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About Us
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About Us
Audubon Wyoming Staff
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Dusty
Downey is one of the Community Naturalists for northeast
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
include the Gillette Community with Audubon Wyoming education
programs. |
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Jacelyn
Downey lives on a ranch near Keyhole Lake with her
husband and serves as a Community Naturalist for Northeast
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 Northeast
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. |
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Larry
Keffer is an assistant at Audubon Center at Garden
Creek. Larry has been active with Audubon Wyoming since
the spring of 2005. He received Audubon Wyoming’s
Volunteer of the Year Award that year for his involvement
in MAPS bird banding, Pathfinder NWR Surveys, Greater
Sage-grouse lek surveys, as well as for lending a helping
hand at the Audubon Center at Garden Creek. Larry was
hired as a part-time assistant beginning in the fall of
2006. In addition to his Audubon experience Larry also
volunteers on various bird counts and surveys and is the
current president of the Casper Photography Association.
His interests include birding, hunting, fishing, rafting,
and most importantly his grandchildren. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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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