Friends of the Festival include our generous event sponsors, guides, and volunteers who are vital to the festival’s success and whose support is critical to our mission to protect and sustain the unique lands, waters, and biodiversity of West Marin.

Please be sure to thank them in the field!

Are you an experienced naturalist, birder, or expert in your field, and want to join our team? Contact us for more info.

Enrique Aguirre | Bilingual Spanish and UK English Speaker is an award-winning wildlife and nature photographer. He lives and works in beautiful Marin County. 
His work has taken him to locations on all seven continents, from Emperor penguins in Antarctica to Howler monkeys in the jungles of Central America, or from the cheetah in the Mara to Steller eagles in Japan, but his passion is documenting the local California wildlife. He is represented by Getty Images and is regularly published worldwide. He is also one of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin’s Marin MPA Watch volunteers on Drakes Beach, spending countless hours in the National Seashore.

Sharon Barnett is co-owner of Marin Nature Adventures, a science teacher at Marin Country Day School, a hiking instructor for the College of Marin, and one of Marin’s most dynamic interpretive naturalists. Known as Sharon Heron, she gets children and adults excited about nature. She is a Terwilliger Environmental Award winner for excellence in environmental education, and was recently honored with the EAC's Peter Behr Environment Award for Stewardship of the Land & Sea. Over the years, she has volunteered with many organizations and most recently founded California Toad Crew.

Julia Berkey is the Director of Prescribed Fire comes to All Hands Ecology from Montana, where she has worked for the state creating fire-adapted communities and landscapes. Her focus there was to increase the pace and scale of prescribed fire (including helping establish the Montana Prescribed Fire Council), pass legislation to allow for the creation of a Certified Burn Manager Program, and host the state's first-ever prescribed fire TREX (training exchange). Along with a passion for restoring the natural role of fire to both ecosystems and human systems, Julia brings deep experience in facilitative leadership and an enthusiasm for building effective teams. Julia holds a master's degree in systems ecology from the University of Montana with a focus on fire ecology and wilderness fire management, as well as a deep respect for and interest in the role of fire in ecosystem restoration.

Frank Binney is a professional interpretive planner who has helped enhance visitor experiences at Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Mount St. Helens, the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, and numerous California State Parks. He is the author of Point Reyes and the San Andreas Fault Zone: The Aerial Photography of Robert Campbell. In 2004, he was named Volunteer of the Year, Pacific West Region of the National Park Service, for his pro bono help in assisting National Seashore biologists with Tule Elk and Snowy Plover studies.

Janet Bodle, MD, is a long-time resident of Marin. She designed and maintains the Niven Point Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Garden. She is a California Native Plant Society member and a Marin Audubon Society field trip leader. As a slow birder, she is interested in birding by ear. Janet is a retired family physician who practiced in Marin County for 40 years. She has run a marathon on every continent and in every state and still loves to hike.

Sophie Wood Brinker (she/her) is a science illustrator who works with paint and pencil to communicate the brilliance and intricacy of the ecosystems that surround us. Her art scales from drawing the texture of butterfly wings to painting fifteen-foot protest banners. Sophie also works in a small town library, helping spread library joy and community resources. As a Quaker, Sophie grew up sitting in intergenerational circles hearing messages spoken out of silence. She has a BA in peace and global studies from Earlham College and is a graduate of the Science Illustration Program at California State University, Monterey Bay. Sophie grew up in Santa Cruz, California, on unceded territory of the Awaswas-speaking Uypi Tribe, and lives in Bolinas, California, on unceded Coast Miwok territory.

Heather Cameron has enjoyed a lifelong passion for birds. She has birded extensively around Marin over the past 28 years and has a special affinity for birding at Point Reyes.  She is a long-time member of Point Blue Conservation Science and the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, a volunteer block leader for the Marin Breeding Bird Atlas, and a dedicated participant and area leader for the Point Reyes and other local Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs).

Scott Carey is an avid birder, and he has guided local birdwatching trips in Marin and Sonoma counties, as well as some further afield in Humboldt County and Arizona. When Scott is not out birdwatching, he participates in several bird surveys and volunteers for the Marin County Breeding Bird Atlas II. He currently conducts shorebird and Marbled Murrelet surveys for Avocet Research.

