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Audubon Wyoming Staff

Dusty Downey is a senior Community Naturalists for Audubon Wyoming. Dusty, who was born and raised on a ranch in Northeast Wyoming, graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. After college, he worked a variety of jobs including ground fish observer in Alaska’s Bering Sea, biological technician for the U.S. Forest Service in the Greater Yellowstone, and marine biology instructor on Catalina Island where he met his wife Jacelyn. Before coming to Audubon, Dusty was involved with the direction and coordination of education programs as the Marine Education Associate for the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium and served as the Education Coordinator of the Cache Creek Nature Preserve in Woodland, CA. He brings his teaching experience and love for children to the position as he strives to give Wyoming students high quality education programs.
   
Jacelyn Downeylives on a ranch near Keyhole Lake with her husband and serves as a senior Community Naturalist for Wyoming. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Science degree in aquatic biology. She has a very diverse employment history that includes teaching marine biology at the Catalina Island Marine Institute, managing a lodge in Alaska, working as an Aquarist in the husbandry department for the New Orleans Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, and working as a veterinary technician near Davis, CA. Jacelyn’s passion and enthusiasm for nature is matched only by the depth of her experiences. As one of the Community Naturalists, Jacelyn hopes to connect the community with the amazing flora and fauna of the region. Her mission is to protect our way of life while preserving the integrity of our natural system.
   
Alison Lyon-Holloran is the Deputy Executive Director for Audubon Wyoming. She began working for Audubon Wyoming in February 2001. Alison is responsible for planning and executing all conservation and science programs Audubon Wyoming is involved in including: the Important Bird Areas (IBA) of Wyoming; Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship; and Greater Sage-grouse lek monitoring programs. Before working for Audubon, Alison was a research scientist for the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Wyoming. Alison also received her master’s degree in Zoology and Physiology from University of Wyoming and her bachelors of science in wildlife management from University of West Virginia. She also served as a wildlands promoter in the United States Peace Corps in Honduras from 1994-1996. Alison enjoys any activity that takes her outdoors including hiking, bird watching, hunting, skiing, and running.
   
Brian Rutledge began his duties as Audubon Wyoming Executive Director in March 2005. He has served as an instructor and interpreter since childhood, leading Eco-tours to many corners of the globe. Brian brings a wealth of knowledge of non-profit organizations and conservation to the Audubon team. He served for five years as the President/Chief Executive Officer of Zoo New England and was Executive Director of the Maryland Zoological Society for thirteen years. He has designed and developed entertaining and exciting exhibits, interpretive graphics, and innovative, interactive devices for the general public. For many years, Brian and his wife Kathleen have made their permanent home on the Front Range of the Rockies. Fascination with cutting horses, sled dogs and cattle has melded well with their love of the outdoors.
   
Lynn Jones joined Audubon Wyoming in October of 2007 as Office Manager. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in international relations and received her MBA from the University of Wyoming. She has taught business classes as an adjunct instructor at Laramie County Community College for over 10 years. She has developed several businesses over her career including an advertising agency, a business consulting firm and a bridal business. She enjoys her extensive garden and backyard bird habitat. She loves all types of crafts, painting, fly fishing, being a rock hound and Labrador retrievers. She has lived in Laramie for 18 years with her husband Bill.
   
Kevin Doherty is the new senior sagebrush ecologist for Audubon Wyoming. Kevin comes to Audubon with a wide variety of biological research experience including, 4 years field technician experience with a wide variety of avian species, and 6 years graduate education leading to a M.S. in wildlife conservation with a minor in statistics from the University of Minnesota and a PhD in wildlife conservation at The University of Montana that will be completed this winter. Kevin’s biological interests include linking habitat selection to fitness, large scale habitat ecology and GIS methods, and the consequences of anthropogenic change. Kevin comes to Audubon to put these interests to good use by developing conservation planning tools and management decision support for sage-grouse and other key species of the sagebrush ecosystem.
   

Wanda Peters loved catching grasshoppers and lightening bugs and hearing the crickets and birds. They were part of her everyday life growing up in her Eastern Pennsylvania childhood home. Wanda graduated Prescott College in Arizona with a degree in Environmental Education/Natural History. Sharing nature with others became her passion and her life’s work. She has been a classroom teacher in alternative schools, park ranger for the National Park Service in both Prescott and Flagstaff, Arizona, freelance environmental educator, naturalist, and residential outdoor school program coordinator in Washington State, site supervisor for Northwest Regional Outdoor Science School on the Oregon coast, and a trip leader for an eco tour company in the northwest. Her favorite job though is being mom to two wonderful daughters, Krista, 24 who lives and studies in London, and Kelly age 22, who is attending Whitworth University in Spokane, WA.

Wanda would like to invite and encourage you all to visit or revisit the Audubon Center at Garden Creek, where there’s always birds at the bird feeders and a few squirrels, raccoons and deer as well.

   

Daly Edmunds is the new Regional Policy Coordinator for Audubon Wyoming, based out of Laramie. In this brand new position, Daly is responsible for furthering the Sagebrush Ecosystem Initiative on a regional scale - providing valuable opportunities to work with government representatives, elected officials, conservation organizations, and community leaders throughout Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Those in the Saratoga Valley may begin to recognize Daly around town. She’ll be working with members of the community on various projects oriented around the neighboring sagebrush landscape and the rich bird and wildlife community that it supports.

Daly received her master's in Zoology and Physiology from the University of Wyoming, on pronghorn antelope research in southwestern Wyoming. Prior to joining Audubon in 2009, she worked for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, National Wildlife Federation, and Wyoming Wildlife Federation. In her spare time Daly enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing, attempting to capture wildlife with a camera, and camping with family & friends.

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