Audubon Ohio Staff Roster

Jerry Tinianow, Executive Director

Jerry has served as the Executive Director of Audubon Ohio since 2003. As the Executive Director he is responsible for the state office along with all Audubon programs in Ohio. Jerry has been an active conservationist for years beginning his involvement with the Sierra Club while in law school. He was selected as one of 100 national "Environmental Heroes" by the Sierra Club in connection with its Centennial Celebration. A graduate from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Jerry obtained a degree in International Affairs and continued his education at GWU to receive a law degree. Jerry is a sincere environmentalist and a great resource to have on the Audubon Ohio staff. Jerry is married to Sharon Tinianow and a proud father of two sons.

Christie Vargo, Director of Development

Christie, the Director of Development for Audubon Ohio, is a tremendous asset to our office. A degree in Zoology and a Masters in Public Administration combined with years of experience in research, fundraising, capital campaigns and the working with the environment makes Christie perfect for her job with Audubon Ohio. Christie's duties include statewide fundraising and the campaign for the Columbus Audubon Center, as well as community relations, planning functions for the future of Audubon Ohio, and budgeting. She also serves as a member of the Rotary Club of Columbus and is on the Earth Share of Ohio Board. Away from the office, Christie enjoys nature photography, biking, hiking, cross country skiing and reading.

John Ritzenthaler, Director of Habitat Conservation

John, a dedicated Audubon staff member for more than 20 years, is Director of Habitat Conservation and coordinates Audubon Ohio's Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program. He also works with policy issues as the staff representative for the Conservation Committee. A graduate of Hobart College, John studied biology and has taken graduate courses at various universities. John is a birder and also enjoys other outdoor recreational activities.

Ellen Armstrong, Office Manager

Ellen, an Audubon Ohio employee since 2003, serves as the Office Manager. Ellen is a graduate of The Ohio State University and has her degree in Classical Humanities. She is now working towards a Masters in Library Science. .

Kelly Brown, Development Associate

As the newest member of the Audubon Ohio, Development Associate Kelly Brown is thrilled to use her development skills to contribute to the Development department.

Kelly most recently worked for The Ohio Business Week Foundation as the development officer. In her spare time, Kelly serves as the recorder and website chairperson for The Junior League of Columbus. Also, Kelly volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Ohio Business Week, and The Central Ohio Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Kelly holds a BA in Communications from Mercyhurst College and MS in Marketing and Communications from Franklin University.

Casey Tucker, Audubon At Home Education Specialist

Casey, an Ohio native and graduate of Miami University, serves as the Education Specialist for Audubon and is tasked with the responsibility of providing outreach, education, and training opportunities for adults on a variety of different topics including Audubon At Home and bird conservation in Important Bird Areas (IBA).Casey began his tenure with Audubon as a member and leader of the Oxford Audubon Society (now Audubon Miami Valley). A birdwatcher and photographer, some of his most memorable moments in the field including seeing the second North American record of a White-throated Robin in Texas, visiting Arkansas in search of ever elusive Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, birding in Alaska, and walking in the footsteps of Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher at the Northern Gannet colony of Cape St. Mary's Eco-Reserve in Newfoundland; 50 years after those two naturalists first visited in 1953. Casey has taken great strides since his start at Audubon Ohio in 2003.  Aside from being the first full-time Audubon At Home employee in the nation, he also received the ACE (Audubon Cares about Excellence) Award in his first year with Audubon Ohio for his work with the Audubon At Home initiative.

Heather Starck, Grange Insurance Audubon Center Director

Heather, a member of the Audubon Ohio staff since 2004, has a variety of duties in the Audubon Ohio office. Officially titled the Grange Insurance Audubon Center Director, she heads all programs relating to the new center including fundraising, working with the development and design of the center, planning and implementing education programs, building and maintaining community partnerships, and serving as a liaison between Audubon Ohio, Metro Parks and the City of Columbus. Heather loves to travel and has lived all over the world including Australia, Costa Rica and New Zealand. She also enjoys hiking, scuba diving, and spending time with her daughter.

Doreen Whitley, School Programs Coordinator / Educator for the Grange Insurance Audubon Center

As a former program manager and educator for Audubon in Brooklyn, NY and in Miami, FL she has a history of and enjoys working with urban youth. She has also worked with children suffering from severe emotional disturbance as a middle school science teacher in the Bedford Styvesant area of Brooklyn, NY.

After graduating from Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, FL, Doreen’s passion and knowledge of the Florida Everglades led her to the Big Cypress Swamp in Ochopee, FL, where she worked as an interpretive park ranger through the Student Conservation Association. She loves the great outdoors but finds the subtleties and challenges of teaching urban ecology particularly rewarding.

Marnie Urso, Grassroots Coordinator

Marnie joined Audubon Ohio in 2005 as its first Grassroots Coordinator. She works from her home in a Cleveland suburb to recruit, train and guide volunteers who support Audubon Ohio’s advocacy work on a variety of conservation issues. Marnie is an experienced organizer, having served for five years as the Ohio State Director of the National League of Conservation Voters. While with LCV she operated the Sustainable Ohio Action Partnership, an electronic advocacy network that generated thousands of messages to public officials in support of numerous conservation policy initiatives. When she is not marshalling the forces of good for conservation, Marnie enjoys hiking and camping with her husband, David Kriska, and her two daughters.