Peter Cavanagh is the Saturday night keynote. He is a scientist, bird photographer, and author of two Firefly Books: 100 Flying Birds and How Birds Fly. He is the keynote speaker for the Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival Saturday Social & Keynote Benefit. Peter's migration to bird flight mechanics is a natural evolution of his lifelong interest in photography, his study of flight aerodynamics as an instrument-rated private pilot, his professional training in the anatomy and biomechanics of locomotion using high-speed motion capture, and his passion for nature and the outdoors. His images have been featured in the Audubon Society's Top 100 Bird Photographs of the Year. He is a member of the American Birding Association, Birdlife International, the North American Nature Photography Association, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Peter feels most at home in wild places and has traveled widely to photograph birds on every continent. Learn more and follow him on Instagram @petercavanaghbirds, on Facebook at Peter Cavanagh Birds, or on his website at petercavanagh.us.

Rich Cimino is a recovering hardcore birder, adopting the Slower Birder mantra, stopping to witness the full scope of a bird species in its plant community and its behavior. As a motivated amateur naturalist and conservationist, he has dedicated several decades to championing the protection of endangered species and native wildlife habitats in the Bay Area. He is the founder of Yellowbilled Tours, a birding tour company leading small groups to unique locations in the Western Hemisphere, Italy, and France. Locally, Rich is a member of the Marin Monarch Butterfly Working Group, Marin Audubon Conservation Committee, Corte Madera Watershed Committee, and Marin Conservation League. He leads field trips for the Friends of Mount Tam and Marin Audubon Society. Rich, along with his wife Janet, created the Niven Point Monarch Butterfly way station; in cooperation with the City of Larkspur.

Mark Clark | Bilingual French Speaker is a Marin County native and a former teacher at the College of Marin, with a degree in zoology from UC Davis. He leads a monthly Marin Audubon bird walk at the Las Gallinas ponds, participates in the Southern Marin Christmas Bird Count on Mount Tamalpais, and assists the Marin Breeding Bird Atlas. He likes to teach about the interconnectedness of wildlife and always brings humor to his group outings.

Catie Clune is on our festival committee and is the Director of Education at  All Hands Ecology. She is an experienced naturalist and science educator who has a passion for building more inclusive outdoor spaces. She has spent over 12 years managing education and outreach programs in West Marin on topics including endangered salmon, redwood,s and climate change, and marine conservation. She has taught the UC California Naturalist Certification course and led professional development workshops for science teachers. She holds an MA in science education from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in Community Studies, with a focus on environmental justice, from UC Santa Cruz. She also currently serves on the board of LandPaths in Sonoma County.

Jerry Coe is a naturalist and former mountaineering guide with over ten years of training in ornithological field identification under Professor Joseph Morlan at San Francisco City College. He spent 15 years as a volunteer in Great Basin, Nevada, doing point count surveys using bird activities to assess the health of habitats. He has led guided expeditions all over the world and is currently a California State Park ranger working in China Camp State Park.

Emiko Condeso is an ecologist and GIS specialist for All Hands Ecology. She holds a master's degree in biology/landscape ecology from Sonoma State University and a dual bachelor's degree in biology and environmental studies from UC Santa Cruz. Emiko's research interests include understanding how spatial patterns, particularly in human-altered landscapes, influence biological communities. Her graduate work focused on sudden oak death and examined the role of the spatial pattern of host woodland on disease dynamics. At the Cypress Grove Research Center, Emiko manages AHE's long-term biological monitoring projects and collaborates with staff and partners in conservation research. She is an active member of the local conservation GIS community.

Molly Donahue is an educator and nature enthusiast from West Marin. She has been exploring these hills since she was a child and now loves to adventure and bird with her husband, Larry Nigro. She is a certified California Naturalist and participated in the Marin County Bird Breeding Atlas. Sharing, learning, and exploring our natural world is one of her greatest joys.

Daniel Edelstein is a freelance Consulting Biologist and Certified Wildlife Biologist, Asc., who has led birding tours for more than 25 years and presented public birding presentations in more than 20 states, including an upcoming June 14-19, 2026, San Francisco State University “Birding by Ear in the Sierra.” Daniel’s website — warblerwatch.com — hosts several birding handouts (via the “Birding Links” pulldown menu), and his warbler-centric blog — warblerwatch.blogspot.com — has hosted warbler articles and photo quizzes since 2007. He has also taught diverse adult birding classes since 2003 at Merritt College in Oakland, CA, and for Point Reyes National Seashore Association, Marin Audubon, and Golden Gate Bird Alliance.

