Marie Olavere grew up in the Philippines and in Houston. She earned her BA in History from the University of Virginia (wahoowa!) and is pursuing an MBA from Rice University. Marie has worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA, Development Associate, Sponsored Programs Associate, and Director of Development for organizations including the Montrose Center, Rice University, Baylor […]

Victoria Parker Thacker is Houston Audubon’s newest seasonal Coastal Shorebird Technician, focusing on the beach-nesting birds initiative. Victoria is a recent graduate of Sam Houston State University (Go Bearkats!), where she earned a B.S. in Animal Science and a minor in Wildlife Management. She also holds an associate’s degree from Alvin Community College, which helped […]

Christine “Chris” Smith is originally from Napa in Northern California. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Wildlife from Humboldt State University. She is fortunate to have lived and worked in some of the most beautiful and diverse places in the US, most notably: northern Michigan, on the Big Island of Hawai’i, and the […]

As we kick off 2025, we’re excited to start the new year under the helm of our new President & CEO, Jed Aplaca. Jed has dedicated his career to the preservation and stewardship of natural resources, driven by a lifelong passion for the environment. Raised in Hawaii, Jed spent his formative years immersed in the […]