Our Staff
Portland Audubon is staffed by people who are passionate about protecting wildlife and habitat, connecting people with nature, and building a diverse and inclusive environmental movement.
Allison Anholt
Coastal Community Science Biologist
aanholt@audubonportland.org
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Allison is excited to be back on the North Coast of Oregon after years of working on the other coasts of the U.S. and Canada. Before coming to Portland Audubon, she worked at the intersection of coastal wildlife conservation and community science in the Aleutian Islands, the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the Florida Everglades, and some of the busiest beaches in the country in Cape May, New Jersey. She holds an M.S. in Ecology and Evolution from Rutgers University, a B.S. in Law and Policy from The College of New Jersey, and is currently finishing her Ph.D. working with First Nations fisheries on issues of seabird bycatch in arctic Canada.
When not at work, she will be found birding with her husband, running with her rambunctious hound dog, or exploring the trails of Oregon’s North Coast.
Elora Arding
Cultural Programs Specialist & Executive Assistant
earding@audubonportland.org
Born and raised in Southern California, Elora earned a BA in Literature & Writing with a Minor in Spanish from Cal State University San Marcos in 2012. Since then, Elora has become a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR) through HRCI, and has gained skills in a variety of other areas, including Business Operations, Marketing, and Customer Relations. Elora’s current role has a strong focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility initiatives, and she looks forward to forming new relationships with folks at Portland Audubon, as well as in the PDX community.
Outside of work, you might find Elora on a leisurely hike with her husband, son, their two dogs & occasionally their cat (who safely joins from a cat backpack). Elora also enjoys plant-based cooking (& eating), playing music, billiards, crafting, rock climbing and almost any activity that gets her out of the house. Elora feels quite fortunate to have an opportunity in supporting the Portland Audubon and its mission to inspire people to love and protect wildlife and the natural environment.
Ali Berman
Communications and Marketing Director
aberman@audubonportland.org
Ali Berman joined Portland Audubon in 2015, excited to help bring the organization’s message to a broader audience. Originally from New York, Ali has an undergraduate degree in writing and a masters in fiction from Sarah Lawrence College.
Before coming to Portland Audubon, Ali spent nine years working as the Communications Coordinator at HEART helping to bring human rights, animal protection, and environmental ethics issues into classrooms. Ali is also a writer. Her first two books, “Misdirected” (Seven Stories Press) and “Choosing a Good Life” (Hazelden) were published in 2014. In addition to her work at Portland Audubon, Ali serves on the board of two organizations: Disabled Hikers and Portland Parks and Recreation.
Jennifer Bowen
Assistant Director of Development for Major Gifts and Legacy Giving
jbowen@audubonportland.org
Jennifer Bowen has been a development professional for 17 years and has spent two decades working to influence positive change in social, economic, and environmental issues, both domestic and international. Before joining Portland Audubon, Jennifer worked as a Major Gifts Officer at Natural Resources Defense Council and Associate Development Director at Room to Read.
Jennifer holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Clark University’s International Development, Community, and Environmental Department. Through her master’s program, she was awarded a research assistantship on a NIEHS funded environmental justice project, which allowed her to work alongside marginalized populations to influence local policy and resolve environmental health issues. As an undergraduate at the University of California at Santa Cruz, where she majored in Environmental and Community Studies, Jennifer had the opportunity to participate in backpack exhibitions through Belize, Guatemala and Nepal conducting research on rural women’s health issues and studying species conservation, neotropical biodiversity, and high altitude forest composition.
She currently lives in NE Portland with her family.
Brodie Cass Talbott
Educator, Trips Specialist
bcasstalbott@audubonportland.org
Brodie started with Portland Audubon as a youth educator and outings volunteer in 2018, and not long after began leading birding trips for Adult Education. Happiest outdoors, he spent years fighting wildfire before working as a raft guide and managing a river tours company in Maupin, Oregon. After obtaining his BA in Applied Linguistics at Portland State, he spent six years teaching, traveling, and photographing across Asia, where his interest in birds became his passion.
He strives to make birding more inclusive, and has a particular interest in bird vocalizations. Brodie can usually be found listening to birds and tending his garden in NE Portland, where he lives with his wife.
Braden Catt
Facilities and Sanctuaries Manager
bcatt@audubonportland.org
A lifelong Hoosier, Braden moved to Seattle, WA in 2018 where he served as the Facilities and Rentals Manager at Seattle Children’s Theatre. Prior to relocating to the Pacific Northwest, he spent 7 years at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites in Collections Management and Conservation, helping oversee their cultural and natural history collections. Some of his highlights included assisting with the Pipe Creek Jr. Quarry paleontology excavation searching for Pliocene animal remains, spending 9 field seasons at Megenity Peccary Cave, excavating Pleistocene ice age animals, and working with the museum geologist surveying and collecting amphibian ichnofossils.
