Staff Biographies
Biographies of our staff
Ian Abraham, Naturalist-Educator and Offsite Program
Specialist since 2006, has been teaching within the Portland Metropolitan area
since 1999. Born and raised in Chicago, Il., he set out to work, teach,
and educate in the informal outdoor setting provided by the riches of the Pacific Northwest. With an extended stop in Alaska and backcountry leadership work with the National
Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in 1998 he moved to Portland. Ian holds a Masters of Art in
Environment and Community through Antioch University and has taught for many
outdoor education programs including, Multnomah Counties Outdoor School,
Cascadia Wild, Wolftree Inc., Tryon Creek and the Oregon Zoo. Ian’s focus
is within the science and art of animal tracking as well as wilderness living
skills.
Lacy Campbell is the Wildlife Care Center Operations Manager. Lacy came to the Audubon Society as a volunteer in 2010. She has worked with wildlife since 1999, beginning at the Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City as a volunteer. She quickly moved on to Bird Show Trainer/Educator, and then to Aviculture Specialist, where she worked with over 200 species of birds. She relocated to Portland in 2007, receiving her BS in Organismal Biology from Portland State University. Lacy is deeply passionate about environmentalism, wildlife conservation, and urban/wildlife conflict. She has dedicated her life to bringing about positive change through education and a healing hand wherever possible. In her spare time Lacy enjoys cycling, hiking, backpacking, birding, tinkering in the garden and lounging around with her two favorite animals: her husband Chris and her indoor cat Abby.
Jane Christensen is the Membership Development Assistant at the Audubon Society of Portland. Prior to moving to Portland and changing paths to work in the non-profit field, Jane had a 20-year career in Environmental Planning Management in the northern San Francisco Bay Area (the North Bay). After earning her Environmental Studies and Planning Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinction, she worked as an Urban Planner at three cities in the North Bay (City of Santa Rosa, City of Fairfield and the City of Sonoma). Jane then chose to work in the private sector as a Senior Environmental Planner for a Civil Engineering firm (Brelje & Race Consulting Civil Engineers) specializing in writing Environmental Impact Reports for large water and wastewater projects. It was then time to move back to the public sector as the supervisor of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Compliance section of the Sonoma County Water Agency, a large regional utility provider in the North Bay. Here, Jane supervised preparation of the Biological Assessment of the Russian River Watershed along with managing all ESA compliance activities. When she moved to Portland in 2004, she wanted to work in a field of personal interest. She worked at the Portland Art Museum in their Development Department, working as the Development Assistant and later as their Events Coordinator. Her next step was designed to connect her Environmental Planning background with non-profit work, which led her to the Audubon Society of Portland – where she is happily employed today! Jane lives in northeast Portland near her family and with her dog, Henry.
Mary Coolidge, Assistant Conservation Director. Mary came to the Wildlife Care Center as a volunteer in 2003 and later served as our Peregrine Falcon Hack site attendant. She has worked as a contract biologist on various wildlife projects throughout the Western United States, including surveys of at-sea Marbled Murrelets, Burrowing Owls, Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcons and Northern Goshawks. She has served as an observer with HawkWatch International on Bonney Butte (Mt. Hood) and with Wildlife Research Institute on Roger’s Pass (Montana), as a Field Crew Manager with the Institute for Bird Populations on the California statewide Burrowing Owl census, and for 3 years as a manager on the study of Burrowing owls in the Imperial Valley of southern California. Locally she has worked with Friends of Trees, the Columbia Slough Watershed Council, Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services while serving in AmeriCorps, and has done her time slinging coffee and laboring on her fixer-upper. While her work with Audubon spans the full range of conservation issues, her specific focus is coordinating the Oregon Important Bird Area program, facilitating a network of statewide Audubon Chapters, building Audubon’s Citizen Science programs and attending to forest policy issues. In her free time Mary can often be found gardening, biking, knitting, reading, backpacking and hiking with her dog.
Tom Costello, Sanctuaries Director since June 2007. Tom holds a multi-disciplinary degree from Harvard University, where he studied the literature, traditional crafts, and religious practices of various cultures. After a two year stint as a high school teacher and wrestling coach Tom dusted off his boots, threw what he could in a backpack, and moved to Cascadia. After a few years playing in the woods, mountains, deserts, and rivers, Tom decided a return the the classrom was not in the cards; instead he chose to return to the work that occupied his summers through his high-school and college days: carpentry and landscape contruction. Tom has worked as a team leader for the Northwest Service Academy's EnviroCorps program, manager of the Portland Habitat for Humanity ReStore, tree planter for numerous plantation owners, and most recently as a project manager for the ReBuilding Center's Deconstruction Services. When not working, Tom spends most of his time with his awesome family, volunteering with the City Repair Project, and walking an incredibly round-about path towards spiritual enlightenment.
