Board and Staff

IAS BOARD OVERVIEW

The purpose and objective of this Society is to engage in educational, scientific, investigative, literary, historical, philanthropic and charitable pursuits which protect and conserve our natural resources including water, air, soil, plants and wildlife, especially birds, and to stimulate in Indiana public appreciation of the values of such natural resources and the need for their conservation.

Indiana Audubon advances it’s mission through its Strategic Plan, which is updated periodically. For current job openings, visit Here.

Meet our Flock

STAFF

Brad Bumgardner – Executive Director 

Brad Bumgardner is the executive director for the Indiana Audubon Society and first created the annual Indiana Dunes Birding Festival in 2015. He is the former head naturalist for the Department of Natural Resources at Indiana Dunes State Park and has a Bachelors in Science from Purdue University with emphasis on Ornithology and Environmental Education. Brad has been presented the Northwest Indiana’s top 20 under 40 business leaders award.

 

 

Sam Warren- Communications & Outreach Manager

Sam Warren is the Communications and Outreach Manager at Indiana Audubon. She helps connect people to Indiana’s birds and conservation, through programs and online resources. She was previously a 4-H coordinator in Iowa and loved leading nature related programming. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Bemidji State in Wildlife Management and a Masters from UW-Madison in Agroecology. 

 

 

Libby Keyes- MGBS Operations Manager

Libby Keyes is the  Operations Manager for Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary, and lives on-site.  Libby oversees day to day operations, public outreach, conservation and stewardship activities on the preserve, as well as research initiatives.  Libby has a Masters of Science in Environmental Biology from Governors State University, and has overseen both owl and whip-poor-will research projects with Indiana Audubon.

 

 

VACANT- MGBS Resident Caretaker

 

We are hiring. Read more here.

 

 

 

Lila Fried- Secretive Marshbird Coordinator

Lila is the volunteer coordinator for the 2022 Calumet region marsh bird surveys and runs the ARU program for Black Rails at Kankakee Sands. She is also a bander with Chicago Ornithological Society’s MAPS banding program at Big Marsh Park. Lila has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Oberlin College and is currently pursuing her master’s in biology and conservation science at Miami University’s Project Dragonfly, a program centered on hands-on conservation initiatives, inquiry-driven learning, leadership, and community engagement rather than traditional academic research. 

 

 

Aidan Rominger- Youth Outreach Coordinator

My love for animals began at the early age of 3, with a particular fascination for rare and endangered species. By age 4, my fascination with animals soon became specified to birds after discovering my first bird guide: Sibley’s Guide to Birds of NA. By age 8 I received my first pair of binoculars and a camera, and have been birding ever since. In 2014, I became the youngest birder to see over 300 species of birds in Indiana in one year. From then on, I have been able to participate in multiple breeding bird surveys, bird banding projects, and bird tour guiding experiences throughout Indiana and Kiawah Island, South Carolina. My involvement with birding led me to get into Purdue University, where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology in 2022.

 

2023 Officers of the Indiana Audubon Society

The Indiana Audubon Society is governed by a 15 member Board of Directors and meet a minimum of 3 times per year. 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President – Kim Ehn, Porter

Vice President – Shari McCollough, Crawfordsville

Secretary – Mary Fox, Indianapolis

Treasurer – Amanda Sitterding, Milroy

5th Executive Committee Member –Richard Garrett

PAST PRESIDENT

Kristen Sweinhart, Osceola

SANCTUARY COMMITTEE CHAIR

Richard Garrett, Greenfield

Ends December 2023 (3)

Joanne Guttman, Connersville

Mona Clayton, Indianapolis

Jenny Habecker, Indianapolis

Ends December 2024 (3)

Lina Rifai, Noblesville

Jeremy Ross, Petersburg

Cookie Ferguson, LaPorte

Ends December 2025 (3)

Scott Enochs, Indianapolis

Matt Igleski, Hammond

Vacant

 

Interested in joining the Indiana Audubon Board of Directors, nominate yourself or a friend below!

Board of Director Meetings

The Board of Directors hold three (3) meetings per year. Meeting are held:

January Meeting: January 13-15, 2023

Spring- April 29, 2023 – 1-3pm at the Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary

Fall- TBA