A historian by training, Braden received his BA from Indiana University majoring in history with a minor in biology. Furthering those passions, he is pursuing a master’s degree where his thesis analyzes environmental inequality in Indianapolis through the lens of Pogue’s Run, an urban stream. While living in Indiana, he enjoyed exploring and mapping undiscovered areas of the Binkley Cave System as a member of the Indiana Speleological Survey and National Speleological Society. In his free time, he likes spending time outdoors hiking, kayaking, and exploring the PNW with his wife.
Mary Coolidge
BirdSafe & Lights Out Campaign Coordinator
mcoolidge@audubonportland.org
Mary started as Portland Audubon’s Assistant Conservation Director from 2008-2012 before transitioning to the BirdSafe Campaign Coordinator. She received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Lewis & Clark College in 1997 and spent a decade studying a wide array of bird species in both urban and rural environments.
Mary is dedicated to efforts to make urban environments more hospitable to wildlife and helping connect people to nature. She splits her time between Center for Diversity & the Environment, the Oregon Zoo’s California Condor breeding facility, and Portland Audubon. She spends her free time beekeeping, birdwatching, horseback riding, mushroom hunting and occasionally escaping to a meandering river to fly fish.
David Dalby
Facilities and Sanctuaries Technician
ddalby@audubonportland.org
David was raised in Seattle and moved to Portland with his partner in December of 2021. As a facilities and sanctuaries technician, he assists with the day-to-day maintenance of Audubon’s properties in the Portland area. He obtained a BA from the University of Washington in Business Management and later graduated from Green River College with four AAS degrees in Natural Resources. He has previously worked as a park technician for King County and a restoration crew assistant lead for the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. During his time with the Greenway, he aided in the restoration of wetlands, riparian buffers, and upland forest habitats and wrote a grant expanding restoration efforts on the Cedar River. When not working, he likes to fill his days with long bike rides, doodling, birding, and an ever expanding list of other hobbies.
Tumurkhuu “Tumko” Davaakhuu
Chief Operating Officer
tdavaakhuu@audubonportland.org
Tumurkhuu “Tumko” Davaakhuu joined Portland Audubon in 2019, after serving as CEO and Board Director of Arig Bank of Mongolia for 12 years. Tumko is a co-founder and Chairperson of Spirit Mongolia, a community based conservation non-profit that manages a 137,000 hectare (338,534 acre) Legal Protected Area (LPA) in Mongolia as well as Achilles International Mongolia. He also served as the National Coordinator of UN Environment’s Sustainable Finance Roadmap project, Chairman of the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association, and Vice President of the Mongolian Bankers Association. Tumko studied Leadership Decision Making at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, earned his MBA in Financial Management at Pace University, and his BA in Applied Linguistics at Otgontenger University. In his free time, he enjoys going on camping, mountaineering trips, running, and spending time with family and friends.
Chris Dodge
Graphic Design & Communications Associate
cdodge@audubonportland.org
Chris joined Portland Audubon in January of 2021. She was born and raised in Portland, OR and attended the University of Oregon, where she received her degree in Journalism with a focus in advertising, and a minor in English.
Early in her career, Chris worked at an ad agency juggling both art direction and account management for a multitude of clients, one of which was a higher ed institution. This lead to her to working as a member of Concordia University’s marketing team for fourteen years doing graphic design, writing, and project management.
Chris has always been fascinated with birds and is thrilled to have an excuse to learn more about them daily in her role in the marketing department at Portland Audubon. When not working, Chris enjoys spending time with her family, vacationing at the Oregon coast, doodling, playing board games, reading, and finding the funny in life!
Janet Moler
Nature Store Manager
jmoler@audubonportland.org
Janet joined Portland Audubon in June 2017. She comes to the Nature Store with a strong background of customer service and sales. Janet was born and raised in Western Montana and graduated from the University of Alaska Southeast with a Bachelor’s of Liberal Arts in 2012. After graduation, she worked for Alaska Geographic at the Mendenhall Glacier Bookstore in Juneau, AK, and as a park ranger at Sitka National Historical Park in Sitka, AK. Both of these opportunities inspired her to share her love for nature and history with others. Alaska’s amazing birding opportunities also sparked her love for birding. A few of Janet’s other favorite hobbies include photography, hiking, baking, crafting, hanging out with her dog and fish, and laughing a lot!
Paul Englemeyer
Ten Mile Sanctuary Manager
Paul Engelmeyer has managed Portland Audubon’s Ten Mile Creek Sanctuary, home to nesting Marbled Murrelets and other imperiled species, since 1990. His work includes watershed restoration, species recovery and marine conservation efforts, and he has worked for decades to develop partnerships that have grown into a basin-wide habitat protection program on the central Oregon coast.
