George H. Fenwick

President

George has served as President and CEO since ABC’s founding in 1994. Prior to that, he worked in a variety of capacities during 15 years with The Nature Conservancy, including Director of Science, and Chair of the Last Great Places Campaign Steering Committee. He received a Ph.D. in Pathobiology from Johns Hopkins University.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext. 103

Bob Altman

Northern Pacific Rainforest Bird Conservation Region (BCR) Coordinator

Bob has a degree in wildlife biology from Eastern Kentucky University with graduate course work at Oregon State University. He has been active in Partners in Flight since its inception, with several committee positions at state and regional levels, including his current position as Chairperson of the Oregon-Washington chapter. Before coming to ABC, Mr. Altman worked for seven years as an independent ornithologist conducting avian research and monitoring under the business name of Avifauna Northwest. He is author of the Olive-sided Flycatcher species account for Birds of North America, and lead author on a book chapter on wildlife-habitat relationships in western Oregon and Washington.

Tel: 541-745-5339

Elizabeth Brenner

Director of Membership

Liz is a native of Rhode Island. Prior to joining ABC in 2004, Liz was the manager of member services and award programs for the Healthcare Distribution Management Association in Reston, Virginia. She lives in Virginia, with her husband and two sons.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext. 115

Dan Casey

Northern Rockies Bird Conservation Region (BCR) Coordinator

Began his interest in birds nearly 40 years ago in rural New Jersey. He has both a B.S. and an M.S. in wildlife biology from Colorado State University, his thesis work focusing on bird community response to heavy browsing by deer in western Pennsylvania oak forest. He has conducted baseline bird surveys throughout the western U.S. as a consultant. Before joining ABC in 2000, Dan spent 16 years with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, where he designed and directed research on the effects of habitat management practices on forest breeding bird communities, as well as projects directed at waterfowl, Ospreys, Bald Eagles and elk. Dan served 6 years as chairman of Montana Partners In Flight, and is a past Chair of the PIF Western Working Group. He authored the 2000 Montana Bird Conservation Plan, and was awarded “Montana Conservationist of the Year” in 2006. He has served on the Technical Committees of the Prairie Potholes, Northern Great Plains, and Intermountain West Joint Ventures.

Tel: 406-756-2681

Susannah Casey

GIS Technician - Northern Rockies

Susannah grew up in the trees and creeks of eastern Ohio. After getting a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design from Ohio State University, she moved west to Colorado and then to Montana in 1983 with her ornithologist husband, Daniel. Prior to working for ABC as a GIS specialist, Susannah started and ran an educational toy store (1984-1994), worked as a graphic artist, carpenter, teacher’s aide and medical transcriptionist. She finds great satisfaction working for ABC and the bird conservation causes it represents.

Tel: 406-756-2681

Jenna Chenoweth

Membership Coordinator

Jenna is a native of Colorado, and moved to Virginia very early in life but visited Colorado on a regular basis. Jenna is a Certified Master Dog Trainer, and a Certified Groomer. Prior to joining ABC Jenna worked for Navy Federal Credit Union in a number of different financial and administrative positions. She lives in Bealeton, Virginia with her husband Kevin, daughter McKenna, and their German Shepherd Greta.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext. 110

Dan Cunningham

Grants & Finace Administrator

Dan received his B.A. in Accounting from James Madison University. Danny started his career with a regional public accounting firm and had a strong focus on his numerous not-for-profit clients. He has been an avid hiker and backpacker for many years and also has a passion for playing music and cooking.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext. 122

Chris Farmer

Science Coordinator for Reintroduction of Hawaiian Birds

Chris joined ABC in 2010 but has worked on the recovery and reintroduction of Hawaiian birds since 2004. In addition to Hawaiian forest bird ecology and behavior, his research on the island of Hawai‘i has addressed the impacts of exotic predators and ungulates, influences of invasive arthropods on native food webs, and forest regeneration and growth. He received his B.S. in Zoology from the University of California, Davis and his Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. His dissertation focused upon host, habitat, and landscape factors affecting the distribution of Brown-headed Cowbirds in California. Prior to moving to Hawai‘i, he worked extensively on avian conservation in southern California, concentrating on riparian habitats.

