About Us

Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary Staff

, Center Director ext 109

Since receiving a degree in environmental studies from UC Santa Barbara in 1992, Brooke has been helping people connect with nature from the tops of Rocky Mountains, to the Great Barrier Reef and everywhere in between. Brooke has been with Audubon for 11 years in 5 offices and 3 states, and finds Audubon to be the perfect niche for her dual passions—people and the outdoors. Since becoming director here at Richardson Bay, Brooke has enjoyed building an advisory board, learning the new skills of staff and budget management.

Other than exploring the natural side of Marin with her husband, Brooke enjoys spicy food, red wines and good novels.

, Office Manager, ext 113

Gretchen is a Bay Area native who has lived in several states but finds herself drawn back to Marin because of its beauty and proximity to water. Gretchen studied environmental planning at Univ. Pennsylvania (receiving a Masters degree) and took a semester to focus on coastal studies at the Yale School of Forestry. She has lead workshops and given presentations on ecopsychology and water resources management, was a co-author of The Web of Life Imperative, and has written a children’s story.

In addition to her green side, Gretchen comes from a family of successful entrepreneurs, which explains her practical side as well as her affinity for organizing and managing budgets. Gretchen also enjoys meeting and helping people, which makes the Audubon Center a perfect roost for her to land.  In between things, Gretchen enjoys hiking on the Mountain, boating, teaching fitness, cooking, hanging out with friends, and playing with her two boys.

 

, Bay Ecologist, ext 104

Kathi recently completed her Ph.D. at the University of Arizona where she studied the effects of seasonal changes in plant growth (phenology), food availability, predator behavior, and temperature on the ability of forest songbirds to successfully raise their offspring. Kathi also studied the response of birds and mammals to habitat restoration in montane meadows and riparian areas around Lake Tahoe, CA. She helped develop restoration strategies and monitored the response of wildlife to restoration for the past five years. Kathi completed her Masters degree at the Ohio State University in 2002 where she examined the effects of urbanization on the probability of invasion by non-native plants in forest patches and, in turn, how non-native plants influence nesting success of forest songbirds. Prior to working towards her degrees Kathi spent four years studying birds, plants, and amphibians across the U.S. Although much of Kathi’s experience has been in terrestrial ecosystems she is thrilled to experience and work in marine ecosystems. Kathi is an avid bird watcher and nature enthusiast. She enjoys numerous outdoor activities, backpacking, live music, cooking, and craft projects of all kinds.

, Marine Research Assistant, ext 108

Lara studied Biochemistry at Earlham College with the hopes of attending veterinary school. Since moving to San Francisco in 1995, she has been lured away from this idea by the ocean and the rich mud of the estuary. She has worked as a naturalist and aquarist for a local aquarium and as a surveyor for Pacific States Marine Fisheries. Lara divides her time between Audubon and the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve where she works as a monitoring technician. She is an avid scuba diver and spends as much time as possible in or on the water.

, Sanctuary Manager, ext 101

Kerry studied Biology at Tufts University and San Francisco State University, and has spent the last decade studying birds throughout the U.S., Mexico, and during a much-too-brief stint on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In addition to providing for general maintenance here at the Center, he oversees bird banding, waterbird surveys and the removal of non-native vegetation.

, Education Director, ext 111

Wendy Dalia is a coastal marine ecologist by training, receiving a BS and MA in Marine Science/Biology. With over 16 years of experience, Wendy has enjoyed leading and developing environmental education programs for children ages 2 through college. She has worked with a diversity of great environmental organizations including the Marine Science Institute, Redwood City, CA, Massachusetts Audubon’s Blue Hills Reservation, and the New England Aquarium.

, Teacher Naturalist and Blackie’s Student Brigade Coordinator, ext 107

Mindy has been doing environmental education in the Bay Area for the past 6 years. Mindy has been inspired by the natural world since childhood as she grew up playing among the redwood trees. This passion for our planet has lead her to be an environmental educator so she can ignite this excitement in kids and adults in the community. Her background in biology and marine science, and her commitment to connecting people to their world makes her a great Teacher Naturalist for Richardson Bay.