As Portland Audubon’s coastal Important Bird Area coordinator, Paul has also contributed to the formation of a system of marine reserves at five sites in Oregon’s Territorial Sea.
Keila Flores
Development Coordinator
kflores@audubonportland.org
Keila was born and raised in Indiana, spending their childhood years exploring forests and wetlands. After watching every single nature documentary available on local cable, she set out to learn more about the environment. They went on to earn their BA in Environmental and Marine Science at Goshen College. Their experience in academia was overshadowed by how inaccessible science is to marginalized communities. She went back to her alma mater to earn an MA in Environmental Education so that they could work to make the outdoors more equitable and to become the representation she rarely saw growing up. This journey led them to teach in beautiful places; the forests of Indiana, the rocky islands of Maine, and the shrubby coast of Northern California. Working at several non-profits led Keila to be interested in the behind-the-scenes of running a non-profit. Today, among the ferns and pines of Portland, she is Portland Audubon’s new Development Coordinator.
Keila is a world renowned hobby collector. So far, their collection includes oil painting, crocheting, cooking, board games, baking, and drawing, and is looking forward to adding bird watching to that list.
Kathleen Gabriel
Senior Human Resources Manager
kgabriel@audubonportland.org
Kathleen comes to Portland Audubon with more than 20 years of experience in Human Resources. She has spent most of her life in the San Francisco Bay Area, and moved to Portland in early 2022. She holds an MS in Human Resources Management, is SPHR and SHRM-SCP certified, and has an MFA in theatrical stage management. She finds that managing theatre and business have a surprising amount of crossover – it all comes down to people.
Kathleen has a lot of hobbies, including ballroom dancing, gardening, hiking, bicycling, and embroidery. She also enjoys being an announcer and sportscaster for roller derby – go Rose City!
Ashley Gora Owens
Grant Specialist
agoraowens@audubonportland.org
(she/her)
Ashley Gora Owens brings with her nine years of nonprofit experience, including five years as a fundraiser and grant professional. Additionally, she volunteers as Treasurer for the Alliance for the Monteverde Institute and as a board member and foster family for the Exotic Bird Rescue of Oregon. She also supports a MAPS bird banding station based just outside Salinas, CA. She holds an MBA in Social Enterprise and Finance and an MA in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. As an undergraduate, she studied International Relations and Spanish at Lake Forest College in Illinois. Ashley fills her free time with an ever-growing list of hobbies including running, ultimate frisbee, climbing, birding, collecting house plants, bingeing anime shows, and more!
Dr. Ashley Hagenloh
Wildlife Care Center Veterinarian
Originally from Rio Rancho, New Mexico Ashley grew up with little knowledge about the importance of wild species populations. However, while obtaining her double bachelors in Wildlife Biology and Biological Sciences, she quickly learned her true life calling, wildlife rehabilitation. Shortly after she pursued a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine through Oregon State University and used her clinical year to focus on gaining experiences in the wildlife rehabilitation and zoological settings. All throughout her higher education experience Ashley made a point to volunteer and work for various wildlife rehabilitation facilities, as she always felt a sense of purpose and belonging. She sees wildlife rehabilitation as essential to maintaining healthy ecosystems and to lessen the impact of human influence on wildlife populations. In her free time she enjoys hiking, reading, playing the occasional cozy video game and taking care of her mini zoo at home. Currently, she has two dogs, four cats, and one turtle.
Stephanie Herman
Wildlife Care Center Manager
sherman@audubonportland.org
Stephanie Herman became obsessed with wildlife rehab in the early ’90s as a volunteer at Michigan Friends of Wildlife and then the River Raisin Raptor Center. Her interest led her to the University of Guelph, where she earned her bachelors in Wildlife Biology and developed a fascination for wildlife nutrition. Stephanie interned with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida before becoming a full-time wildlife rehabilitator for the PAWS Wildlife Center in Washington State. After leaving PAWS, she joined the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center as the Wildlife Care Specialist for California’s Oiled Wildlife Care Network. In her spare time, Stephanie writes science fiction and fantasy, plays the oboe, and engages in an endlessly rotating cycle of hobbies. She has two indoor cats and a chinchilla, as well as a perpetually dying porch garden.
Ethel Hernandez
Educator, Youth & Family Partnerships Specialist
ehernandez@audubonportland.org
Ethel grew up in Oregon but had never visited Portland Audubon until she was hired as a seasonal educator in 2021. She worked in public education for four years at the David Douglas School District and has done environmental education at the Oregon Zoo. She has degrees in education, curriculum writing, and instruction.
Prior to 2018, Ethel was studying and residing overseas where she spent most of her time working with various communities. She understands the importance of being inclusive and making intentional connections when working with diverse individuals. She is excited to inspire youth in the community and provide meaningful outdoor experiences.