Tel: 808-987-1779

Todd Fearer

AMJV Science Coordinator

Todd received his B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science with minors in Forest Science and International Agriculture/Community Development from Penn State. He received both his M.S. and Ph.D. in Wildlife Science from Virginia Tech, conducting research as part of the Appalachian Cooperative Grouse Research Project and evaluating population-habitat relationships of forest breeding birds at multiple spatial and temporal scales, respectively. His professional interests include landscape-level wildlife-habitat relationships, the conservation of oak forest ecosystems, landscape ecology, and GIS. His research has focused on integrating data from different sources (e.g., Breeding Bird Survey, USFS Forest Inventory & Analysis, National Landcover Dataset) to model forest bird-habitat relationships and examining landscape-level impacts of forest disturbances on bird communities. A secondary research focus has been modeling spatial patterns of acorn production relative to physiography and climatic factors, and developing and using Forest Inventory and Analysis data to estimate forest stand-level potential acorn production across the landscape.

Tel: 540-231-9519

Rita G. Fenwick

Vice President of Development

Rita received a B.A. from the University of Virginia where she was a Latin American Studies Major. From 1986 to 1992, Rita worked for the Virginia Chapter of The Nature Conservancy where she filled many roles including Director of Development and Communications.

Tel: VA Office -540-253-5780 ext. 105

Jane A. Fitzgerald

Central Hardwoods Joint Venture Coordinator

Jane received her Ph. D. in Zoology from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Her course work and research emphases were on avian ecology and animal behavior. During the early 1990's, Jane was a lecturer at Southwest Missouri State University and the Mayor of Reeds Spring, Missouri. From 1995-2000, she served as Partners in Flight Midwest Regional Coordinator. Jane is the founder and Director of a small not-for-profit organization whose work includes monitoring bird populations in a rapidly urbanizing region of southwestern Missouri.

Tel: 314-225-7171

Kelly Fuller

Wind Campaign Coordinator

Kelly came to ABC from the climate-change movement, where she was Communications Director for Plains Justice, an environmental law center in South Dakota. Previously, she helped California communities balance clean energy with wildlife protection as the San Diego Sierra Club’s wind-energy representative and a consultant to the Desert Protective Council. Her degrees are from San Diego State University and The Claremont Graduate School.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 212

Jim Giocomo

Oaks and Prairies Joint Venture Coordinator

.Jim received a BS in Biology from Millersville University of Pennsylvania, an MS in Ecology from the Pennsylvania State University. His Master’s work focused on songbird productivity in forest settings, especially Ovenbirds and Wood Thrush in Pennsylvania. Jim earned a PhD in Natural Resources from the University of Tennessee where he monitored and modeled productivity of Henslow’s Sparrows, Grasshopper Sparrows, Field Sparrows, Bachman’s Sparrows, Dickcissels, and Eastern Meadowlarks at Fort Campbell Army Base working in the drop zones used for training by the US Army’s 101st Airborne Division. Jim has also worked for Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Audubon Pennsylvania, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 216

Mary Gustafson

Rio Grande Joint Venture Coordinator :

Mary Gustafson has served as Rio Grande Joint Venture Coordinator since 2005. Prior to that, she worked in the Bird Banding Laboratory where her many duties included developing marking protocols, creating edits for data, and refining banding techniques. Mary graduated with an MS and BS from The Ohio State University with a long break between the degrees to allow her to work for a variety of conservation and research organizations. Mary has worked for Cape May and Long Point Bird Observatories, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and several other organizations. Mary is an avid birder and continues to lead pelagic trips, run BBS routes, compile the Lower Rio Grande Valley Rare Bird Alert, serve on the Texas Bird Records Committee, and edit eBird data from several Texas counties in her free time. When not birding she enjoys riding her horses and travel to do, well, more birding.

Tel: 956-519-0711

Larry Heggemann

Central Hardwoods Joint Venture - Delivery Coordinator

Larry received a BS in Wildlife Management from the University of Missouri , Columbia and comes to ABC with 30 years of experience working with the Missouri Department of Conservation. For 20 years he worked cooperatively with the Missouri Natural Resources Conservation Service, as a Private Land Conservationist and Area Biologist, to promote upland and wetland conservation efforts. He also worked as a Wildlife Management Biologist overseeing several state conservation areas. A lifelong resident of Missouri, he now resides in Cape Girardeau in the southeast portion of the state.

