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MISSION STATEMENT

THE STAFF OF OUR HATTERAS ISLAND OUTER BANKS INN

Steve Nelson, CEO and General Manager

Steve is a burned out refugee from 20 plus years in corporate America. His goal is to have the most complex issue he faces on any given day be a guest request for more berries on their Belgian waffles. Steve long held the dream of a cool little boutique hotel, though he was aiming for the Blue Ridge Mountains. As his aim was not so good, he missed by a bit, and found himself on Hatteras Island, the only place he has ever really felt at home.

Steve, a widowed father of delightful grown children, and his puppy Maggie live in the Innkeeper's house with frequent company from his children Ian, Ashley, Brittany, Peter, Jimmy, Abby, Ben, his grandson Harper, his beautiful girlfriend Sherry and her delightful twin teenagers Jasmine and Jordan, and the company of many friends who come in unannounced and welcome at all hours. He is pleased to share the Inn grounds with two Great White Egrets, a Great Blue Heron, a pair of ospreys, the occasional otter, and the overall abundance of living things that make Hatteras Island and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore so grand.

Steve's interests and passions include an eclectic taste in music and film, live music, long motorcycle rides to nowhere in particular, bicycling, scuba diving, travel, random readings in science, history, and literature, and keeping his brain cells confused with an onslaught of new experiences.

Melissa Anderson, Guest Services Manager

Melissa was born and raised in Virginia Beach, VA. She cut her teeth in the hospitality industry at the age of 14, working in successful restaurants from a casual setting to fine dining. She came to Hatteras Island a few years ago looking to get away from it all for a summer. Like many who call our island home, she fell in love with our island and community, and never left. She makes her home here with her fiancé Jeffrey, their daughter Audrey and their bouncing off the walls puppy Layla.When Melissa is not, as she loves to say, “rocking our guests with exceptional service”, she loves to eat sushi, snowboard, fish offshore, relax on the beach, watch a Hatteras Island sunset or just hang out with friends and family.

Gina McDowell Williams, Event Coordinator

Gina was born and raised in Grand Junction, Colorado. Her first visit to Hatteras Island was 1987. She knew this sandbar in the Atlantic ocean was to be home to her and her beautiful daughters. They moved from mountains to beach in 2000, and have never looked back.

Gina has spent her entire career since coming to Hatteras in the island's restaurant, catering, hospitality, and event industry. She joined the Inn's team three years ago, rising on merit through the ranks to her current position of Event Coordinator. She is married to island native Ronnie Williams. She enjoys a large family here on the island, including her sweet granddaughter Adayah, the "owner of her heart", and her daughters Amber, Lynzie and Victoria. Gina's most valued moments are family time, especially time with Ronnie, daughters, and granddaughter on beach or boat.

Natasha Quidley

Natasha Quidley, known as Tasha to her friends, is a Hatteras Island native who traces her ancestry here back to the first island settlers. As she puts it, her "feet are buried deep in the sand". Following college at Virginia Tech and ODU, she returned to her island home to raise her two sassy and beautiful daughters.

Tasha spent the next 10 years in the island hospitality and restaurant industry. She often jokes that there are few shoes she has not filled in a restaurant setting. She joined the Inn's hotel team early in 2013, bringing her experience in customer service and restaurant management to our cross trained front desk staff.

Her passions are hosting guests in her home, enjoying the company of friends for dinner and music around the island, fashion, and decorating. The best thing in her world is a perfect beach day with her girls with a cookout, as according to Tasha, anything perfect includes good food.

She loves the sense of community the island provides for her and her family, and finds herself involved in planning and execution of many community events.

Meredith Harris

Raised on Hatteras Island, Meredith been a fixture in our hospitality industry from early teens, from hosting and serving at Austin Creek Grill and Teach’s Island Bar and Grill, to Dock Master at Hatteras Landing Marina. After time away to study architecture and design at UNC Charlotte and work experience in child development at Oklahoma's largest childcare facility, she came home as resident artist and manager at The Glass Bead, teaching all ages to create jewelry, helping them learn everyone has a creative side. Meredith joined our staff in 2014 as a front desk associate and quickly demonstrated how invaluable her work ethic, creativity and energy are to our organization.

Meredith describes her life focus as God, family, and serving others. Her favorite things in the world are her husband Cody, sons Calvin and Ozzy, and Blue, their dog and newest family member. Their family passions are sports, outdoors, and traveling together. She loves all things creative, from jewelry and painting to building just about anything, happy that the simple things in life put the biggest smiles on her face.