Outside of work, Ethel enjoys going on solo adventures with her Golden Retriever, Whiskey. She loves a good latte and is regularly seen with a cup of coffee in her hand. She appreciates jigsaw puzzles, documentaries, and is easily distracted by dogs. You can spot her on the coast volunteering with the Whale Watching Spoken Here program, where she shares her knowledge and enthusiasm for whales with the public.
Matthew Hushbeck
Assistant Director of Development
mhushbeck@audubonportland.org
Matthew joined Portland Audubon in 2020 after spending six years working in the nonprofit field. He has a BA in Government and Journalism. He is passionate about joining you (our members, volunteers, and supporters) to protect birds, wildlife, and their habitat.
As a child, he accompanied his mother on excursions to the field while she was getting her BS in Environmental Science. These trips inspired his interest in zoology and later in conservationism while researching his favorite animal, the peregrine falcon. Matthew is an avid backpacker, rock climber, and outdoor enthusiast who is committed to living sustainably.
Victor Ibarra
Backyard Habitat Community Coordinator
vibarra@audubonportland.org
(he/his/him)
Victor’s journey in protecting and studying the natural world started at the University of California, Chico where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science with a focus on wildlife biology and environmental conservation. Since his formal education, he has had the opportunity to work through many different avenues of conservation. From surveying Wild Chinook Salmon and Ringtail Cats in rural California to studying behavior of Northern Spotted Owls in the forests of Tillamook. Victor is proud of his Mexican and Indigenous heritage and strives to work with BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) communities within environmental and wildlife conservation. He has gotten the opportunity to foster this inclusive type of conservation by educating at BIPOC focused programs for nature centers throughout the Western United States and fostering community relationships while conducting environmental research.
When Victor is not immersed in his work, he enjoys exploring the outdoors with his fiancé, Alexander, and their twin poodles, Meeka and Ash, and their adventurous cat, Olive. On a rainy day, Victor can be found curled up on the couch with his cat watching true crime TV shows and, on a sunny day, paddle boarding with his fiancé throughout the PNW.
Arianne J.
Nature Store Buyer
ajacques@audubonportland.org
(she/her)
Arianne is thrilled to be joining the Portland Audubon team! Originally from South Carolina, she moved to Oregon in 2005 for college and has lived in Portland since 2010. She comes to us with a long history of customer service including many years of restaurant work and a career in professional theatre.
A lifelong nature enthusiast, Arianne spends most of her free time outdoors hiking, stand-up paddleboarding, and – most of all – birding! She first became involved with Portland Audubon as a student, then Birdathon participant, and most recently a volunteer with the Wednesday Work Crew. Arianne looks forward to sharing her enthusiasm for wildlife with everyone who stops into the Nature Store! Swing by and say hi!
McKenzie Joslin-Snyder
Wildlife Rehabilitator
McKenzie has been with Portland Audubon since 2012, first as a volunteer, then as buyer for the Nature Store, and more recently as an assistant at the Wildlife Care Center. Named after a river, she really had no choice but to develop an environmental conscience from an early age and has always been drawn to work and hobbies that take her outdoors. Her current work at Portland Audubon is a perfect reflection of her varied background; a degree in Environmental Science from the University of Oregon, and previous work experience surveying pond turtle habitat for the BLM, caring for cats at the Shelter Animal Resource Alliance of Eugene, and slinging books at a Portland-based book-tropolis. The thing McKenzie loves most about her job is facilitating a connection between humans and nature that deepens their understanding and sparks enthusiasm for conservation.
Candace Larson
Master Naturalist
clarson@audubonportland.org
Candace is an avid birder, mycology geek, and native plant enthusiast with a passion for the diverse ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest. Candace has been active in social and environmental justice struggles since 2001 and their concerns represent the strong connection between healthy ecosystems and healthy communities. Candace began volunteering on Portland Audubon bird surveys in 2009, and now works as our Master Naturalist, conducting field research, training community scientists, teaching ornithology classes and leading trips both locally and across the globe. In their free time, Candace can be found participating in all sorts of nature nerdery, from obsessing over tiny mouse tracks in a mud slick to perfecting their recipe of morel paté.
Erin Law
Senior Educator, Adult Classes & Trips
elaw@audubonportland.org
Erin started volunteering at Portland Audubon in 2015 before joining the staff in 2017. Her love of birds began while growing up in the woods of Western New York, but she fell in love with birding in college while working at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. She has a Master of Science degree in Environmental Policy and Conservation from the University of Michigan. During her fieldwork years, she studied moose mortality in Minnesota, African lion distribution in the Ngorongoro Crater of Tanzania, Darwin’s fox territorial movement in central Chile, red-throated loon foraging behavior in Alaska, and more. In her spare moments, Erin enjoys all things musical, hiking, camping, and birding! Advocating for social justice pervades every aspect of her life. She serves as the treasurer for the the Sandy River Watershed Council.
