The MESS Hall staff work hard to bring inspiring experiences to our community. The core staff, below, and other members of the team will engage you on your visit or through outreach programs.
Want to join our team? Check out our current job opportunities!
Megan Pratt
Executive Director
Megan and her husband, Jerry Pratt, worked with a group of community members to found the MESS Hall in 2012. Megan formerly was the Education Outreach Coordinator for the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, where she started the Science Saturdays and I LOVE Science programs. She received her B.S. in chemistry from MIT and a M.A. in chemistry and a Ph.D. in neurobiology from Harvard. Her Ph.D. thesis research was on the binding site of anesthetics on a neurochemical receptor. She is active in the Pensacola community, having served 6 years on the Pensacola City Council, including as council vice-president.
Sarabeth Gordon
Education Director
Sarabeth has a B.S. in Biology from Florida State University and a M.S. in Pharmacology from the University of Washington. Her research interests focused upon molecular components of cardiac cells and the interaction with pharmaceuticals with those components. After graduate school, she focused on bringing hands-on science education to children through after school clubs, summer camps, and school-wide assemblies. She’s been a science teacher at a school in New Orleans as well. She loves keeping the fun and excitement in math, engineering, and science while developing interactive science shows and curriculum for programs and camps at the Pensacola MESS Hall.
Lynn Backes
Elementary Educator
Lynn has a B.A. in Chemistry and a M.A. in Library Science, both from the University of Missouri–Columbia. She worked for thirteen years as a technical librarian at Monsanto in St. Louis. As her children entered school, she volunteered her time leading science lessons with second graders and participating in the I LOVE Science program for fifth graders in the S.S. Dixon elementary schools in Santa Rosa County. Lynn has been involved with the Pensacola MESS Hall since it opened in 2012, first as a volunteer and more recently as an educator. She has enjoyed the opportunity to interact with children (and families) through outreach, camps, and other programs.
Nicole Dickson
Program Presenter
Nicole Dickson has a B.A. in Theatre from the University of West Florida, and has an extensive background in public speaking, education and performance. While at UWF, Nicole received the OUR research grant to create a camp based Drama program for the UWF Theatre Department. After graduation, Nicole moved to Japan and created the Drama program for the prestigious Nishimachi International School in Tokyo. Before moving back to Pensacola, Nicole worked as an Education Specialist for Nauticus (maritime and science museum) where she created curriculum and performed various science shows with their outreach program. Locally, Nicole runs her own professional theatre company; Improbable Cause Mystery Theatre.
Ariel Egan
Outreach Educator
Ariel has a B.A. in Zoology from Northern Michigan University and a M.S. in Biology from the University of West Florida. She worked in Hawai’i as a lab technician where she assisted in the study of endemic Hawaiian birds and avian malaria before studying shark genetics in graduate school. As an adjunct professor, she taught and coordinated biology labs at UWF where she solidified her love of teaching science. As an enthusiastic biologist, Ariel is thrilled to be involved in public education through the camps and outreach programs at the Pensacola MESS Hall.