Michael Ellis, a regular KQED Perspectives commentator, Bay Nature Magazine columnist, Board Member of Land Paths, TV guest of Bay Nature on the Air, and guide to the natural wonders of the world with Footloose Forays. In addition to the natural history adventures he curates himself, Michael guides trips for several Bay Area organizations as well. His academic study of Botany and Marine Biology is the foundation for his lifelong cataloging of travel insights throughout the natural world.  A trip participant once said, “Start with an encyclopedic knowledge of all the sciences (especially botany, biology, and etymology), add the ability to articulate with humorous anecdotes, and a genuine love of nature and teaching. Michael combines all these ingredients to enthuse people about nature”.

Sally Gale is a 5th-generation member of a large local dairy and beef ranching family with her husband, Mike. Her commitment to the agricultural community and to natural resource protection is evidenced by her thirty years on the Marin Resource Conservation District Board, six years on the Marin Conservation League Board, and seven years with the Chileno Valley Newt Brigade. Since 1993, Sally and Mike have restored the buildings, fences, water systems, creeks, and native woodlands on the ranch, planted 400 apple trees, started a grass-fed beef business, and served as board members of local organizations. In 2000, the ranch entered into an Agricultural Conservation Easement with MALT, permanently protecting the ranch from development and preserving it for agriculture.

Aaron N.K. Haiman is a Senior Environmental Scientist at the State of California. He is a life-long birder who began volunteering at a young age with bird research organizations before receiving a BS in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley, an MS in Avian Science, and an MS in Animal Behavior from UC Davis. Aaron guides bird walks, mentors high school students in ecology and sustainability, leads a youth bird-a-thon team, gives presentations on birds and habitat restoration, and is active on YouTube and social media under the handle "A Birding Naturalist," sharing knowledge of birds, nature, and science. 

Keith Hansen is an internationally known birder and wildlife illustrator in Bolinas, Marin County, California, specializing in bird illustrations with scientific accuracy. He has illustrated a dozen books, including The Birds of the Sierra Nevada: Their Natural History, Status, and Distribution, authored by Ted Beedy and Ed Pandolfino for the Yosemite Association, his first solo project, Hansen’s Field Guide to the Birds of the Sierra Nevada, and his latest book, Birds of Point Reyes, which was released in June 2023. He and his wife, Patricia Briceño, lead birding tours to Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Yucatan. His workspace and backyard, The Wildlife Gallery, is located in Bolinas, California (behind the Bolinas Museum), where people are welcome to visit.

Theresa Harlan is the director of the Alliance for Felix Cove, an Indigenous women-led organization that works to rematriate, protect, and restore her family’s 19th-century Tamal ko (Coast Miwok Tomales Bay) home and ancestral lands at Point Reyes National Seashore. The Alliance aims to re-indigenize the ancestral homelands of the Felix Family—the last Tomalko family to live on the western shores of Tomales Bay at Felix Cove, known as Laird’s Landing. Listen to the podcast "Coming Home to the Cove: A Story of Memory, Family and Stolen Land."

Luanna Helfman is a long-time festival volunteer and Marin County birder who has studied birdsong with mentors Bob Stewart, Howard Williams, and the late Rich Stallcup. She has led birdsong walks for Marin Audubon for over twenty-five years and enjoys helping others discover birds by sound. She has over 30 years of experience working in local nurseries and is knowledgeable about the area's flora.

John Hibbard has a lifelong interest in butterflies and has found and photographed almost all of the surviving Sonoma County species. His images and writing can be found on his iNaturalist page under "icosadedron."

Lisa Hug is a biologist and freelance naturalist specializing in Marin and Sonoma counties, especially around Point Reyes National Seashore and Bodega Bay. She is an experienced birder in the North Bay whose frequent haunts include Bolinas Lagoon, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Bodega Bay. She teaches bird identification classes for the Community Education Program at the College of Marin. Her latest pursuit is starting a birding program for youth with a special interest in birds. This group has become known locally as Y.A.M.S. (Young Ancient Murrelets) and is a chapter of the Redwood Region Ornithological Society. She loves sharing her knowledge of and enthusiasm for the natural world with others. Her former experience includes working for the National Park Service as an Interpretive Ranger for the Point Reyes National Seashore, as a research assistant with Point Reyes Bird Observatory (now known as Point Blue Conservation Science), and as a research assistant for the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. She was the former president of the Redwood Regional Ornithological Society for two years.

