NEWSLETTER
NEWSLETTER
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
OUR TEAM
KELLY MARTIN
American Bird Conservancy
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Kelly is the Texas Coastal Outreach Coordinator for American Bird Conservancy and oversees all aspects of the SPLASh program. She has a background in environmental policy, citizen science and volunteer program management, and environmental education. She holds a bachelor's degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Miami and a master's degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Washington.
Contact: kmartin@abcbirds.org
Celeste is the Education and Outreach Manager at Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and facilitates the educational aspects of the SPLASh program. Previously a bird monitor and an environmental educator, Celeste loves teaching others about wildlife and the problem of trash pollution.
Contact: csilling@gcbo.org
Richard Gibbons
American Bird Conservancy
Richard Gibbons is the Gulf Conservation Program Manager at American Bird Conservancy (ABC). Richard has worked as an ornithologist for more than two decades on the Gulf Coast and throughout the Americas. Richard has enjoyed working on various land acquisitions, managing land for wildlife and people, developing engaging content for various media, and working with a diverse community of practice for Gulf Coast bird conservation projects.
Contact: rgibbons@abcbirds.org
CINDY MENJIVAR
Kardia Design Studio
Cindy Menjivar is a Senior Graphic & Web Designer and Creative Director at Kardia Design Studio. Cindy began working with the American Bird Conservancy in 2020 to lead creative design direction for the SPLASh program. A native of Houston, Texas, nature lover, and a longtime visitor of the Gulf Coast and Galveston area, Cindy is passionate about advocating for ocean and nature conservation.
Contact: cindy@kardiadesigns.com
LIZ VIRGL
American Bird Conservancy
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Liz is the Texas Coastal Education Specialist overseeing all of SPLASh’s educational programming. She earned a B.S. in Marine Science-Biology at the University of Tampa and has worked with belugas, dolphins, humpback whales, sea turtles, snakes, and even children. As an educator for the past 3 years, she is passionate about making the science field accessible and engaging for students of all ages. Her goals include empowering future environmental stewards and tackling marine debris in Texas head on.
Contact: evirgl@abcbirds.org
AMANDA HACKNEY
Black Cat GIS
Black Cat GIS was founded in 2016 by Amanda Hackney to provide solutions to the geospatial demands of the conservation and business communities. Ms. Hackney has over 10 years of experience in the natural resources and GIS fields. A native of Nacogdoches Texas, her research specialties include: monitoring of endangered species, GPS field work, colonial waterbirds, coastal restoration projects, conservation based education programs, GIS analyses of coastal bird habitats/ estuarine erosion, and marine debris movement and accumulation in waterways.
Contact: a.hackney@blackcatgis.org
KRISTEN VALE
American Bird Conservancy
Kristen has a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University, and an M.S. in Environmental Science with a focus on shorebird ecology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Her thesis work focused on the distribution of Piping Plovers on the upper Texas coast. Kristen has worked as a seasonal conservation technician for ABC and Houston Audubon, a research associate for the Environmental Institute of Houston, and an intern with Student Conservation Association (SCA) at Everglades National Park and Canyonlands National Park.
Contact: kvale@abcbirds.org
FOUNDING PARTNERS
SPLASh was launched in 2020 through a partnership between American Bird Conservancy, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, and Black Cat GIS. Click on the logos below to visit each partner's website.
