About Us

Since 1979, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful has been a leader in helping keep the Golden Isles of Georgia clean, green and beautiful.

A volunteer and community based educational organization, volunteers contribute 14,000+ hours annually in Keep Golden Isles Beautiful efforts, programs and initiatives.

Keep Golden Isles Beautiful is a Keep America Beautiful and Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation affiliate.

A public/private partnership, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful depends on monetary, in-kind and volunteer support from individuals, businesses, local governments, civic/community organizations and schools to provide litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, community greening, water resource and educational programming and activities to Brunswick and Glynn County citizens.

A 501(C) 3 non-profit organization, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful functions under the leadership of a volunteer Board of Directors and Advisory Board and a two-person paid staff.

History

1979 - Brunswick-Glynn County Clean Community Commission established
1987 - renamed Glynn Clean and Beautiful
1997 - re-organization as Keep Brunswick-Golden Isles Beautiful
2015 - renamed Keep Golden Isles Beautiful

Recent Awards & Recognition

Keep Golden Isles Beautiful programs and projects have garnered both State and National awards thanks to strong community partnerships and massive volunteer effort.

KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL
Top Cigarette Litter Prevention Program in the Nation / 2017
Top three national Cigarette Litter Prevention Programs / 2014, 2015, 2016
Affiliate Award of Excellence / 2016
President’s Circle Recognition Award / 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
KEEP GEORGIA BEAUTIFUL FOUNDATION
Affiliate of the Year / 2016, 2018
Executive Director of the Year / 2016
Affiliate Award, 2nd place / 2014, 2015, 2017
Waste Reduction & Recycling Award / 2018
Innovative Partnership Award / 2018
STATE OF GEORGIA
The Governor’s Circle Award / 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
RIVERS ALIVE
Coastal Cleanup Award / 2015
ONE HUNDRED MILES
One Hundred Miles 100 / 2016, 2017

Staff

Lea King-Badyna

Executive Director

Lea’s love and enthusiasm for coastal Georgia is contagious. With over 24 years of experience in public/community/media relations, volunteer management and event planning/organization in the Golden Isles, she actively promotes the organization, its programs and volunteers to galvanize community support and participation in helping keep the Golden Isles clean, green and beautiful. Her understanding of the […]

Christy Trowbridge

Executive Assistant

Graduating from Ohio University with a BS in Outdoor Education & Recreation, Christy moved south to work for Georgia State Parks. She fell in love with Georgia, from the tobacco farms of Coffee County to the waterfalls of Tallulah Gorge, as she moved around the state educating park visitors about a wide variety of resources. […]

Board of Directors

Jeffrey Johns
Owner
Coastal Greenery

Dale Provenzano

Zack Gowen
Proprietor
Georgia Sea Grill

Brian Corry
Attorney
Brunswick City Attorney

Spud Woodward
Retired Director
DNR Coastal Resources

Scott McQuade
Ex-Officio
President & CEO
Golden Isles CVB

Tammy Fluech
Owner
Typebird Creative

Tom Reagan
Owner
Coastal Can Cleaners

Clement Cullens
Chairman
Lawyer
Williams, Rentz & Moulton, P.C.

Dawn Franco
Marine Biologist
Georgia DNR, Coastal Resources Division

Jim Jacobs
Financial Professional
Jacobs, Coolidge & Company, LLC

Kevin Runner
Ex-Officio
General Manager
Westin Jekyll Island

Sam Tostensen
SE GA Field Dir, Sen. David Perdue
United States Senate

Karen Bass
Secretary/Treasurer
General Manager
Embassy Suites Hotel

Kelly Bennett
Real Estate Professional
Hodnett Cooper Real Estate

Cody Cocchi
Vice-Chairman
Assoc Dir Service-Learning
College of Coastal Georgia