Leadership
Boards and Councils
Staff
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Executive Director
hdrummond@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext. 107Helen is the Chief Executive Officer overseeing day to day operations and program delivery. On any given day, she handles a range of issues from land conservation to safety and risk management. Areas of engagement include public access and natural resource management, property and facilities maintenance, outreach and education programming, fundraising and financial management, Board support and volunteer involvement, community engagement, human resources and team building, payroll and budget, strategic planning, policy issues and ongoing threats to birds in the environment.
Prior to becoming Executive Director in 2012, Helen directed the Galveston Bay Estuary Program for 11 years, where she led the organization in winning 10 national awards for environmental improvements and establishing effective public-private partnerships at the regional and local level. She has served on numerous national, state, and regional committees, including the board of directors of the Association of National Estuary Programs, Texas Sea Grant Advisory Committee, the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Natural Resources Advisory Committee and the Environmental Institute of Houston’s Advisory Committee.
Helen cares deeply about the natural world and future generations. She has dedicated her 30-year professional career studying, protecting and managing coastal resources, and the wildlife and fisheries that depend on them. Her work is more than a career, it is a passion.
Helen holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine and Environmental Science from Hampton University in Virginia and a Master of Science in Environmental Management from the University of Houston in Clear Lake.
Conservation
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Conservation Director
rgibbons@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext. 114Richard is our Conservation Director and a Research Associate of the LSU Museum of Natural Science. He has worked as an ornithologist for more than two decades on the Gulf Coast and throughout the Americas. Richard works with his team to manage and restore habitat in our 17 nature sanctuaries, including the famed High Island and Bolivar Flats sanctuaries. Richard develops and manages monitoring and science programs, and advocates for birds and conservation in the 11-county service area.
Prior to moving to Houston, Richard worked at Louisiana State University's Museum of Natural Science coordinating citizen science projects while earning his PhD studying birds, wetlands, and climate change in Peru’s high Andes.
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Coastal Sanctuaries Manager
pdeichmann@houstonaudubon.org
409-286-2126Pete is responsible for the day-to-day management of Houston Audubon’s eight coastal sanctuaries on the upper Texas coast. Part-time biologist, boat captain, electrician, carpenter, plumber, mechanic, bird guide, outreach specialist, and all around problem solver are just of few of the hats he wears down on the coast. Each day brings new and exciting challenges.
Pete received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Missouri- St. Louis. Since then he’s worked on several projects including wind energy-driven bird mortality and Greater Sage-Grouse response to mining in Wyoming, to Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Coastal Waterbird Program, and even on an organic farm. Pete joined the Houston Audubon team in September 2013.
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Sanctuary and Volunteer Manager
lmiheli@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext. 102Lauren serves in two roles at Houston Audubon – Sanctuary Manager at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary and Volunteer Manager for all of our volunteers. In both of these roles she does what she loves best – connecting people to nature. As the Sanctuary Manager she makes sure that ELMNS is a place that birds, wildlife, and people can all enjoy. As Volunteer Manager she’s helping to meet our conservation goals while giving members of the community a way to give back to the city we love.
Prior to joining Houston Audubon, Lauren worked with The Nature Conservancy in Washington state managing their community outreach and volunteer program. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Conservation from Kent State University. She has also worked for the National Park Service at Mount Rainier, the Bureau of Land Management in Yuma, Arizona through the Student Conservation Association, and the City of Edmonds Parks and Recreation Department.
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Conservation Specialist
avallery@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext. 108Anna fills several roles in her position at Houston Audubon, including managing the Natives Nursery, the Damuth Bird Sanctuary, and the Winters Bayou Bird Sanctuary. Anna also helps manage the Bird-Friendly Communities program which includes coordinating citizen science efforts, the Lights Out Program, and Houston Audubon’s plastic reduction initiative.
Anna was born in Texas, but spent a large portion of her childhood living in Vicenza, Italy. She attended the University of Tampa for her undergraduate degree and then moved around, living in Ohio, California, and then on Midway Atoll, before moving to Houston. Anna came to Houston Audubon after obtaining her master’s degree in environmental science and biology from the University of Houston – Clear Lake, where she did her thesis research on waterbirds in Galveston Bay.
Education and Outreach
Development
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Development Director
afriend@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext 103Aimee oversees the development department. Her department is responsible for individual giving, foundation and corporate relations and grant writing, membership and member services, planned giving, and events including the gala, Birdathon, and speaker events. She has served Houston nonprofits in a variety of development roles for the past 19 years and has a passion for bringing individuals together for great causes such as Houston Audubon.
Aimee is a 5th generation Texan and a graduate of the University of Texas. She and her husband make their home in Memorial and enjoy home restoration projects, visiting art museums, and attending cultural events and concerts around Houston. They have 2 teenage daughters. Aimee and her family can be seen on the weekends enjoying the outdoors and love spending time at Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary. She is excited to be a part of an organization that impacts both her local community as well as the greater Houston-Gulf Coast region.
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Marketing and Events Manager
zseth@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext. 106In addition to managing Houston Audubon’s fundraising events such as the annual gala and Birdathon, Zineera’s responsibilities include marketing, social media and graphic design. Zineera also co-leads Houston Audubon’s Young Professionals Advisory Council.
Zineera has a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from the University of Houston. Zineera has held marketing and event positions in various industries such as healthcare, oil and gas, media, and nonprofit, but working in conservation has been the most fulfilling job. While Zineera has always loved nature and animals, working at Houston Audubon has given her a greater appreciation for birds and wildlife.
Administration
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Operations Manager
rschipul@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext. 102Rachel works with the business side of the organization, keeping things running smoothly internally so that the team can focus on the many programs and events offered by Houston Audubon. She has worked with nonprofits in a variety of sectors both locally and internationally for the past 20 years and has a passion for helping organizations define their mission and streamline their operations.
Rachel is a native Texan and a graduate of Texas A&M University. She grew up in the Gaywood neighborhood and has been walking the trails of the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary with her family and friends for as long as she can remember. She enjoys great restaurants, travelling with her husband, live theater, and crabbing in Galveston. She is thrilled to join the team at Houston Audubon and share her love of the sanctuary with other casual naturalists.
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Accounting Assistant (part time)
bhotman@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext. 111
