Hello and Welcome to:

...Mike Sellors, new Program Coordinator for the NAS Population and Habitat Program in the California State Office. Mike joined the Ca. staff after interning with the State Legislative Affairs Office for the past two years, where he honed his grassroots organizing skills through work with Audubon, the Ca. Biodiversity Alliance and the Ca. Endangered Species Defense Campaign. Mike holds a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. He has clerked for the U.S. EPA's Office of Regional Counsel (Region IV) and a Washington, D.C. law firm. As Program Coordinator, Mike will craft a program to increase the visibility of wildlife habitat issues in local, regional and state planning processes, and advance public and policy-maker understanding of the connection between habitat loss and the cost, in human terms, of continued sprawl.

For More Info, Contact: Mike Sellors, NAS-California; 555 Audubon Place; Sacramento, CA 95825; phone: 916/481-5332; fax: 916/481-4283; email: <msellors@audubon.org>; Web: <http://www.audubon-ca.org/>.

...Thomas Baptist, new Executive Director of the Audubon Center in Greenwich, Conn., NAS's flagship sanctuary and education center. Baptist will oversee and manage all education, science, and conservation programs conducted at this Center.

Baptist's distinguished 20-year career in the conservation field includes serving as Greenwich Town Director of Conservation since Sept. 1980, and as Town of Greenwich representative before regulatory agencies and legislative authorities on environmental subjects. Prior to his Directorship, he was an Inland Wetlands Compliance Officer for Greenwich. Baptist was president of the Connecticut Ornithological Association from 1992-1995. He received the 1996 Conservation Award from the Garden Club of America, and the 1993 Conservation Administrator of the Year Award from the Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetland Commission. Baptist is also the author of several books on birds. He is currently completing his M.S. in Environmental Studies at the University of New Haven, and holds a B.S. in Natural Resource Conservation from the University of Connecticut, Storrs.

For More Info, Contact: Thomas Baptist, Greenwich Audubon Center; 613 Riversville Rd., Greenwich, CT 06831; phone: 203/869-5272; fax: 203/869-4437; email: <tbaptist@audubon.org>.

...Scott Sokol, new development director for the Florida State Field Office. Scott has extensive experience in the areas of fundraising, political management, and public relations. He held development positions for Planned Parenthood, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, and Duke University, and served as field director for the first Save Our Everglades campaign. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Duke University, Scott graduated from Duke Law School in 1982. As development director he will be responsible for fundraising, marketing and communications for Audubon in Florida.

For More Info, Contact: Scott Sokol, NAS-Florida; 1331 Palmetto Ave., #110; Winter Park, FL 32789; phone: 407/539-5700; fax: 407/539-5701; email: <ssokolis@audubon.org>.

...Autumn Fowler, new Administrative Assistant/Office Manager for the Nebraska State Field Office. Autumn has a broad range of experience that includes working with non-profits, fund-raising, camp administration, lobbying, and office administration. She is a native Nebraskan, who graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She recently moved to Lincoln with her husband, Matt.

For More Info, Contact: Dave Sands, NAS-Nebraska; 140 N. Eighth St., #217-218; Lincoln, NE 68508; phone: 402/475-1177; fax: 402/475-1231; email: <afowler@audubon.org>.

...Cindy Adams Dunn, new Executive Director for the brand-new Pennsylvania State Office. The position drew over 100 applicants; six of the most highly qualified made it to the final interview. The team reviewing applications included Mary Herrold (Pres., Audubon Council of PA (ACP) ), Leigh Altadonna (ACP Board), Carmen Santasania (ACP Board), Carol Gehret (Valley Forge AS), Chaz Spacek (Greater Wyoming Valley AS), JoAnn PapLaRin (Lycoming AS), Nancy Jones (Bucks Co. AS), Barry Myers (South Mt. AS), and Walt Pomeroy (NAS Regional VP).

Cindy, formerly an NAS Board member, presented a unique mix of professional and volunteer expertises, educational background, and practical experience that made her the top candidate. Cindy left her position as Director of Community Relations and Environmental Ed. in the Pa. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) on May 2, and officially opened the doors to the new Pa. office on May 6th. Prior to her post in the DCNR, she served for seven years as the Pa. Program Director of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (ACB). Cindy's Audubon chapter volunteer service has included president, vice-pres., conservation chair, Birdathon leader, fundraiser, and active member of Appalachian AS (Harrisburg, Pa. tri-county area). She enhanced the chapter's role in local and state environmental issues, and helped establish a chapter "Wetlands Watch" program. Cindy holds an M.S. in Biology from Shippensburg University and was the 1996 recipient of the State "Conservationist of the Year" award from the Pa. Wildlife Federation.

Cindy expects wetlands and habitat (including Important Bird Areas (IBA) and backyard habitat programs) to remain a focus under the auspices of the new office; other program goals are under development in conjunction with Pa. Audubon chapters.

For More Info, Contact: Cindy Dunn, NAS-Pennsylvania; 1104 Fernwood Ave., #300; Camp Hill, PA 17011-6912; phone: 717/763-4985; fax: 717/763-4981; email: <cdunn@audubon.org>.