provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) welcomed two new interns this week to support the conservation and education mission of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island: Aria Katsaris and Kyra Sadat Ruben.
This year’s Harkey Development & Communications Intern, Katsaris is originally from Denver, Colo. She arrived from Bozeman, Mont., where she spent the last few years earning her master’s degree in science and natural history filmmaking from Montana State University and working as the social media manager at Museum of the Rockies. She received her bachelor’s degree in 2022 from the University of Denver with a double major in film production and biology.
“Although I have only been here a few days, my favorite part so far has been visiting the beautiful beaches and finding some amazing shells,” Katsaris said. “I am looking forward to contributing to the ‘Ding on the Wing’ newsletter and making conservation messaging engaging and accessible for all.”
Her permanently endowed, fully funded internship is made possible by the generosity of Laurie and Bill Harkey, DDWS board president.
“Their kindness makes it possible for me to pursue my passion for conservation,” said Katsaris. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to live and work in one of the most unique ecosystems in the world.”
When not working, she enjoys playing guitar, painting, and making films.
Sadat Ruben, from St. Louis, Mo., completed a master’s in climate and society in August from Columbia Climate School in New York, N.Y. While at Columbia, she conducted research on climate mobility and interned with the United Nations Friends of Governance for Sustainable Development. In 2023, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, where she majored in global studies on the development track and minored in fine arts.
“I have been visiting Sanibel annually with my family for nearly 20 years, so I fell in love with the island and the refuge long ago,” said Sadat Ruben. “I am loving being back and experiencing it as an employee and not a visitor, getting to see the work that goes into making this place so spectacular from behind the scenes.”
Having worked in environmental education and communications in the past, she is looking forward to stepping into a development role for the first time. Her internship is partially sponsored this year by Dr. Mark and Kim Heller.
“I am excited to gain some marketing and philanthropic management skills that can better prepare me for my future career,” she said. “I grew up spending most of my free time horseback riding. My other hobbies include art – mainly painting – music, exploring the outdoors, and traveling.”
DDWS provides housing, living stipends, and other benefits for six to eight interns each year. Since Hurricane Ian destroyed onsite intern housing in 2022, DDWS has procured off-site housing with the intent to build on-site housing in the future.
“We welcome Aria’s and Kyra’s energy and enthusiasm,” said DDWS Executive Director Ann-Marie Wildman. “They bring fresh ideas and outlook to our mission to reach people of all ages with the refuge’s conservation message. At the same time, they benefit from the team’s track record for fundraising and communication.”
DDWS currently stewards six named internships for the 2025-2026 year and is accepting donations for future named intern funds at $21,500 for a nine-month internship, $27,000 for a year, which are the costs for supporting one intern including housing, stipends, travel, and other expenses. For information about supporting refuge internship programs, contact Wildman at 239-789-8991.
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