meet the board

I inherited my interest in birds from my father. Growing up in Southeast Iowa, Audubon Christmas Bird Counts were a feature of a complete holiday season. Over the years, my passion for birds has developed and often marked milestones and core memories in my life: from seeing Gray-crowned Rosy Finches on Mt. Rainier, to gazing at Great Gray Owls with my father in Sax Zim Bog, to watching the local Wild Turkey flocks walk through our front yard in South Minneapolis with my wife. These moments and others like them have allowed me to develop my relationship with these birds past an affinity to one where I want to understand their needs and advocate for them.

Professionally, I have worked as an actuary for over a decade. This has afforded me a wealth of varied experiences and expertise within the financial services space. I look forward to marrying my skills and expertise in the financial realm with my passion for birds and conservation.

Since I was a child, I had a fascination with birds, the American Robin being my favorite. I then fell in love with raptors due to their power and grace. I want to help spread the joy that I have derived from birding to more and more people! Without thoughtful conservation, it will be nearly impossible to encounter the birds we desire to observe; without thoughtful conservation, birds won’t be able to be seen by people, and it’s the people who will keep moving conservation forward.

I loved birds growing up, but did not begin birding until I hiked the Appalachian Trail at the ago of 40—listening to and learning warbler calls helped keep me going mile after mile. Since then, I’ve brought my passion for birding and nature to Powderhorn Park, where I bird on a daily basis. I’ve also recently changed careers to natural resources management, where I’m learning about protecting natural habitat for birds and other animals and plants.

As a science communicator, I love to engage the curiosity of people who notice and appreciate birds, but may not identify as birders. My enthusiasm for helping strengthen people’s connection to the outdoors originates in Morocco's Atlas Mountains where I spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer collaborating with teachers to develop environmental education and science curricula.

The vibrant world of birds beckons us to a richer, more immersive experience in our backyard and urban environments-through my work with Audubon I strive to extend this invitation to an ever-widening range of audiences.

Birds have been a constant source of joy in my life and being able to protect birds in our urban cities is a goal of mine as both a city planner and landscape architect. My passion for bird conservation began as a child, raising money for the brown pelicans effected by the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill, and I have carried this passion into my adulthood. As a Master of Landscape Architecture student, birds have a special place in every project I work on. Whether that be an entire garden dedicated to pigeon nesting or a humble pond for geese to land, birds always have a place in my work and my heart.

As a dedicated board member of the Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis, I bring three decades of personal passion and expertise in birding. With a lifelong enjoyment of birding and a deep commitment to conservation, I actively engage in habitat restoration efforts, utilizing native plants to create vital bird habitats. My legal background, combined with a BA and MS in biology and a certificate in ecological restoration, equips me with a unique perspective to address complex conservation issues. I am particularly passionate about advocating for bird welfare, with a keen focus on mitigating window strikes, addressing cat predation, and combatting habitat destruction and degradation. Through my multifaceted approach to advocacy and conservation, I am dedicated to ensuring a sustainable future for our avian companions.