Diana Humple is the Senior Avian Ecologist and Banding Coordinator for Point Blue Conservation Science’s Pacific Coast and Central Valley Group, where she serves as program lead for the Palomarin Field Station, Point Blue's longest-running study site (née 1966). Her roles include: intern training and public outreach to instill an appreciation of birds, natural history, and conservation science, long-term monitoring of landbird populations to identify trends and the mechanisms and consequences of change across the Bay Area, bird banding and permit coordinator; and coordinator of Point Blue’s oil spill response and preparedness efforts for the state of California and the Oiled Wildlife Care Network. She received an undergraduate degree in environmental science (ecology) and psychology from the University of Virginia in 1995, and subsequently came to Point Blue as an intern in 1996, studying birds in the shrubsteppe of Oregon and banding at Palomarin. In 2009, she completed a Master’s Degree in Biology at Sonoma State University, studying genetics and oil spill demographics of Western and Clark’s Grebes. 

Ken Johnson holds a Lifetime California Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential, as well as one in Fire Fighting, Fire Control, and Safety, and has been professionally teaching for 35+ years. He’s also a registered State Fire Training Instructor.  He brings his field experience into the classroom, preparing students to effectively bring order to chaos. All of Ken’s classes garner the highest scores in student evaluations.

Susan Kelly has been birding for about 25 years, primarily in Marin County. She is the organizer and compiler of Cheep Thrills, one of the three Audubon Christmas Bird Counts in Marin County. Susan is a long-time volunteer for the Greater Farallones Association's Beach Watch program, conducting monthly beach surveys to document both living and deceased birds and mammals. For the past 4 years, she has served as the volunteer coordinator for the Marin Breeding Bird Atlas, and previously served as a board member of the Western Field Ornithologists.

Sarah Killingsworth is an award-winning wildlife conservation photographer, filmmaker, and writer, as well as an attorney and mediator. She serves as the Board President of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC) and is a certified California Naturalist. With hundreds of hours spent behind the lens in Point Reyes, Sarah’s work reflects a deep commitment to storytelling that fosters connection with the natural world. A member of the Emerging League of the International League of Conservation Photographers, her photography and writing have been featured in local and national media, both in print and online, and she is a frequent public speaker about coexistence, passionate about connecting children to the magic of the wild—whether by bringing nature into classrooms or getting youth outside to explore their environment. Learn more at sarahkillingsworth.com or follow her on Instagram at @skwildlifephotos.

John Muir Laws is a principal leader and innovator of the worldwide nature journaling movement. He is a scientist, educator, and author who helps people forge a deeper and more personal connection with nature through keeping illustrated nature journals and understanding science. His work intersects science, art, and mindfulness. Trained as a wildlife biologist and an associate of the California Academy of Sciences, he observes the world with rigorous attention. He looks for mysteries, plays with ideas, and seeks connections in all he sees. Attention, observation, curiosity, and creative thinking are not gifts, but skills that grow with training and deliberate practice. As an educator and author, John teaches techniques and supports routines that develop these skills to make them a part of everyday life.

Susan Cochrane Levitsky | Bilingual French speaker is a botanist who has dedicated her career to conservation, leading California's programs to understand and protect endangered plants and overseeing conservation policy to protect our state's natural diversity as the Chief of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Natural Heritage Division. She also oversaw the production of several educational books on California's unique plants and wildlife. Now a landscape artist, she shares her love of nature through her paintings and by leading botanical tours in beautiful natural areas of California.

Liz Lewis | Bilingual Spanish Speaker has been birding for about 40 years. She is currently one of the project coordinators for the Marin County Breeding Bird Atlas II. For the past three years, she has been co-leading a Sonoma County youth birding group with Lisa Hug that is sponsored by the Redwood Region Ornithological Society.

Carolyn Longstreth is one of the co-founders of the Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival. She is on the festival committee and a former Board Director of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC). She currently serves on the board of the Marin Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. She is an avid birder and the creator of the EAC's Birding by Ear at Point Reyes 2-CD set. She taught classes on birdsong at an Audubon Center in Connecticut and at past festivals.

David Lumpkin | Bilingual German Speaker is an avian ecologist working at All Hands Ecology. He is involved in several research programs, including radio tracking Dunlin, surveying shorebirds and waterbirds, and conducting breeding bird surveys. He has worked with various bird species around North America, mostly centered on population monitoring and conservation work.

Kacy McKinney is an artist, avid birder, and scholar. She was raised in Point Reyes Station and now lives in Portland, Oregon. Kacy has a Ph.D. in geography and has taught at the university level for 15 years. She is currently Artist-Scholar in Residence at the Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative at Portland State University. Kacy was a resident at Mesa Refuge in 2019. View her work, or follow her on Instagram: @kacy.mckinney.

