Joanie Falk

At the heart of SOS is founder and director Joanie Falk, an experienced educator and environmental scientist with a lifelong passion for teaching and learning. She earned degrees in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Tennessee and began her career as an Environmental Biologist for the City of Clearwater. She later transitioned into education, where she has spent over 25 years teaching science and gifted curriculum to students in grades K–12 within Pinellas County Schools. Joanie has received grants for environmental education, authored numerous hands-on science publications, and developed a line of interactive science kits sold nationwide. She continues to teach while leading SOS, bringing both classroom expertise and real-world science experience

to every program. Based in Dunedin, Florida, Joanie lives with her husband and is actively involved in the local community. She has two wonderful daughters and is an avid boater. She is a member of the Dunedin Boat Club, a board member of the Dunedin Coastal Community Foundation, and a member of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, which helps shape the coastal focus of SOS programming.