It is a pleasure to introduce myself and an honor to share with you some of the reasons why I am so very excited to be a part of the Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory. I believe that, together, we can – and we must — do more than we ever imagined.

I am retired from Ripon College, where I had the good fortune of being involved in many aspects of fundraising, including annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, as well as an endowment and a capital campaign. As a board member, I am excited to take this experience and combine it with the extraordinary talents of the Observatory's staff and volunteers, who demonstrate their dedication to its critically important work every day.

Like you, I have always been passionate about the environment. Nature has been my life-long friend and is at the center of the reflective and recreational activities that my family and I most enjoy. As an undergraduate, I was immensely fortunate to be a student of Dr. William S. (Bill) Brooks, ornithologist and ecologist. If he were still with us, I know that Bill would jump at the opportunity to be a part of the mission-critical work of the Observatory.