Dr. Jerry Meral is an Environmental Action Committee of West Marin Board Member and co-chair of the Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival. He studied newts at Penn State University and was formerly a staff scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, Deputy Director of the California Department of Water Resources, Executive Director of the Planning and Conservation League, and Deputy Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency.

Mesa Refuge brings transformative stories, ideas, and knowledge to the world by supporting a diverse community of writers and activists through residencies at our coastal retreat. Located on the Point Reyes mesa overlooking Tomales Bay, we are literally on the edge of land and water, metropolis and wildness, busyness, and quiet. Mesa Refuge supports writers and activists who are addressing the pressing issues of our time—social justice, economic equity, and climate. Follow on Instagram: @mesarefuge.

Jeff Miller is a hardcore birder, amateur naturalist, and professional conservationist who has dedicated several decades to championing the protection of endangered species and native wildlife habitats in the Bay Area. He’s the founder of the nonprofit Alameda Creek Alliance. He has served as its executive director since 1997, working to restore steelhead trout and salmon to Alameda Creek and protect the Bay Area’s largest local watershed. He’s a senior conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, spearheading biodiversity protection campaigns throughout the Bay Area and California, preparing endangered species listing petitions, writing press releases, and doing public outreach and organizing around wildlife protection issues. Jeff's latest book is Bay Area Wildlife: An Irreverent Guide, published by Heyday Books. Follow Jeff’s events and eco-news through the Irreverent Naturalist.

Ayla Mills is the Nursery Program Manager at the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation. She graduated from Chico State University with an MS in Biology, focused on botany, and has over ten years of experience in the habitat restoration field. Before joining the Laguna Foundation, Ayla worked at Floral Native Nursery and managed the nursery operations at Central Coast Wilds and the Sonoma Ecology Center’s native plant nursery. She has also worked as a botanical consultant, restoration technician, and teacher.

Jason Mills holds a Master of Science focused on the role of fire in California Grasslands. He is also a California-licensed landscape Contractor and Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner with 25+ years of experience managing natural resources for public agencies, non-profits, and private landowners throughout Northern California. Jason’s skills began as an AmeriCorps intern for Golden Gate Parks, currently informing and carrying out effective vegetation management projects with Ecological Solutions. He has been deeply involved in fire-related fuel reduction practices and advocates for ecological approaches to vegetation management for the communities of the North Bay.

Joe Mueller has been teaching biology at the College of Marin for 30 years and is the coordinator for the Natural History Program. Of the 15 different courses he has taught, subjects of particular interest include ecology, marine biology, ornithology, and environmental science. Taking a holistic approach to science, Joe emphasizes the interconnective approach to understanding biology. He is the recipient of the 2008 Terwilliger Environmental Award and the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin’s 2023 Peter Behr Steward of the Land & Sea Award.

Nicole Myers is a geologist, teacher, and the Program and Outreach Specialist at Sonoma State University's Center for Environmental Inquiry. Nicole has taught at Sonoma State University in the Geology Department for more than 18 years, offering popular classes such as Age of the Dinosaurs, Natural Disasters, and Geology of Climate Change. She spent ten years leading geology field classes through the College of Marin. Nicole brings her enthusiasm for Earth appreciation to the community through Earth science field explorations of Northern California, offered through her website at Appreciating Earth. 

Larry Nigro is a retired Marin County educator and avid birder.  He has completed the California Academy of Sciences Master Birder Program and is a certified Californian.  In 2024, he traveled across North America and identified 801 species of birds.  Larry loves sharing the joy of birding with people of all ages.

Kurt Niznik is a lifelong birder and ornithology buff, who started birding at age 8, and by age 11 was already a field research assistant trapping and banding migrating raptors in the Taconic mountains of western Massachusetts. He then volunteered as a field ornithologist for two seasons on the North Slope of Alaska before attending Yale College. Although birds are not the focus of his professional life, Kurt currently serves as a volunteer staff and board member of the Cocobolo Nature Reserve in Panama and occasionally leads birding tours in Colombia. He is out birding in the Bay Area whenever he gets a chance and is fascinated by the science of ornithology.

Claire Peaslee has lived in and explored the Point Reyes area for many years. She is a naturalist-teacher-communicator whose work has been published in Bay Nature Magazine, The West Marin Review, Estero Quarterly, and elsewhere. Formerly on the staff of Point Blue Conservation Science, Claire gained experience in field biology and then developed stories about ecosystem studies of birds. She brought bioregional perspectives to past Geography of Hope conferences, and she now serves on the advisory board of the nonprofit group In Place Learning. Claire's own immersive field trips are called Listening To Gaia. Her occasional written Wonder Log is also broadcast on the KWMR 90.5FM program Curio Cabinet. Websites: clairepeaslee.net and listening-to-gaia-net.

