort , overseeing everything from lifeguards and bicycle rentals to nature tours and the Kiawah Island Marathon , which hosts over 5,000 runners each year . In 2019 , the old bike shop became a Nature Center , and the Resort is currently building a beautiful new Nature Center and art studio in Night Heron Park .
King speaks with an enthusiasm that makes it clear she loves her job . “ We ’ re a great stop for people coming to Kiawah to learn how to explore the island ,” she says . “ We have thirty miles of bike trails and ten miles of uninterrupted beach .
30 • KIAWAH CONSERVANCY