Tim Donner, Environmental Educator, spent two years volunteering at Audubon’s Wildlife Care Center before joining the staff full time. He received his Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies at the University of Texas and spent the next three years working as a miner, doing restoration work and tree planting throughout the West. He spent five winters studying bison around Yellowstone National Park, where he built and lived in an igloo to stay warm. He has also surveyed for Marbled Murrelets in the Coast Range of Oregon and banded Burrowing Owls in Wyoming, living 20 miles from the closest town in a broken down trailer with no electricity or water. Tim has spent the last three years as a trip leader for Cascadia Wild, teaching the public about wildlife surveys and animal tracking. Tim is excited to combine his passion for the natural world with his desire to strengthen the bonds between kids and nature. When he isn’t in the woods climbing trees and crawling along game trails, he can be found on his touring bicycle, pedaling with no destination in mind. Watch a video of Tim teaching Spring Camp
Steve Engel, Adult Programs Coordinator since 2006,
received his B.S. from Evergreen State College. Steve has worked in
the environmental education field since 1982 teaching students of all
ages in a variety of settings. He worked as a naturalist-educator and
Education Director for the Yosemite National Institutes Headlands
Campus in Sausalito, CA. from 1983 to 1991. Steve worked as an
observer at the Hawk Watch International Goshute Mountains, NV., raptor
migration site for four years and has traveled as a naturalist aboard
expedition cruises to Alaska, Mexico, Antarctica and Northern Europe
with Lindblad Expeditions since 1991. He moved to Portland in 1993 and
from 1994 to 1997 Steve was lead naturalist for the Green City Data
Program, a joint project between Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon
Graduate Institute and Portland State University. He has operated his
own business, Animal Tracks by Steve, since 1997, providing products
and services dealing with animal tracks and stories he has collected on
his travels.
Mike Houck has been Audubon
Society of Portland's Urban Naturalist since 1982. He received a BS in
Zoology from Iowa State University and an MST from Portland State
University. Previously, Mike directed OMSI's Research Center and
National Science Foundation summer research, taught at Oregon Episcopal
School, and contracted with Portland Public School's TAG program to
lead "Wild In The City, What's In Your Own Backyard" field trips. He
co-founded the Coalition for a Livable Future and currently serves on
numerous city and regional advisory committees.
Greg Kurtz, Sanctuaries Assistant since 2001.
Jim Labbe,
Urban Conservationist since 2003, grew up enjoying nature-rich West
Portland neighborhood. He has over 20 years of experience in natural
resource planning, research, and advocacy as a student, watershed
council coordinator, consultant, citizen advocate and general Oregon
enthusiast. He holds a BA in history from Reed College and an MS in
Physical Geography from Portland State University (PSU). His past
research includes a history of the Rogue River Salmon Fishery and a
study of river channel morphology in the Tualatin River Watershed. He
recently authored a chapter in the Coalition for a Livable Future's
Regional Equity Atlas that assessed access to greenspace in the
Portland-Metro region. Jim represents Audubon in advocating for local
and regional natural resource policies throughout the Portland-Metro
region. He also coordinates outreach and education through
www.urbanfauna.org and the Urban Natural Resource Directory. Jim also chairs
the Coalition for a Livable Future's Natural Resource Working Group. Jim also serves on the board of the
Johnson Creek Watershed Council and the advisory board for Depave.org.
When he is not doing all that Jim enjoys biking, tango dancing, playing
music, and lollygagging in his garden.
Sally Loomis, Nature Store Clerk since 2007, grew up playing in fields and forests in the Pleasant Valley and Damascus areas around Portland. She then headed towards the Midwest to earn a B.A. in Social Anthropology at Oberlin College, while spending many hours at the campus radio station, and baking bread in a dining co-op. Subsequent years brought a variety of slacker jobs in book and record stores in Berkeley and Portland, before she settled in for a nine year stint at the Reed College Library. She handles the book buying duties for the Nature Store, and loves to combine her interest in nature and environmentalism with her book background. Sally lives in Northeast Portland with her husband, Metro Naturalist James Davis, goldfish Tugboat Annie and Jules Verne, and a backyard full of wildlife.
