Christian Cooper
Christian Cooper, Avian Affair 2025 Keynote Speaker
Christian Cooper, the Emmy Award-winning host of National Geographic's Extraordinary Birder, will be the keynote speaker for Houston Audubon's Avian Affair. Cooper's extensive work with the NYC Audubon (now NYC Bird Alliance) offers valuable lessons and inspiration for Houstonians working towards bird-friendly communities. His dedication to urban bird conservation in a major city like New York mirrors the challenges and opportunities present in Houston. Cooper's advocacy for protecting bird habitats within the urban landscape, promoting bird-safe building practices, and engaging diverse communities in birding initiatives provides a successful model for Houston Audubon and local conservation efforts.
By learning from his experiences, Houstonians can gain insights into effective strategies for creating a greener, more bird-friendly city, ultimately contributing to the broader national movement towards harmonious coexistence between urban development and avian life. His understanding of the unique needs of birds in an urban environment and his commitment to inclusivity in birding are directly relevant to Houston's own efforts to enhance its cities for both people and wildlife.
Host Committee
Reeta Achari and William Dixon • Jonni and Skip Almoney
Cindy and John Bartos • Sara and Mark Bettencourt
Marylene Chan and Tony Dang • Catherine Lee and Theis Clarke
Jennifer and Ben Cowan • Heather and Doug Fishman
Sarah Flournoy and Don Verser • Nene Foxhall and Steve Jetton
Lisa and George Francisco • Elizabeth and Steve Gast
Linda Gilbert • Patti and Luther Goodman
Kay Hale • Doris and John Heard
Tracy and Linda Hester • Marianne and Rob Jones
Honorable Peter Kelly and Mary Lawler • Mark Kulstad
Carolyn and Paul Landen • Michelle and Bill Matthews
Isabelle and Eric Mayer • Mike McGinity
Stuart Nelson • Edie O'Brien
Margaret and Michael Pierce • Rachel Powers
Carol and Dan Price • Letha Slagle and Grant Gist
Becky and Sam Smith • Pam Smolen
Annette and Paul Sofka • Kris Thomas
Emily Todd • Jennifer and John Vogel
Heather and Bob Westendarp • Anna and Tim White
Margaret and Greg Whittaker • Jessica Wilbanks
