Tammy believes it is relationships with people that will make a positive difference for conservation now and in the future. As Executive Director of Bird Conservancy of the Rockies — a nonprofit that works to conserve birds and their habitats through science, education and land stewardship — she enjoys working with many different partners to encourage proactive voluntary bird conservation efforts.

Along with the opportunities to advance conservation efforts at a regional scale, Tammy loves the collaborative and innovative spirit of the PLJV staff and management board. Being part of this partnership helps her organization advance scientific monitoring and evaluation work for grassland bird species, which provides the critical knowledge needed to ensure strategic and effective conservation efforts. Another key tie-in between Bird Conservancy’s mission and PLJV’s mission is the focus on the human side of conservation and looking for ways to bring biological and social values together to make lasting changes on the landscape.

A Michigan native, Tammy earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management from Michigan State University and a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she studied Sandhill Cranes. She began working for Bird Conservancy (then Colorado Bird Observatory) first as a specialist in GIS and landowner outreach for the Prairie Partners program, then as the program’s coordinator and outreach director. She has served as executive director since 2008. Tammy is also the NABCI Human Dimensions Subcommittee Chair and NGO representative for the Executive Council, as well as Co-Chair of the Northern Great Plains Joint Venture.