TRICIA HEATON, FOUNDER OF THE ISLAND HOPPER

Tricia Heaton is a needlepointing, party throwing, traveling, bookworm. An eternal optimist who sees beauty in everything, she most often has a camera in hand or at the bottom of her purse covered in M&Ms.  A love of all things design related began as a small girl who was obsessed with the set of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood of Make-Believe and a beloved custom dollhouse inherited from her mother. As the youngest child in a family of sailors, Tricia grew adept at bringing toys and books with her for long hours of sailing on Long Island sound on her family’s Pearson 36, Chocorua. 

Tricia began island hopping during her first summer of life as she joined her parents, brother Henry, and sister Puddy on their annual summer vacation to Martha’s Vineyard. She has since returned to this dearly loved island and others, up and down the eastern seaboard, most summers of her life.  

In middle school Tricia accompanied her parents on a trip to Bermuda and spent most of the trip pondering why on earth she did not live there. It was that trip that made Tricia realize “island life” was in her soul. In high school Tricia spent a summer studying Marine Biology on Little Cayman. SCUBA diving the famous Bloody Bay, wrecks, and caves were part of her daily curriculum. This is also where she fell in love with coral, reggae, and conch fritters. Since that trip Tricia has jumped at every chance she gets to see the world.

Tricia met her match 20 years ago when she attended a dinner party one winter night in Dorset, Vermont where she was fixed up on a date. Donald, her now husband, grew up spending his summers on the shores of Lake Michigan and shares Tricia’s love of travel.

These parents of seven 20-somethings live on an island in Florida and spend their vacations exploring parts unknown. Tricia’s love of travel, storytelling, and photography was the catalyst for her to start The Island Hopper.

COURTENEY BIRD, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS OF THE ISLAND HOPPER

As the youngest of 7 children, including 5 older brothers, Courteney learned from birth to go with the flow. As a little girl she spent most of her childhood loose in the woods of Vermont, at the skate park asking the older kids how to do tricks, or at the top of a tree. She is the only child in her family who is proficient at both skiing and snowboarding. Courteney was also a captain of both her high school basketball and soccer teams.

Courteney spent her summers on Lake Michigan where she developed a love of swimming, paddle boarding, and all the wonderful joys of life “Up North”.

In 10th grade Courteney’s life changed forever with the arrival of students from the St. Paul’s School in Barcelona to the Long Trail School in Dorset, Vermont. Courteney quickly created a lifelong friendships with new friends from St. Paul’s and an amazing sisterhood with her family’s exchange student Patty. Patty would become the 8th child in Courteney’s family and Courteney would be welcome into her new family in Barcelona with open arms. Patty and Courteney have gone back and forth to each other’s homes regularly ever since.

After two years of fun at the College of Charleston, Courteney decided she needed a little more Mountain time at CU Boulder. The same day she was accepted into CU Boulder she was also accepted to participate in the NOLS Tanzania program. The decision was easy. Courteney grabbed her pack and jumped on a plane to fly to Africa to meet up with students across America. She spent months living in the bush in Tanzania, did a host stay, and climbed Kilimanjaro with her NOLS friends, and without a guide.

Courteney currently spends her time between her family home in Vermont and her apartment in New York City. Courtney published her first book of poetry in 2023. She runs the operations for The Island Hopper and jumps on a plane to meet our trips wherever they may go.

Courteney well understands what it is like to head off by yourself and meet up with strangers for a great adventure. This makes her a perfect leader on our trips. She is excited to return to Lucca and to help launch the Island Hopper trips to Kenya.

This website is dedicated to Tricia’s wonderful brother Henry Thorn, who celebrated all his family’s creative endeavors with glee. Travel adventures were always more fun with Henry!