Brian Peterson is the Fire Ecologist and Interim Director of the Fire Forward program at All Hands Ecology. He holds a master’s degree from San Francisco State University in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. His graduate research investigated the relationship between seed-caching rodents and manzanita recruitment after fire. Getting his start in 1997 doing oak woodland restoration and fuels reduction work in Southern Oregon, Brian has gone on to work as a botanist and vegetation ecologist all across the California floristic providence, including on research projects at the Farallon Islands, Yosemite’s Illoette Valley, Sierra Foothills, Mount Diablo State Park, Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, Sugarloaf State Parks, and Pepperwood Preserve. Most recently, he worked with Nomad Ecology, where he focused on botanical studies in post-fire chaparral. Brian has completed two Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges (TREX) and is trained as a wilderness first responder. Brian serves as a board director of the California Native Grassland Association.

Chris Pincetich | Bilingual Spanish Speaker is a naturalist, marine biologist, and instructor for the California Naturalist training program at the Point Reyes National Seashore. He is passionate about sharing the details of the California Current marine ecosystem and the marine mammals, birds, and invertebrates that rely on its productivity. Chris has been leading trips and local excursions for over fifteen years, including classes for the Point Reyes Field Institute, whale watching around the Farallon Islands for the Oceanic Society, and sea turtle conservation experiences in Costa Rica.

Jennifer Phillips is a Senior Project Manager with Point Blue Conservation Science’s STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed) program and manages habitat restoration projects around the Bay Area. She has been an avid birder for over 15 years, and over her professional career, she has conducted point counts, nest searches, habitat assessment and vegetation surveys throughout California and other parts of the U.S. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys adding to her bird life list, participating in local Christmas Bird Counts, and sharing her passion for birding with others.

Dede Sabbag spent her career in the field of environmental education. She has worked and volunteered with various schools and non-profits, including The Headlands Institute, The Watershed Project, The Marine Mammal Center, and WildCare/Terwilliger Nature Center. Her passion has been teaching others to love nature while continuing to learn herself and to enjoy her birding hobby. She spent two springs visiting Chileno Valley ranches every week for the Marin County Breeding Bird Atlas II. She looks forward to sharing about nature in this remote but bountiful habitat.

David Sexton is an avid Marin County birder for the last twenty-five years, with ten years on Hawk Watch with GGRO, Co-compiler for the Cheep Thrills CBC, and leader of many CBC counts as well as annual Shore Bird Census counts.  He has been the bird census compiler for the Hamilton Wetlands restoration for the last twelve years, coordinating the volunteers twice monthly to complete census counts of the wetlands. He is a member of the Golden Eagle Monitoring Team for the East Bay Regional Parks and has tracked Golden Eagles using telemetry for the last ten years. He has a B.S. degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Dave Shuford is a retired ornithologist from Point Blue Conservation Science. His primary interests include the status, distribution, trends, and conservation of birds in California and the West. Major research projects have focused on shorebird distribution and abundance throughout the Pacific Flyway; colonial breeding waterbirds in California; reconnaissance surveys at the Salton Sea and Klamath Basin; long-term trends and reproductive success of California Gulls at Mono Lake relative to concerns over water diversions; and breeding bird atlases in Marin County and the Glass Mountain region of Mono County.

Dan Singer has been a student of ornithology since childhood. His interest and expertise in identifying issues and the status and distribution of birds led to many years as a regional editor for the journal North American Birds and a long-time member of the California Bird Records Committee. He is currently an eBird regional reviewer for California. Dan spends an inordinate amount of time watching gulls but would rather be at sea looking for petrels.

Axel Smith is an aspiring naturalist and guide in training who currently studies at Laurence Jones Middle School. His interests include horticulture and rock climbing.

Dallas Smith is on the festival committee and co-owner/guide of Point Reyes Adventure Co. (website includes his full CV). He has over 20 years of experience as an adventure guide in over 20 states. Dallas is a seasoned professional who grew up in the outdoor recreational industry and can lead groups of all sizes. In addition to his work in the outdoor industry, Dallas is a dedicated environmentalist and community volunteer. Serving on the board of the Tomales Bay Foundation since 2016, he plays a crucial role in monitoring water quality, distributing grants for scientific research, and organizing educational events. He also lends his time and expertise to numerous other local organizations, making a positive impact on the community whenever he can. When he's not leading expeditions or volunteering, you can find him capturing stunning moments through his photography or co-hosting the West Marin Naturalist Hour on KWMR 90.5FM.