Diane Le
Staff Accountant
dle@audubonportland.org
Diane was born and raised in Vietnam before coming to Portland. She decided to reside in Portland after falling in love with its beautiful scenery, weather, and lifestyle. In 2012, she received a Bachelor’s in Business Management from Portland State. After graduating, she gained experience working in different positions from sales, operations, banking, and accounting. Most recently she worked for four years as an accountant at a janitorial company.
She loves traveling, hiking, and exploring new places with her husband and son. In her free time, she also enjoys cooking, watching movies, and listening to music. It feels very special to her to be a part of Portland Audubon, helping to protect and spread awareness about wildlife.
Ashley Lema
Wildlife Rehabilitator
Ashley first joined Portland Audubon’s Wildlife Care Center as a seasonal staff member for the busy baby season, before taking on a permanent wildlife rehabilitator role in 2019. She was born with a love for all animals, which was only intensified by growing up in Southwest Florida — surrounded by ospreys, anhingas, ibises, and the ever-charming anoles, just to name a few favorites. She also always felt a need to advocate for and protect them, which ultimately helped her find this unique career. Ashley got involved in wildlife rehabilitation, rescue, and education immediately after graduating high school in 2015, and just kind of never looked back. She is passionate about wildlife conservation and welfare, as well as working with volunteers and community members. Ashley can be found providing advice to people on common urban wildlife issues, teaching and helping volunteers with chores, and giving professional medical care to a diverse array of local native species year round; from hummingbirds to bald eagles, chipmunks to beavers, and even the occasional turtle!
In her free time, Ashley enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest with her husband Patrick, birding of course, and lounging in her cozy home with her trio of cats: Mama, Friend, and Ladybug! Ashley is also working towards her Oregon Master Naturalist Certification and Backyard Habitat Certification, and occasionally works alongside a herd of goats in the persistent fight against blackberry.
Tara Lemezis
Education Administrator & Marketing Liaison
tlemezis@audubonportland.org
Tara started at Portland Audubon as a volunteer in the Wildlife Care Center in 2014, and has since served in a variety of volunteer and staff roles within Education and Communications. She joined the Education team full-time in September 2018. Her current work at Portland Audubon is a reflection of her varied background: a degree in Secondary Education from Ball State University in Indiana, a middle school humanities and science teacher, and a love for storytelling through writing and photography.
Tara is deeply committed to environmental education and bringing people together to protect the natural world. Outside of work, you can find Tara birding all over the Pacific Northwest, soaking in hot springs, photographing wildlife, working on her gold certified Backyard Habitat, and spending time with her husband Rob and pups, Finley and Rio.
Joe Liebezeit
Interim Statewide Conservation Director
jliebezeit@audubonportland.org
Joe has worked for the Audubon Society of Portland 2013 acting as the Staff Scientist & Avian Conservation Manager and leads their Community Science and Coastal Marine Programs. Joe’s work crosses conservation science, policy and outreach disciplines. Prior to his position with Portland Audubon, Joe worked for the Wildlife Conservation Society leveraging on-the-ground science efforts to protect wildlife in Arctic Alaska. Joe received his Bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire and a Master’s Degree in Wildlife Management from Humboldt State University. Joe has lived in the northwest for over 25 years and in Portland since 2005. In his free time he enjoys family time, playing and listening to music, exploring natural areas, and of course, bird watching!
Connie Lo, DVM
Wildlife Care Center Veterinarian
Born and raised in Edison, New Jersey, Connie grew up with too many budgies and a subscription to Bird Talk. She eventually moved to California and completed her undergraduate education at the University of California, San Diego prior to receiving her veterinary degree at University of California, Davis with a zoological/exotic animal focus. While completing her education, she pursued volunteer work and training programs through a variety of wildlife rehabilitation centers and zoos. She has been at Portland Audubon since Fall 2018. Connie frequents the outdoors and feels wildlife rehabilitation and conservation provide an opportunity to be in touch with nature and the environment, while allowing us to take responsibility for our inevitable impact on the ecosystem. She also enjoys long distance trail running (especially with her border collie, Deckard), backpacking with an oversized pack, yoga, reading tragic novels, and experimental vegan cooking.
JP Marchetti-Mendez
Backyard Habitat Certification Program Coordinator
jmarchettimendez@audubonportland.org
JP joined us as the Backyard Habitat Certification Program Assistant in 2017 after volunteering for Portland Audubon for almost a year. In this hybrid position, JP splits his time between the Portland Audubon and the Columbia Land Trust offices. JP grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, and although he lived in the city, he has always surrounded himself with plants and animals. He kept a vivarium with poison dart frogs and tropical plants for a few years, but currently only cares for a cat named Michi, some Hawaiian red shrimp, earthworms in his vermicomposting bins, a corn snake, and the wild birds that visit his feeders. JP speaks English, Portuguese, and Spanish. He has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Concordia University and over 13 years of varied clerical experience. JP enjoys hiking, camping, creating artistic projects, volunteering, and being part of the Burning Man community.