Tel: 573-576-3775

Steve Holmer

Director of the Bird Conservation Alliance

Steve received a B.A. degree in history and a minor degree in political science from Pennsylvania State University and has over fifteen years experience in communications and press on wildlife and forest conservation issues. He comes to ABC from the Unified Forest Defense Campaign, a coalition of national organizations working on National Forest issues. Previously he served as Campaign Coordinator of American Lands Alliance and began his wildlife conservation efforts on the Greenpeace Tropical Forests campaign.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 216

Bob Johns

Director of Public Relations

Bob worked at the Interior Department for over 30 years in various communication capacities. Most recently, he was BLM Deputy Assistant Director for Communications where he oversaw the Divisions of Public Affairs, Congressional Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Intergovernmental Affairs and Environmental Affairs. Prior to that time he served as Director of Public Affairs for BLM in Arizona and prior to that, Eastern Regional Public Affairs Director for USGS in Reston, Virginia. Bob directed the complete re-design of BLM's 500,000-page web presence, chaired the agency's Web oversight committee, served as senior adviser to the agency's law enforcement leadership team, and has prepared senior Federal managers for appearances on virtually every major news program including 60 Minutes, 20/20, Dateline, and CNN/ABC/CBS/NBC Networks. In 2001, Bob and a small group of BLM managers were recognized by President Bush for management excellence and upon leaving the Interior Department recently, he received one of the Department's highest awards – The Meritorious Service Award.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 210

Sara Ines Lara

Vice President for International Programs

Sara graduated from the University of Cauca in Colombia with a degree in civil engineering in 1997. She worked in the engineering field in Colombia and for Halliburton in the UK before joining Fundación ProAves in 2004 as Executive Director. For more than 5 years she oversaw the transformation of ProAves from an amateur group of bird conservationists and few projects to an effective professional conservation organization. Under her management ProAves established 16 bird reserves across Colombia dedicated to conservation of threatened species of birds, gaining national recognition by the government and national institutes, as a leader in bird conservation. Sara joined American Bird Conservancy as the Director of International Programs in October 2009.

Tel: VA Office -540-253-5780 ext. 116

Edward J. "Ed" Laurent

Science Coordinator

Ed received a Ph.D. from the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University. His dissertation focused on incorporating satellite imagery into analysis of bird species distribution patterns across forested landscapes. Prior to joining ABC, he was a keeper for several zoos, managed a live trapping and relocation company in Georgia, studied water snakes for his MS degree, and was a postdoctoral research associate with the Southeast Gap Analysis Project. Over the past decade Dr. Laurent has focused on expanding the role of GIS, remote sensing and database technologies in natural resource management and has published on these methods in both the scientific and technical literature. He is also an active member of NC and Southeast Partners in Flight.

Tel: 919-889-9394

Leah Lavin

Development Officer

Leah came to ABC with nearly three years of experience in non-profit fundraising and development. She also enjoyed a brief turn as a farm apprentice on a small organic vegetable and livestock farm in Northern Virginia. Leah has a Master’s degree in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College in Annapolis and a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy.

Tel: VA Office -540-253-5780 ext. 111

Anne Law

Deputy Director of Conservation Advocacy

Anne has broad experience in legislative affairs, law, and politics. Prior to joining ABC, Anne worked for Rapoza Associates, a public interest lobbying and government relations firm located in Washington, DC. At Rapoza, Anne secured federal appropriations for housing and community development organizations and worked to establish a micro-lending program at the USDA. As a legislative assistant for Audubon, Anne helped secure federal appropriations for Audubon nature centers and worked on the campaign to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from drilling. On the legal front, Anne worked for a private firm where she focused on class action lawsuits and federal investigations. Anne has also worked on federal compliance issues for Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign in 2000 and as a field organizer for John Kerry's Presidential campaign in 2004. Anne has a Bachelor's degree in business administration from Cornell University and JD from The Columbus School of Law at Catholic University.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 213

Dan Lebbin

Conservation Biologist

Daniel received a B.A. in Biology and Environmental Science & Policy from Duke University, and a Ph.D. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University. His dissertation research investigated habitat specialization among Amazonian birds in Peru, where he spent a year as a Fulbright Scholar. Daniel did work for WWF, TNC, the National Zoo, and participated in field research projects in Jamaica, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Venezuela. A birder since childhood, Daniel also enjoys bird illustration and photography, and his images appear in a variety of publications. At ABC, Daniel has managed international projects and co-authored The American Bird Conservancy Guide to Bird Conservation.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 123