Sam Smith is a habitat restoration technician for Point Blue Conservation Science’s STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed) and an avid naturalist. He has been birding Marin County for four years and worked on habitat restoration projects across Marin and Sonoma counties. He’s also passionate about fungi and plant gall identification and sharing in the diversity of our natural world on iNaturalist. In his free time, he volunteers on prescribed burns, collects mushrooms for DNA sequencing, and participates in Christmas and summer bird counts.

Allison Spreadborough is one of the festival’s featured artists with an art exhibit and sale at the EAC’s bird hub at 65 Third Street, Suite 12, Point Reyes Station, CA from April 4th to September 5, 2026. This exhibit showcases watercolor landscapes and other reflections of nature by Allison Spreadborough, capturing the iconic beauty of Point Reyes National Seashore. Inspired by her hikes along park trails and her volunteer work along the California coast, Allison’s work reflects a deep connection to the natural world. A portion of the proceeds will directly support our mission to safeguard our coasts, oceans, and public lands, while also honoring and benefiting the artist whose work celebrates and advances the spirit of conservation through art. Allison is a Northern California watercolor landscape artist, and when she’s not painting in her backyard art studio, she is frequently hiking and painting outdoors. She received her formal art training at California State University, Sacramento. Later, she improved her painting technique with private instruction from several National watercolor masters. Her paintings are often described as having a soft and colorful dreamlike quality. She is a Signature Member of the California Watercolor Association, and her work has been showcased in regional, national, and international exhibitions. She is an active member of Blue Line Arts in Roseville, CA, and has been awarded residencies at Pond Farm in Guerneville and the O’Hanlon Center for the Arts in Mill Valley. With a professional background as an environmental specialist, National Parks docent, and a volunteer for EAC’s Marin MPA Watch, amongst other groups, Allison brings a deep awareness of the natural world into her art. Her education in the natural sciences and passion for conservation have fueled a particular focus on the impacts of climate change, a theme that quietly informs much of her work. Learn more at allisonspreadborough.com, or follow on Instagram @allisonspreadborough.

Kevin Stockmann is curious and friendly, and his guiding style inspires a feeling of connectedness. He is a veteran Marin County naturalist and co-founder of Marin Nature Adventures. Intimately familiar with the topography and natural history of Marin County, Kevin cherishes our landscape and enjoys sharing the trails. He is a commercial fishery observer for NOAA Fisheries and has degrees in biology and economics with a deep love for trees, birds, and the web of life.

Teresa and Miles Tuffli are avid birders from Sonoma County who run the, I'm Birding Right Now website. They especially love helping fellow nature-lovers and “bird-curious” folks take the next step of getting into the field to enjoy the bird world! They’ve led guided bird walks for the Marin Audubon Society, Redwood Region Ornithological Society, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, LandPaths, and Point Reyes National Seashore Association’s Field Institute.

Meghan Walla-Murphy is the Friday Fauna Forum keynote speaker. She combines her passions for wildlife tracking, writing, and people into vocations of habitat conservation and public awareness. As an educator, ecologist, and author of books, essays, and articles, Meghan strives to help people connect to their external and internal landscapes. She has been tracking animals avidly for more than two decades, which adds depth and breadth to her work in habitat connectivity and outreach. She is the director of the North Bay Bear Collaborative. She has also co-authored a book on tracking with carnivore biologist Dr. James Halfpenny, as well as a book on the historical ecology of salmonids in the Russian River. Meghan has traveled extensively in the US, Brasil, the Congo, and Southern Africa to learn from diverse teachers who use tracking for research, land stewardship, and education. This seemingly esoteric, yet ancient art has given Meghan the skills to read a landscape and better understand ecology, which she then applies to help solve conservation and social justice challenges in her community.

Nils Warnock is the Director of Conservation Science for All Hands Ecology since 2018, and lives on Tomales Bay in Marshall, CA. He has a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of California at Davis and San Diego State University. Nils started his ornithological career in coastal Marin County at the Point Reyes Bird Observatory (now Point Blue Conservation), where, most recently, he was the co-director of the Wetlands Division from 2000 to 2008.  From 2010 to 2018, Nils served as the executive director of Audubon Alaska and as a vice president of the National Audubon Society. Nils is a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society and has 40 years of experience contributing to the ecology and conservation of Pacific Flyway birds, especially shorebirds.  During this time, he has conducted pioneering studies tracking the movements of shorebirds throughout the Pacific and East Asian-Australasian flyways.