Kilee Mendiola
Marketing and Social Media Associate
kmendiola@audubonportland.org
Kilee was born and raised on the U.S island territory of Guam in Micronesia, and she is proud to be indigenous CHamoru and Palauan. Growing up Kilee witnessed first-hand colonization and militarization’s impact on Guam’s environment, wildlife, history, and communities. Therefore, she is passionate about environmental and wildlife conservation and working together with BIPOC communities to learn and share their stories. Kilee attended the University of Nevada, Reno where she received a BA in Journalism and Film Studies. While working on a student public relations project with Galena Creek Regional Park in Reno, she became inspired to eventually work in environmental and wildlife conservation. Kilee placed her aspiration on hold to further develop her marketing and communications skills through freelance work and a position at an equity-focused cannabis technology company, Blackbird.
Kilee accomplished her enduring dream of moving to Portland in 2021, exchanging the high deserts of Nevada for old growth forests in Oregon. She is grateful to live in what she calls a “natural wonderland” around diverse wildlife and some of the friendliest people on earth. Kilee is ecstatic to join Portland Audubon and dedicate her skills to the organization. When she’s not viewing social media videos of otters and bunnies, Kilee thoroughly enjoys watching films and documentaries about nature, true crime, and sociology. She also loves making art, listening to NPR, exploring Oregon’s forests, and playing video games with her partner.
Micah Meskel
Interim Urban Conservation Director
mmeskel@audubonportland.org
Micah began volunteering with Portland Audubon at the Wildlife Care Center in 2010, and has served in a variety of staff roles within the conservation and care center programs before becoming the Activist Program Manager in 2018. Micah was born and raised in Portland and attended the University of Oregon and earned a degree in Economics. In his current role, Micah manages Portland Audubon’s activist program, works on a variety of local and statewide policy issues, and represents Portland Audubon on various committee and coalitions. Away from work, Micah enjoys anything that involves the outdoors, whether it’s kayaking on the Willamette, biking and running around town, hiking in the region’s vast wilderness, or gardening in his backyard. One constant in all of these outdoor activities is that his eye is always to the sky, keeping track of the abundant wildlife activity in our region.
Charles Milne
Director of Development
cmilne@audubonportland.org
Charles’ 15-year career started with his founding and leadership of the nonprofit LGBT Resource Center at the University of Utah. At Planned Parenthood of the Columbia Willamette, Charles was manager of a $1.5 million annual giving program. Most recently, Charles served as Director of Development for Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest, where he developed and implemented an expansive development plan incorporating many of the investments and best practices of fundraising, including expanded foundation support, and the use of data and metrics to improve effectiveness and accountability. An avid hiker from Utah, Charles is passionate about improving the quality of life for all through connections with nature and removing barriers to reach all communities. He is also an experienced advocate and public speaker, who has championed important causes in challenging environments.
Katie Newton
Ambassador Animal Care and Outreach Coordinator
knewton@audubonportland.org
Originally from southwest Florida, Katie fell in love with birds while interning at the Tracy Aviary. She later moved to Boise, where she worked at a veterinary emergency and specialty center and bird rehabilitation clinic. After shifting her focus to conservation, Katie has kept busy with migratory songbird banding, ground squirrel monitoring, and helping with multiple conservation projects in Madagascar.
Katie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from New College of Florida, where she focused on animal cognition and studied dolphin vocalizations. Additionally, Katie is pursuing a Professional Science Master’s in Fisheries and Wildlife Administration at Oregon State University.
When not working or studying, you can find Katie rock climbing, crocheting, hiking, marathoning movies and TV shows, or exploring new restaurants with her husband. Katie loves talking with others about wildlife and she’s excited to help Portland Audubon’s mission through conservation outreach.
Katherine Noble
Backyard Habitat Program Co-Manager
knoble@audubonportland.org
Born and raised in Oregon, Katherine has spent over 8 years working with nonprofits in the Portland area with a focus on advocacy and community engagement. She received her B.A. in Child and Family Studies, with a minor in Spanish, from Portland State University. While her prior professional work was within the social services sector, in her free time she could usually be found surrounded by trees, somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. From volunteering with the Forest Park Conservancy to taking college and community classes, Katherine is always looking for ways to expand her knowledge and skill set with a focus on the natural world. Her hobbies include: hiking, backpacking, plant identification, creating nature inspired art, and reading a variety of books with her indoor rescue cat, Merlin.