Nancy Mattson has been the manager of the Nature Store at our Wildlife Sanctuary since 2007. Born and raised in Southern Nevada, Nancy left the Mojave Desert for the woods of the Pacific NW when she moved to Portland to attend Lewis & Clark College. For many years she was a piano tuner and technician working with Reed College, Chamber Music Northwest and most of the lively nightclubs that made up Portland’s jazz music scene. Later, she managed a retail nursery specializing in wetland and pond plants. She is delighted to bring her retail skills to the Portland Audubon Nature Store where she loves working with serious birders, backyard nature lovers and families exploring the Audubon sanctuary. Her home in SW Portland lies within the conservation zone for Arnold Creek. With a pond and surrounding forest, there are frequent encounters with chipmunks, deer, waterfowl, songbirds and even the occasional coyote. Nancy loves to garden, hike, canoe and occasionally roller skate at Oaks Park.
Pam Meyers, Membership Development Coordinator. Pam joined the Development team in January, 2010 after serving as an active volunteer in many program areas for over a year and a half, and becoming deeply impressed with Portland Audubon’s mission and people. She moved into her current position in July, 2011. Pam and her husband moved to Portland from Dallas, Texas in 2008. A West Coast native and life-long amateur naturalist, she had been yearning to get back to the Pacific Northwest for years and wanted to switch career paths from the commercial sector to Conservation work. Pam did her undergraduate work in Biology and has an MBA from Southern Methodist University. Pam brings a background in corporate marketing and operations management, as well as a passion for birds and their habitat, to play in helping Portland Audubon accomplish its goals. Pam lives in SW Portland, less than 10 minutes from Audubon’s amazing Sanctuary. When not working for Audubon, Pam and her husband enjoy hiking, kayaking and exploring their adopted state. She also continues to volunteer for Audubon as an Education Bird Handler and doing Point Counts for Audubon’s Citizen Science program.
Tammi Miller,
IT Manager / Office Manager, grew up exploring the wildlands of the Northern California landscape. After graduating from Kent State University in 1993, Tammi made her way back to the west coast, becoming a Wildlife Care Center volunteer and Peregrine Watch Monitor in 2000, and coming on staff in 2002. Since 2003, she has co-led the Roadrunners bicycling Birdathon team. In addition to
keeping the office running smoothly, Tammi manages the
Society's IT systems and maintains its website and e-newsletter. When not behind a computer screen, she can be found on the trail/beach/river, taking photographs, making prints in the darkroom, poking about in her sea kayak, in the garden, or hanging out with a vulture or raven.
Marilyn O’Grady has worked as the Nature Store assistant since 1988. In that time she has touched the hearts and minds of thousands of store visitors, sharing her rich knowledge of the Pacific Northwest, from its wildlife, plants & geology to our regional parks & natural areas. Marilyn was born in Portland and grew up in Multnomah Village. Before she began working at the Nature Store Marilyn was already a member and volunteer, actively supporting the Audubon Society of Portland and its mission. Marilyn lives in the woods near Estacada with her husband, Milan Peterka. Her son, Mike, shares her love of the Oregon outdoors.
Meryl Redisch, Meryl Redisch has served as Executive Director of Audubon Society of Portland since July 2003. Since that time, she has served on numerous city and statewide stakeholder committees and currently serves as Board Chair for the non profit organization, Friends of Trees and as commissioner on the City of Portland’s Urban Forestry Commission.
Prior to Audubon Society of Portland, Meryl directed TreeUtah, a statewide non-profit organization, based in Salt Lake City that promotes urban forestry, conservation, and community building. In this position, she managed a $500,000 project to design plant and maintain forty-one landscape schemes in communities associated with the 2002 Winter Olympics. During her tenure in Salt Lake City, Meryl served as a board member for the Utah Non Profit Association, the National Alliance for Community Trees and as a member of the Salt Lake City Parks Board. Ms. Redisch spent ten years with the City of New York Department of Parks and Recreation, rising from the position of Urban Park Ranger in Central Park, to Director of Natural Resources for Forest Park in the Borough of Queens. Ms. Redisch holds a BS in Environmental Science and Forestry from Skidmore College and a BS in Geography from the University of Utah.
