Young Professionals Advisory Council

Marissa is a sparrow fan from the DFW area. After almost a decade as an itinerant bird biologist and bander, working all over the U.S. and a corner of Australia, she’s resigned herself to environmental consulting in Texas. She got a B.F.A. from the University of Kansas before switching gears for an M.S. from Eastern Kentucky University. She spends her free time trying to find a balance between too many hobbies, though hiking/birding with her dog and road biking usually win out.

Tony Dang is a Rate Analyst in the Rates & Regulatory Affairs Department, with a BBA in Accounting from the University of Houston. His love for birding started during a spring migration in High Island, Texas, which gave him an appreciation for bird migration and conservation.  In his spare time, he enjoys birding, hiking, golfing, and spending time with his wife and two fur babies.

Wes Gapp is an exploration geologist at Chevron, with a PhD in paleontology from The University of Kansas. His love for birds began while watching backyard feeders growing up in Central New York. He loves birding with his wife along the Houston bayous, the gulf coast, and the forests of Puerto Rico.

Karastin currently works as an environmental educator at Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve in NW Houston. She has a Master's in Geology from the University of Florida and is a Master Gardener volunteer. She originally got interested in birds while workingwith the AmeriCorps in Portland and has been interested ever since!

Cassidy Kempf is a Natural Resource Specialist at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. She works on habitat restoration projects, native plant propagation, and research and monitoring. She studied Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice University and loves birding!

Alexander Kneubehl is a PhD candidate at Baylor College of Medicine in Molecular Virology and Microbiology. Birding is his escape from work and the city, and lets him enjoy nature and meet interesting people. #teamprairiechicken

Halli’s birding adventure began at the ripe old age of 20 months, when after her first word “Mom”, her second and third were “Chipping Sparrow”, while spotting one in the back yard. Having been inspired by her birding enthusiast Grandmother, a cornerstone of the Thunder Bay Ornithological society, her own passion for birdwatching began to blossom. Throughout high school she worked at several banding and bird research stations across Canada, however life had other plans and she went on to study Chemical Engineering at McGill University.  Following graduation, she entered the Oil & Gas Industry as an Open Hole Wireline Field Engineer, and has since progressed on to work at Baker Hughes as a Sales Engineer.  She continues to bird watch as her primary escape and her life list sits at 1726.

Andrew Martinez is a civil litigation attorney in Houston.  He is a graduate of Baylor University and South Texas College of Law. He is a beginning birder who enjoys hiking and the outdoors.

Stuart C. Nelson serves as Vice President at the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center. He manages an interdisciplinary team that works within the intersection of spiritual/religious belief, practice, community life, and health. Stuart has completed bachelor’s degrees in cognitive science, psychology, and religious studies at Rice University, and went on to complete a master’s in religious studies at University of California at Santa Barbara. His work focuses on applying theories and methods from cognitive science of religion in the context of health systems to increase quality of care. Stuart is a musically-minded lover of hip-hop, classic rock, and classical Indian music, as well as impressionism, surrealism, and modern art. He is also an avid birder.

Carl Nooteboom is a native Houstonian and graduate of Texas A&M University. He has built his career over twelve years in the Oil & Gas industry designing pipelines and associated facilities. In his spare time he enjoys camping & hiking while birding, playing Bocce ball, and is an avid DIYer.

In her current role serving as Community Engagement Manager for Bayou Preservation Association, Anni Ranck leads collaboration efforts among Houston’s environmental non-profits, cultivates constituent relationships, and develops strategies that meaningfully engage the community with our bayous. Anni’s decade of experience in non-profits, nature centers, state parks, wildlife hospitals, and government agencies has culminated in a personal mission of using the power of storytelling to inspire wonder in the youngest and action in the oldest. By engaging and empowering people within their own community she strives to bridge an ever-growing disconnect and help communities establish a deeper connection with the natural world. In addition to being a Certified Fund Raising Executive, Anni received her Bachelor of Science in Organismal Biology from Austin Peay State University in her native Tennessee. As for her favorite bird — the entire Corvidae family!

Having entered the realm of wildlife conservation at age 15, I have worked with a range of species including birds, leatherback sea turtles, brown hyenas, and desert elephants. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Texas A&M University in 2013, and went on to obtain my Master’s degree in Primate Conservation from Oxford Brookes University in the UK. Since 2017 I have been working at the Houston Zoo in our Wildlife Conservation Department, and moonlight as a social media consultant for the National Geographic Photo Ark. When I’m not busy trying to save wildlife, you’ll often find me exploring the city or watching a good movie with my two great danes!

John Scaramucci has been a zoo keeper for the last 10 years and is dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of our natural world.  Birding has been a hobby that has given him great joy and he is looking forward to giving back to a community that has given him so much.