Staff Profiles
Joanne Fitzgerald - Development
Coordinator, Before joining Audubon, Joanne worked for
many years in non-profit fundraising and communications for
other organizations, including United Way, Big Brothers-Big
Sisters, a library, and a community hospital. She has always
been drawn to work that involves helping people and/or our
natural world. Joanne administers all areas of fund development
at Audubon, including individual, corporate and foundation
giving. She explains that one of the most rewarding parts
of her job is working with great people who are donors and
volunteers. She and her family live in Fayston Vermont, where
they enjoy all kinds of outdoor recreation, and taking in
Vermont’s beautiful nature and wildlife.
Jennifer Gilson - Office Manager,
Jen brings to this organization her life long love of the
outdoors and everything in it. She attended Hampshire College
in Amherst, MA, and graduated with a degree in Environmental
Studies with an Emphasis in Aquatics. Prior to joining Audubon
in 2003, Jen was gaining experience in office, network and
business management with the Catamount Trail Association,
The Onion River Coop and several other small businesses in
Burlington, VT. She is now living with her partner John Neville
and son Otis in Waterbury Center. When not at work ensuring
the smooth operations of Audubon Vermont, she can be found
in her garden, working on the never ending house renovations
or she might be found cooking up a feast for family and friends.
Kim Guertin - Center Director,
Kim began her work with Audubon as a Maple Sugaring Program
volunteer in February of 1999. She has since become the first
National Audubon certified Teacher Naturalist in the country
and coordinates and leads education programs at the Green
Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington. Kim graduated from
the University of Vermont with a B.S. in Environmental Studies,
with a concentration in Environmental Education. She also
studied wildlife, conservation and ecology with the School
For International Training in Arusha, Tanzania. Kim lives
with her husband Jesse in North Duxbury. She enjoys traveling,
telemark skiing, yoga, and drinking coffee by her woodstove.
Jim Shallow - Conservation and
Policy Director, He is a resident of Richmond, Vermont.
He has worked on conservation issues in Vermont for eighteen
years. Prior to taking on the job of Conservation and Policy
Director, Jim was the first executive director of Audubon
Vermont form 1997 to 2005. Before coming to Audubon he was
the Forest Program Director at the Vermont Natural Resources
Council. In his current position, Jim is leading Audubon Vermont’s
Forest Bird Initiative which is working to conserve the forests
of Vermont and New England to maintain their role as globally
important breeding habitat for neo-tropical migratory birds.
Kristen Sharpless – Teacher/Naturalist,
Kristen graduated with a Master's Degree in Botany from the
University of Vermont's Field Naturalist Program in 2007 and
received a BA in Biology as an undergraduate student. She
is certified to teach Life Sciences in Vermont public schools
and has taught science to students in classrooms and outdoors
in New England, Pennsylvania, and Colorado. Kristen has also
worked as an Assistant Forester in Franklin County and a Consulting
Naturalist in the towns of Warren and Eden. Kristen’s
work at Audubon focuses on coordinating and teaching our school
programs and developing new community outreach programs that
are aligned with our conservation goals. When she is not outdoors
teaching, Kristen enjoys hunting for swimming holes, salsa
dancing, and eating dark chocolate.
Mike Simpson – Teacher/Naturalist
and Director of Day Camps, Mike graduated with a B.S.
in Environmental Resource Management from The Pennsylvania
State University in 2003. Prior to joining Audubon Vermont
in April of 2007, Mike taught school field trips, preschool
programs, and worked in the farmyard at Shelburne Farms. His
work at Audubon consists of developing and delivering preschool
and school programs as well as directing the day camps in
the summer. Mike has a passion for reading, snowboarding,
and gardening, but finds the greatest joy in strumming a guitar
by the campfire with good friends. He lives with his wife,
Corinne, and pets in South Burlington.
Mark LaBarr - Conservation Biologist/Land
Steward, Mark has been with Audubon for more than 9 years.
His work includes coordinating the Vermont Common Tern Recovery
Project, the Green Mountain Audubon Center bird banding station
and the Audubon Vermont Conservation Internship Program. He
has worked on bird projects from Hawaii to Belize studying
everything from albatrosses to catbirds. Mark also oversees
the stewardship needs at the Green Mountain Audubon Center.
Mark has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of
Vermont and a Masters in Education from St. Michael's College.
He lives in Huntington with his wife Jen and their 2 children,
Owein and Mae.
Doug Parker - Executive Director,
Doug has been involved in conservation for over 17 years,
undertaking conservation efforts in three different states.
As the State Director for The Nature Conservancy in Rhode
Island, he led a successful effort that involved a broad array
of public and private partners in the completion of a multi-year
initiative that resulted in the protection of thousandsof
acres and the conservation of community character around the
state. The initiative involved a successful private capital
campaign of $55 million, matched by over $100 million in public
funding for conservation. Doug has also worked in international
development in developing countries and in banking. He has
a graduate degree from Yale.
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