Sarah Warnock joined the development team at All Hands Ecology in September 2021 and leads our grant funding program. As a scientist, K-12 educator, and a communications professional, Sarah has a deeply-rooted facility for illustrating complex conservation opportunities and reporting on the organization’s impact for All Hands' discerning funders. Prior to joining All Hands Ecology, Sarah led communications for the State of Alaska Salmon and People initiative for Nautilus Impact Investing, managed the education program for Alaska Geographic, and directed the outreach and education program for Point Blue Conservation Science. Most recently, Sarah supported the West Marin Fund’s work to provide grants and training to local nonprofits. Sarah holds a master’s degree in wildlife ecology from Cal State East Bay, a B.A. in biology from UC Berkeley, and a K-12 science credential from Mills College. Since 2018, Sarah has volunteered for All Hands Ecology’s shorebird and waterbird programs and Bolinas Stinson Summer Camp. Sarah lives on All Hands Ecology’s Cypress Grove Preserve with husband Nils.

Sky Road Webb is a lineal descendant of the Tamal’ko people - the Tomales Bay Miwok of present-day West Marin. He is a traditional storyteller and songwriter. In addition to being a founding member and Fire Keeper of the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin, Sky is president of both the Marin American Indian Alliance and the Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin.

Alex Weishaar recalls her dance with butterflies beginning 30 years ago as a volunteer at the Louise Hallberg Butterfly Gardens. She hopes to connect others with our pollinating insects. She uses photography to deepen and share her appreciation of butterflies, their beauty, delicacy, and strength. Her butterfly, fungus, and other photos may be found on iNaturalist under "arlenedevitt."

Liz Wilhelm is on the festival committee and co-owner/guide of Point Reyes Adventure Co. (website includes her full CV). With a solid foundation in adventure from her Eco-Tourism and Adventure Travel Degree, Liz has been an integral part of the guiding community in Point Reyes for over 15 years. She is a certified massage therapist and yoga instructor, and she embodies holistic wellness alongside her environmental advocacy and community engagement. When she's not leading expeditions or lending a hand to local causes, she can be found sharing her knowledge as a co-host on the West Marin Naturalist Hour on KWMR 90.5FM, immersing herself in the beauty of the local landscape, or mingling with the community like the social butterfly she is.

Step Wilson is a freelance biologist working with several non-profit organizations and the former Hawkwatch Program Manager at the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO). For the past 20 years, he has monitored raptors at breeding, migration, and wintering sites throughout the Great Lakes and Rocky Mountain Flyway. He has studied raptors through counting and banding efforts in Italy, Israel, Mexico, and Canada. Step’s main interest is identifying the raptor use of landscapes through observation, banding, and telemetry to focus conservation efforts on important use areas.

David Wimpfheimer is a biologist, naturalist, EAC board member, and co-founder of the Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival. He has a passion for the birds and the natural history of the West. David has been leading trips and expeditions for almost forty years, including classes for the Point Reyes Field Institute, Marin Agricultural Land Trust, and the California Academy of Sciences, as well as tours in Mexico, Alaska, Scotland, and other regions for groups including the Smithsonian Institution, Wild Wings, and Road Scholar.

Melissa Witte is a naturalist and field biologist turned high school science teacher. She is an avid birder, backpacker, native plant enthusiast, and general outdoor devotee who relishes time in the field observing everything from pollen baskets on bees to constellations in the night sky.  She has banded birds in Texas & tracked Black-backed Woodpeckers in Plumas National Forest, monitored sea turtle nesting at Cumberland Island National Seashore, and served as an educator for Hawkwatch, International, in the Manzano Mountainsof New Mexico, in addition to volunteering for several nonprofit, field research, and education-oriented projects.

Alison Wood, LAc, has been practicing herbalism and making medicine in Northern California for over 15 years. She is the owner of Abalone Apothecary and Chinese Medicine Clinic, a natural community medicine practice and organic apothecary located in downtown Point Reyes Station, just two doors down from the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin’s office. Alison treats a wide variety of health issues using acupuncture, herbs, and the language of nature. She teaches classes both in-person and online to empower people to listen to their bodies and source their medicine from the earth and from within.