Megan Ouchida
Philanthropy Advisor
mouchida@audubonportland.org
Megan was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, where she grew up exploring all that the beautiful Pacific Northwest has to offer. As a child, she was often found climbing trees, catching critters, or creating clubs with her friends to raise money for those in need. Having developed a passion for animals and nature throughout her childhood, she went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Portland State University in hopes of creating a healthier, more sustainable world.
Megan joined the development team in 2018 and loves being a part of the important work Portland Audubon does. In her free time, Megan enjoys hiking, camping, making music, film photography and cycling. She also enjoys spending quality time with loved ones and her mini labradoodle, Penny.
Emily Pinkowitz
Director of Education
epinkowitz@audubonportland.org
Emily joined Portland Audubon in 2019 after fifteen years building equity in public spaces in New York and California. As Director of Programming at the Wildlife Conservation Society, she worked with teams at five parks across New York to implement an inclusive, audience-driven approach to teaching and learning, and spearheaded a city-wide initiative to democratize access to STEM career training for 1,400 youth. As Director of Programs & Education at Friends of the High Line during the park’s first six years, she initiated programs for all ages and launched economic justice initiatives in partnership with local public housing residents. Previously, she has worked as an educator and researcher at the Oakland Museum of California, the Exploratorium, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, the Queens Museum, and Four Freedoms Park. She holds an MA in Museum Studies from NYU, and currently serves on the Board of the national Museum Educators Roundtable.
Deborah Rochford
Membership Manager
drochford@audubonportland.org
Deborah was born and raised in Oklahoma while also living part of the year in Mexico with family. She attended the University of Oklahoma and is a diehard Sooners fan. Moving to Portland in 1999 she instantly fell in love with all the Pacific Northwest had to offer. Although a vast change from the Great Plains she felt right at home among the trees, mountains and hills. Deborah has worked in non profit development and fundraising for almost twenty years, including in higher education at Marylhurst University and in public radio with All Classical Portland. Most recently Deborah spent the pandemic helping local businesses and the city, working with business associations
Emily Schnipper
Nature Store Clerk
eschnipper@audubonportland.org
Emily joined Portland Audubon in April 2022. She studied theater and worked in the music business before joining the nonprofit sector, first in San Francisco and then in Portland. Emily has most recently worked in Peer Wellness, resident services for people in affordable housing, and a vocational training program. She started birding as a child with her mom in New Jersey, and still enjoys bird-watching and making bird-related art. In her free time Emily also enjoys geocaching, writing poetry, and visiting all of Portland’s independent bookstores.
Sarah Swanson
Event Manager
sswanson@audubonportland.org
Sarah is a lifelong Oregonian and avid birder. She has a BA in Biology from University of Oregon and a Master’s of Public Administration from Portland State University. She has written two books about local birds, the most recent of which is a just-released guide to Oregon Coast birds. Sarah’s favorite places are the Oregon Coast and central Oregon, and she enjoys traveling there with her husband and their dog. In her non-birding time, Sarah enjoys embroidery and cross stitch and reading mysteries. Sarah has been a part of Portland Audubon as a staff member, volunteer, and contractor at various times since 2006 and she is excited to be back on staff.
Kesia Tosh
Senior Educator, School Partnerships Specialist
ktosh@audubonportland.org
Kesia has worked in environmental education for 10 years and is one of the newest
additions to Portland Audubon. She grew up in Beaverton, Oregon and loves working
with all of the diverse communities that the Portland area is made up of. Her passion is
engaging and connecting families and students from different backgrounds to nature.
When she’s not working with us, Kesia is a basketball coach and an avid fan. She loves
spending time outside on warmer days, hiking, reading and watching movies with her
dog.
Andrés Umaña
Senior Educator, Camps Specialist
aumana@audubonportland.org
Andrés is native to the highlands of Colombia, a temperate, rainy and mountainous zone in the Andes that resembles the Pacific Northwest in weather and vegetation. At a young age he moved to Texas to complete his studies in Biology, with emphasis on Biochemistry. During the next decade he worked in different industries ranging from R&D chemistry labs to finance, as well as international development and education. In the end, his devotion for nature combined with his interest in sustainability and the well-being of native communities, led him to study a Master’s in Environmental Management at Los Andes University. He then launched a successful ecotourism business built on sustainable practices, that to this date, has taken thousands of international visitors to dreamy natural destinations in his native Colombia. Andrés moved to Oregon recently and is excited to further his career in environmental education with Portland Audubon. He brings nearly two decades of experience to the table and hopes to instill a sense of belonging, compassion and urgent care for our natural world in younger generations under an equity lens.
Andrés uses any spare time he has to travel, see and experience new places with friends and family. He also enjoys playing and coaching soccer and follows cycling and boxing matches closely. He cherishes Latin American music, food, colors and dancing.
