Growing up we lived in Southern California where a kid had all they could ask for, great beaches and Disneyland. Then at the young age of 21 I moved to Northern California, Silicon Valley in its infancy. I was independent and ready to live life. By this time I had been working in the mortgage/financial industry for several years and began building my career, which spanned 30 years. I worked in several loan production positions and moved into Operations management roles in Production, Compliance and Learning & Development. This led to Administrative management positions later in my career. All of my positions provided continued opportunity and growth in my field and I was quite fortunate to work with firms that fully utilized my talents. I truly enjoyed teaching and mentoring staff, working in project oriented roles and meeting colleagues across the country during my business travels.
Since I was a child I have had a love for animals. My parents where great about allowing me to have pets and nurture my love for animals. I cared for pets of all kinds and it wasn’t until my late teens that I met my first companion parrot. I adopted a little blue Budgie, named Sylvester, from my older brother. The relationship that developed with this little bird created a desire for a deeper understanding of these complex animals and marked the start of my involvement with bird companions and parrot welfare. Originally I kept Budgies as pets but one day made the decision to purchase a Cockatiel. In 1984 I bought a beautiful Pied Cockatiel and named him Chauncey. I was told he was ten months old at the time. Chauncey passed at the age of 26 in early 2009. He was a very special friend for most of my adult life and set me on this life path.
While living in Northern California I met my husband and we relocated to Denver, CO in 2003. It was a life changing event when my husband passed away unexpectedly in 2005. I began to consider my life dreams and made the decision to dedicate my energy to working with birds. I supported the Sanctuary for many years through their bird sponsorship program. I was able to visit the Sanctuary on two occasions and knew that I wanted to be a part of the wonderful work being done here. I was so fortunate that The Oasis had an animal caregiver position available when I made the decision to leave corporate America and city life to try something that I had always wanted to do. In 2007 I relocated from Denver to Cascabel and began my work with the birds and other animals that call the Sanctuary home. In March of 2010 I put my business and administrative skills to use when I moved into my current position as Executive Director of Administration. I am still very involved with the animals, managing the growth of our flock and the human care of the birds. I truly enjoy handling the administrative tasks to keep the sanctuary running day to day, but I will always love the connections that I continue to foster with each and every bird here.
Since the adoption of my first Budgie, I have lived with other Cockatiels, Conures, Amazons and African Greys, and I have fostered a few Cockatoos as well. Today my personal flock at home is five birds, and I also provide foster care to seven Oasis birds. I must admit I have a soft heart for African Greys, and still care for three Cockatiels and one “out of place” – but very confident – green girl…a Yellow-naped Amazon.
My love for parrots gave me the desire to learn about all things avian. I have taken a number of birding classes and trips, and consider myself an avid bird watcher. To this day seeing birds in their natural habitat…Raptors soaring in the sky, Flycatchers skimming the water for bugs and Roadrunners running the road…is such a joy to me. I take every opportunity to strap on my binoculars and quietly get a glimpse of their world. It is my way of reconnecting with the earth and it always provides me with a sense of peace.
I am active in community service, serving my fifth term in 2015 as an officer on the board of the Cascabel Community Center, a local civic organization. I enjoy antiquing for bird items-especially old bird books, photographs and greeting cards/post cards with parrots portrayed. These items are typically harder to find, so it makes the hunt more fun and the find really exciting. I am also passionate about my intuitive and spiritual growth and continue my quest to live a more spirited, authentic and balanced life.