Erin Lebbin

Development Officer

Erin grew up in Lexington, KY, where she reveled in horseback riding. After leaving Kentucky, she earned a bachelor's degree in English and Art History from Cornell, and a master's degree in Art History from Johns Hopkins. Erin currently enjoys running, backpacking, gardening and learning languages.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 111

Mary Liles

Personnel and Program Officer

Mary graduated from The George Washington University with a B.A. in history. She worked in international economic development with American labor unions for nineteen years while living in the Washington, DC area. After moving to Piedmont Virginia with her husband and son, her career has centered on environmental conservation. Her favorite place to bird is on the back of her horse.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 121

Casey Lott

Coastal and Waterways Program Coordinator

Casey has diverse ornithological experience working with passerines, seabirds, and raptors. He has researched landbird stopover ecology and the use of stable isotopes to track animal movements. He has participated in conservation programs monitoring raptor populations and decreasing bird collisions with towers on migration routes. He also directs a long-term raptor migration research and environmental education project in the Florida Keys for HawkWatch International.

Tel: 208-629-8705

Kirsten Luke

GIS Specialist - Atlantic Coast Joint Venture

Kirsten was raised in the Cayman Islands and has a B.Sc. in Applied Biology and an M.Sc. in Tropical Coastal Management from Universities in the United Kingdom. In 2000, she began work as a Research Officer with the Cayman Islands Department of Environment. All through her career she has been using GIS as a tool to meet the needs of her own work and to help support the work of others. In 2005, Kirsten moved to Gainesville, FL and became a GIS specialist and since then has worked with USGS and the USFWS (for both the Atlantic Coast and Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture, among various other projects) as a contractor. With ABC, Kirsten will continue to serve primarily as a GIS specialist for the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture, but her talents and expertise will be incorporated into numerous other projects.

Tel: (850) 769-0552 x253

Jack Morrison

Planned Giving Director

Jack was the longtime owner and operator of the Blue Dog CDs and Records in Fredericksburg, VA. He received his B.A. in Government and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in 1990. Prior to that he worked for many years with emotionally disturbed adolescents in Charlottesville. He is an avid, though amateur birder, competitive runner, and current President of the Fredericksburg Area Running Club.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 109

Merrie Morrison

Vice-President for Operations

Merrie served as Director of Administration for the Virginia Chapter of The Nature Conservancy from 1988 until 1995 when she joined ABC. She was the recipient of the 2003 Partners in Flight National Outreach Award.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 102

Jessica Hardesty Norris

Seabird Program Director

Jessica joined ABC in Spring 2007 as she wrapped up her PhD in Ecology at Duke with John Terborgh. She received her BSc in Wildlife Biology from Humboldt State University, and then spent a few years as a field technician in the United States before heading to Ecuador with the US Peace Corps. She conducted her dissertation research in Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador, focusing on the ecology of birds in Sangay National Park, Ecuador where she spent a year as a Fulbright Scholar. In 2005, she worked with ABC, WWF, CI, and TNC developing project abstracts for Alliance for Zero Extinction sites. Jessica now has 12 years of experience as a conservationist, ecologist and social scientist, with a focus on Latin America. She is fluent in Spanish and learning Portuguese.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 113

Michael Parr

Vice President

Mike graduated from the University of East Anglia, U.K., in 1986. He then worked at BirdLife International before joining American Bird Conservancy in 1996. His first book, Parrots - A Guide to the Parrots of the World was published by Yale University Press in April 1998. He is a co-author of two further books: Important Bird Areas in the United States, and the American Bird Conservancy Guide to Bird Conservation, along with numerous articles and papers on birds and conservation. He is a member of the advisory committees of ProAves Colombia and the Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, and acts as Chair to the Alliance for Zero Extinction. He is a lifelong birder and has lead birding trips on four continents. He lives in Washington DC with his wife Tacha, and three sons, Wesley, James, and Charles.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 204

David Pashley

Vice President of Conservation Programs

David received a Ph.D. from the School of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries at Louisiana State University. His dissertation title was ‘A Distributional Analysis of the Warblers of the West Indies’. In addition to being an instructor at the University of Southwestern Louisiana and serving six years in the Science and Stewardship programs of The Nature Conservancy, Dr. Pashley has had a long association with Partners in Flight. Among his responsibilities for PIF have been Chair of the Southeast Working Group and National Coordinator.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 106