Abby VanLeuven
School, Youth & Family Programs Manager
avanleuven@audubonportland.org
Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Abby grew up exploring and growing to love all of the beauty and learning that the natural world has to offer. As an avid participant of Outdoor School as a child and teenager she understood first hand how important having spaces outside the classroom are to creating learning opportunities for all children. After trying many different career paths in geology, grassroots organizing, and field research, the world of Environmental Education kept bringing her back in.
Abby started at Portland Audubon in 2017 as a seasonal educator before joining the staff full time that same year. Over the last few years Abby has worked to build out Portland Audubon’s Outdoor School Program and partnerships with Clean Water Services, USFW, ELSO inc and more! She loves working with partners to make programming student specific and engaging to students from all over Portland and is excited to keep progressing this work as the Youth, Family and School Programs Manager.
In her free time you can find Abby backpacking, playing Ultimate Frisbee, gardening and snuggling with her cat!
Stuart Wells
Executive Director
sawells@audubonportland.org
Stuart was born in Logansport, Indiana, but moved to Arizona with his parents when he was a teenager. While Indiana sparked his love of nature and the outdoors, Arizona’s diverse ecotypes helped shape his interests in wildlife conservation and the environment.
Stuart obtained his Bachelor’s of Science in Zoology from Northern Arizona University, his Masters of Science from George Mason University, and his Ph.D. in Wildlife Conservation is near completion from the University of Arizona.
While much of Stuart’s career involves working in Zoos, his focus has always been on species conservation and actively participating in field conservation. His work at the Smithsonian National Zoo focused on developing reproductive strategies for the endangered cheetah to improve managed care reproduction. Stuart has developed propagation for release programs for many endangered taxa, including cactus ferriginous pygmy owls, masked bobwhite quails, black-footed ferrets, and Mt. Graham red squirrels. He also participated in the Arabian Oryx breeding program, which is credited for saving the oryx from extinction in the wild.
He has held several leadership roles within Government and NGOs and worked as a Wildlife Biologist at US Fish and Wildlife Service administering the Endangered Species Act.
When Stuart is not working, you will likely find him capturing the beautiful landscape and wildlife of Oregon through photography, playing pool or racquetball, and exploring the endless hiking trails of Portland with his dog Odin.
“One reason that I am so excited to join Portland Audubon is the dedication and passion that all of the people who work here have for understanding what species need to survive, seeking ways to maintain habitats necessary for their continued existence, and helping the Oregon community embrace bird species, and all wildlife conservation efforts.”
Teresa Wicks
Eastern Oregon Field Coordinator
twicks@audubonportland.org
x̣est sx̣lx̣alt! Teresa joined Portland Audubon in April 2018. In her role as Eastern Oregon Field Coordinator, Teresa works on avian conservation and monitoring, policy and collaboration work, and connecting folks from Harney County and throughout Oregon to birds and the conservation work being done throughout the Harney Basin. Teresa spent her childhood roaming the forests of Southern Oregon while her father climbed trees. Her early-childhood obsession with birds led to a lifetime full of birds and nature, and earned her the nickname Bird. Teresa has a B.S. in Natural Resources and Wildlife Conservation, an M.S. in Environmental Education, and a PhD in Environmental Science from OSU. Teresa has fallen in love with Harney County and can’t get enough of the sagebrush scented air and juniper speckled hills. In her spare time, Teresa enjoys exploring new places with her wife and dogs, reading, picking wild berries, and sewing fanciful creations for her many nieces and nephews. Teresa co-founded the Rural Alliance for Diversity and is active in Indigenous activism and working to dismantle white supremacy in rural Oregon.
Camelia Zollars
Educator, Public Programs & Partnerships Specialist
czollars@audubonportland.org
Camelia is a new addition to the Portland Audubon team, joining in January 2022. She grew up surrounded by Joshua Trees in the high desert of Southern California, with the majority of her life never exploring the outdoors. This changed in 2015 when she began working for a historic nature center in Northern California. It was there she began learning about the natural world around her, especially birds. She became filled with wonder and curiosity.
Camelia has studied African Studies at the University of Ghana and obtained a BS degree in Business Management and Leadership from Portland State University. During this time, she also completed a yearlong internship with the PSU Outdoor Leadership Development program.
Before joining Portland Audubon’s staff, Camelia worked for Portland Parks and Recreation leading and providing direct service for the Senior Recreation program, SUN Community Schools, and north Portland community centers. She has experience working with victims of sexual violence and human trafficking, youth in the foster care system, and communities very different than her own.
When she is not working, Camelia can often be found on leisurely bird walks, reading books, and sharing a meal with her community. She enjoys trying new dance classes, eating breakfast burritos, and drinking coffee with her husband.