Steve Robertson,
Education Director since 1998, also currently serves on the Board of
Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve. He previously managed OMSI's Science
Classes, Camp-In and Science Academy Programs, and the Outreach
department, which delivered programs over an eight-state region. Steve
also spent five years at OMSI's Marine Science Camp and five years at
Multnomah County Education Service District's Outdoor School program.
He holds a BS in Wildlife Science from Oregon State University, and an
MST and secondary Teaching Certificate from Portland State University.
Steve's interest in wildlife have taken him to Australia, New Zealand,
Africa, Madagascar, and South America, where he has spent significant
time in the field.
Bob Sallinger, Conservation Director, has worked for Audubon since 1992. His current responsibilities include directing Audubon's local, regional and nation conservation policy initiatives, citizen science and wildlife research initiatives, Living with Urban Wildlife Program, Backyard Habitat Certification Program and Wildlife Care Center Program. Bob’s passion for conservation was developed early exploring the woods of Massachusetts and later on solo hikes from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail and from Canada to New Mexico on the Continental Divide. Bob has a B.A. in Biology from Reed College and a J.D. from Lewis and Clark Law School. He currently serves on the Portland Parks Board and the Board of Directors for the Coalition for a Livable Future and the East Multnomah County Soil and Water Conservation District. He lives in Northeast Portland with his wife Elisabeth Neely, two children, a dog, cat, goats and chickens.
Deanna Sawtelle, Volunteer Coordinator since 2007, comes to Audubon with years of experience training and working with volunteers, first as a teacher and then as an assistant principal. In 1987, she decided she wanted to return something to the community so she started volunteering at the Oregon Zoo (and later at Audubon). Eventually, Deanna was hired as Oregon Zoo show staff where she did animal displays, assemblies, classroom presentations, and summer on-grounds shows for 18 years. Between the Zoo and now with Audubon’s education birds, Deanna has trained over 300 volunteers how to care for and handle hawks, owls, falcons, ravens and vultures. “Volunteers are absolutely wonderful people. They are dedicated and fun and bring all sorts of skills and talents to any organization. Their enthusiasm is infectious. Over the years, volunteering has enriched my life in ways too numerous to mention. It’s my honor to share the experience with Audubon’s terrific volunteers.”
Deb Sheaffer, DVM, Staff Veterinarian for Portland Audubon’s Wildlife Care Center, had volunteered at Audubon for several years when she was hired as the first staff veterinarian in 2003. A native of North Carolina, Deb received a BA in biology from Wake Forest University, where she was involved in Eastern Fox Squirrel research. While obtaining her DVM degree from Iowa State University Deb managed a wildlife center and taught wildlife medicine to veterinary students. After veterinary school she landed happily in the Pacific Northwest. Deb currently serves as President-elect on the Portland Veterinary Medical Association Board. When not working Deb likes spending time hiking with her husband, 2 teenagers, and 3 dogs.
Ann Takamoto, Development Director. Ann has been Development Director at Portland Audubon since 2007. Ann oversees a diverse program that includes membership, donations, donor, foundation and corporate relations; and special events. Ann has also been responsible for much of the organization's social media initiatives. Prior to working at Audubon, Ann served as Development Director at Hands On Greater Portland, where she helped launch the organization's first membership and marketing campaigns, and as Development Director of Schoolhouse Supplies and InAct, Inc. Working as a development officer since 2001, Ann has ten years of experience in corporate, foundation and individual donor relations, event management and marketing. Before moving to the non-profit world, Ann worked in the for-profit sector in sales, new business development and production management. Previously, Ann served as Marketing Chair on the Board of Directors of the Willamette Valley Development Officers, on the Board of Directors at Hands On Greater Portland. Ann enjoys hiking, playing the accordion, riding horses and spending time with her husband, dog and two parrots.
Bich Trinh, East Portland Community Coordinator
Bich
Trinh was born in Vietnam but grew up in the Pacific Northwest. She
has worked in the past as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua,
Naturalist in the Redwoods, and Park Ranger in Bryce Canyon and the
North Cascades. She holds BA in environmental education from Western
Washington University and MAT from Lewis and Clark College. She is
excited to pioneer the position as East Portland Community Coordinator
for Portland Audubon, especially since she lives in southeast Portland.
She looks forward to getting to know different east Portland community
members and connecting people to Audubon Society of Portland east side
events. When not working for Audubon Society of Portland, she can be
found teaching Spanish to middle school students in east Portland,
biking, and singing and playing the guitar to her cat, Sibley.