Gemma Radko

Communications and Media Manager

Gemma graduated from Allegheny College in 1985 with a degree in Art and Biology. She has over 20 years of graphic design experience and is also an avid birder. She is a member of both the Montgomery and Frederick chapters of the Maryland Ornithological Society and often leads field trips for members. Gemma is a licensed bird bander and runs a MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) station during summers. She is also involved in the Maryland/DC Breeding Bird Atlas Project, which runs through 2006.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 206

Kacy L Ray

Beach-Nesting Bird Conservation Project Officer

Kacy has a B.S. in Natural Resources with a specialization in Wildlife and Forestry from The Ohio State University, and a M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences with a focus in shorebird ecology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Most recently, she worked as a consultant for Ducks Unlimited, Inc. and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on their jointly sponsored Integrated Waterbird Management and Monitoring pilot study in north central and coastal Atlantic Florida. As part of her graduate work, Kacy planned, coordinated, and executed research for the Department of Defense’s “Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Project” at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. She also brings ten years of business-professional experience in the field of Information Technology to ABC.

Tel: 614-218-8838

Andrew Rothman

International Conservation Officer

Andrew is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and holds bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Wildlife Management. Andrew was the Founder of the Rainforest Biodiversity Group, an organization which has been instrumental in the creation of conservation and sustainable development projects in northern Costa Rica. A former field biologist for Point Reyes Bird Observatory, he also has a background in environmental education. Andrew was the Executive Director of the Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center in Chilamate, Costa Rica and spent three years as the Assistant Wildlife Educator and Naturalist at Horicon Marsh with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 120

Darin Schroeder

Vice President of Conservation Advocacy

Darin brings nearly 13 years of extensive Capitol Hill experience to ABC, having served as Wisconsin Offices Manager for U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) from 1993 until 2000, and then joining the staff of U.S. Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) as Press Secretary. Over the course of the next six years, Darin went on to become Representative Kind’s Communications Director and Senior Policy Advisor. He played an instrumental role in expanding voluntary conservation programs in the 2002 Farm bill and worked closely with ABC staff to introduce legislation reauthorizing the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act. Darin brings strong experience in lobbying, coalition building, media, as well as general political savvy to ABC. Darin received a Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1993.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 209

Christine Sheppard

Bird Collisions Campaign Manager

Christing earned her BA and Ph.D. at Cornell University, as part of the short-lived Six Year Ph.D. program. Her thesis advisor was Dr. Tom Cade, who used captive propagation and falconry techniques to restore the Peregrine to the east coast of the US. Her interest in captive propagation as a tool to save endangered species led her to the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo, where she started as curatorial intern and ended as department head of the Ornithology Department. She has chaired American Zoo Association taxon advisory groups for Coraciiformes, Galliformes and Gruiformes and has chaired the IUCN Hornbill Specialist Group. She is a lumper. She initiated the Green Team at WCS and the Green Practices Advisory Group for AZA. She became interested in the issue of bird collisions because it combines ‘green practices’ and wildlife conservation and this led her to ABC.

Tel: 914-613-3678

Gavin Shire

Vice President of Communications

Gavin obtained a bachelor's degree in Zoology & Genetics from Sheffield University. He began his career in bird conservation on the island of Mauritius, where he was part of the restoration effort for the Mauritius Kestrel, once the world's rarest bird. He conducted two years of field research and captive rearing/release work before coming to America in 1992. He developed the Trumpeter Swan Restoration Project for Environmental Studies at Airlie, aimed at restoring migratory populations of swans to the eastern United States using ultralight aircraft. Here he was project coordinator, outreach specialist, aviculturalist and ultralight pilot. He joined ABC in March 2000. He has also worked as a free-lance photographer.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 207

Benjamin Skolnik

Conservation Projects Specialist

Benjamin received his BS from Wheaton College, MA and received his MS in the Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology Program at the University of Maryland. More recently, Benjamin worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in a high Andean village in Ancash, Peru, where he worked on community diagnostic methodology, implemented an improved cooking stove campaign, provided technical assistance to the community in watershed conservation activities, and conducted small business and leadership workshops. He has participated in many avian field projects, including several in remote regions of Ecuador. Benjamin has worked with a number of organizations, including as a GIS analyst for the US Fish and Wildlife Service Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act grant program, Conservation International, Potomac Conservancy, and the New England Aquarium. He is fluent in Spanish and can speak basic Quechua.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 202

Brian Smith

Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture Coordinator

Brian has worked for the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) since 2002, serving as their Small Game/Farm Bill Program Coordinator and most recently as their Wildlife Diversity Program Coordinator. Prior to working for KDFWR, he earned a B.S. in Wildlife Management from Eastern Kentucky University, an M.S. in Raptor Biology from Boise State University (Burrowing Owl research), and a Ph.D. in Forest Resource Science from West Virginia University (Ruffed Grouse research for the Appalachian Cooperative Grouse Research Project).

Tel: 540-231-7463

Judy Szczepaniak

Office Administrator, The Plains Office

Judy has degrees in History and Art History from Northern Illinois University and a Humanities degree from Stephens College. Prior to her relocation from Michigan to Virginia, she was Office Administrator for Charter Industries in Grand Rapids, MI. Outside of work, she enjoys needlepoint, cartooning, and the best friendships with her husband and their raggedy old newfoundland, Duncan. Her knowledge of birds is only expandable.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 100

Stephanie von Blackwood

Communications & Program Assistant

Stephanie has a degree in Fashion Design from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. Aside from apparel design, she has a background in fine arts, graphic design, and photography. A Northern Virginia native, she enjoys volunteering and participating with animal rescues and animal welfare events, as well as visiting local museums and nightlife.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext 201

Beth Wallace

Administration & Program Assistant

Beth received a Master of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Otago in New Zealand. Prior to joining ABC, Beth spent several years as a field ornithologist, working for the Missouri Department of Conservation and Bird Studies Canada.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 107

George Wallace

Vice President for Oceans and Islands

George has been active in bird research and conservation for nearly 30 years. George served as leader of ABC’s International Division during 2002-2009, before shifting over to lead a new division focused on the conservation of birds of oceanic islands, especially Hawaii, and seabirds. Prior to joining ABC, George was Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, and a Nongame Wildlife Biologist and Florida’s state Bird Conservation Coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. George has also worked for Bird Studies Canada, The Nature Conservancy, Point Reyes Bird Observatory, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. George received his M.S. in Zoology from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada for his research on plumage maturation and breeding behavior of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. He received his Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Missouri where his dissertation research focused on the wintering ecology of Neotropical migrant and resident birds overwintering on Cayo Coco, Cuba. George has also worked on migration monitoring in Canada and California, research on seabird breeding ecology in California and Antarctica, and is an experienced bird bander.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 101

David Wiedenfeld

Conservation Science Specialist

Davif received a Ph.D. from Florida State University, and a M.S. from Louisiana State University. His work has focused on bird population ecology and conservation biology. He has worked with CITES authorities on developing methods for surveying psittacid populations and evaluating the effects of the trade on the populations. He served for five years as Director of Research at the Sutton Avian Research Center, working primarily on prairie-chickens. Returning to the Neotropics, he served for more than three years as Head of the Department of Vertebrate Ecology at the Charles Darwin Research Station, in the Galapagos Islands. His work there was primarily with bird populations, but took also included projects on invasive species, including predators, diseases, and parasites.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 108

David Younkman

Chief Conservation Officer

David has more than 30 years senior management experience working in conservation and environmental organizations. David worked for two decades at The Nature Conservancy, beginning as the Ohio State Director and leaving as Vice President for Resources of the Latin America and Caribbean Program. David also served as the Executive Director for American Oceans Campaign and the Western Regional Director of the National Wildlife Federation. He ran Strategic Consulting, a successful consulting practice, for five years, and taught graduate level coursework at UCSD. David is an avid sailor and has a Master’s of Science in Landscape Architecture and environmental design from UW- Madison.

Tel: VA Office - 540-253-5780 ext 119

Dariusz Zdziebkowski

IT and Website Coordinator

Dariusz is an avid photographer, naturalist, and world traveler in addition to keeping up to date with the newest trends in the IT technology. Prior to joining ABC, he spent few years managing his own business Darweb Consulting, providing IT management services to various small businesses and prior to that managing all aspects of office infrastructure and IT applications for a pharmaceutical association.

Tel: DC Office - 202-234-7181 ext. 214