Judy Cheske is a local birder, artist, web designer and conservation volunteer. After many years in the corporate technology business world, she has shifted her focus to spending more time in nature, and capturing her thoughts in images and words.
Annabelle Hladik
Judy Pollock, President
Judy has been active in bird conservation, community science and habitat restoration projects in the Chicago area since the late 90’s. Judy helped to found the Bird Conservation Network and the BCN Survey, and served as Director of Bird Conservation at Audubon Chicago Region. She helped to initiate a number of local bird habitat projects, for example, Bartel and Orland Grassland, LaBagh Woods migratory bird habitat, and Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary and Harbert Park in Evanston. She first joined the CAS board in the late 90’s, and rejoined in 2014. Judy was elected President of the CAS board in 2019.
Laura Jean (LJ) Bailey, Treasurer
Laura has worked on prairie restoration projects through the McHenry County Conservation District and forest restoration through the Forest Preserves of Cook County. She has been a Chicago Bird Collision Monitor volunteer for three years and learned firsthand about the importance of protecting bird biodiversity through rescue and bird-friendly building ordinances.
After teaching English in Chicago Public Schools for 15 years, she now works as a writer and grants manager in the nonprofit world. This is her first year as treasurer of Chicago Audubon Society, and she is excited to work with a group of dedicated individuals.
Annette Prince, Secretary
Annette Prince has worked on local and national conservation projects as well as wildlife education and rehabilitation programs over the last thirty-five years. She directs the not-for-profit conservation organization - Chicago Bird Collision Monitors (CBCM). Annette has been on the board of Chicago Audubon Society/Chicago Bird Alliance (CBA) since 2005. She is the chair of the Bird Friendly Chicago collaboration between CBCM, CBA and COS that has worked with the city of Chicago to implement bird-friendly building design policies and practices for new and existing buildings.
Alan Anderson, Research Committee Chair
Alan Anderson has been an active member of the Chicago Audubon Society for more than forty years, first joining the board in 1978. In that time he has led numerous bird walks and field trips, and he has contributed to many research studies, contributing to the protection and enhancement of bird habitat, and bird and wildlife education.
Roberta Asher, Finance Committee Chair, Nominating Committee Chair
Roberta Asher is an avid birdwatcher and has travelled around the world in pursuit of her passion.
She is a board member of several organizations that promote conservation including the International Crane Foundation and the Chicago Audubon Society and is a member of the Chicago Mayor’s Nature and Wildlife Committee. She visits elementary classrooms to talk to students and promote awareness of neighborhood birds as a volunteer for Openlands’ “Birds In My Neighborhood” program. She is also a bird monitor for Thatcher Woods Forest Preserve.
Alex Landberg, Membership/Development Committee Co-Chair
Alex first became involved with the Chicago Audubon Society as a volunteer at the Camp Pine Woods habitat restoration project, and officially joined the board in the Spring of 2020.
Originally from Northern California, Alex has lived and worked in the Chicago-area for the last 10 years, primarily in the non-profit sector. He currently resides in Des Plaines with his wife and two young boys.
Jeffrey Sanders, Research Committee
A longtime birder, Jeff started birding in 1961, and has participated in over 200 bird counts since 1963. He compiled the Chicago Urban Christmas Bird Count since its start in 1966, also contributing to the compilation of bird counts in Waukegan, Chautauqua, and Kane Counties.
Jeff joined the CAS board in 1998, and was the Field Trip chairman for ten years, and served on the Nominating Committee several times. Also active in other birding organizations, Jeff was the Field Trip chair for the Evanston Northshore Bird Club for 37 years, and has also served on the Park Ridge Audubon, Fort Dearborn Audubon and Lake-Cook Audubon (still active).
Lisette Zaid, Membership/Development Committee Co-Chair
Lisette has over 11 years of experience serving nonprofit institutions with a focus on resource development, program design, and growth. Lisette is a certified Lean Startup/Business Model Canvas Facilitator through the International Business Innovation Association. She has an M.A. from Spertus Institute, and a B.A. in History with a minor in Environmental Science from Loyola University Chicago.
She joined the CAS board in 2019 and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Membership Committee.
Lindsay Vacek
Lindsay is interested in the science behind restoration ecology as well as its intersection with people and communities. At the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Washington, DC, she helped direct grant funding to projects that promote community stewardship and the recovery of at-risk wildlife. She found her spark bird, a black-necked stilt, on a site visit in coastal Georgia.
Lindsay earned a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University, where her master’s project examined practical impediments to prescribed fire implementation on private lands. She volunteers for the forest preserve districts of DuPage and Cook counties, and became a Chicago Bird Collision Monitor in spring 2022.
Ann Hetzel Gunkel, Editor & Communications Chair
Woody Goss
Woody Goss started working with the Chicago Audubon Society by co-leading bird walks, and he currently produces a video series that highlights local knowledge of bird species and locations throughout the year. As a board member he hopes to work to create more opportunities for people to go birdwatching and enjoy nature.
Jackie Smith
Lillian Holden
Lillian Holden has worked for Openlands (local-non-profit) for 5 years primarily coordinating and implementing Openlands Birds in My Neighborhood Program and serving as a public ambassador for Openlands African American Heritage Watertrail. In her new role, Water Trail Specialist, Lillian implements and coordinates Openlands water trails. From birding to paddling, her breadth of work involves building and inspire advocates for nature at multiple scales with a lens on history and heritage.
She an emerging leader in the fight toward the metamorphosis of mother earth and our cultural lens on the treatment of nature and takes pride in sharing fortifying experiences outdoors for all ages that serve dual purposes: educational and extensions of what the individual needs most. During her free time, she weaves in moments to crochet all whilst mentoring youth apart of The Keller Science Action Center at the Field Museum’s FEUGO (Fellows United for Environment, Growth, and Opportunity) program, Planning for Black Birders Week 2023, and while being an Aspen Ideas Fellow.
John Elliott, Field Trips Chair
Michael Rasmussen
Amy Lardner
Miyako Pleines
Forrest Cortes
Forrest grew up in Chicago enjoying nature in all its forms, from backyard gardens to forest preserves.
Forrest holds a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Management but often says that his knowledge stems from hitting the trail as often as possible, putting his hands in the dirt for habitat restoration, and spending time listening to the wisdom found in Chicago's communities. Forrest’s interest and expertise lies in urban ecology, volunteer program development, partnership building and community engagement. For his day-job, Forrest works as the Director of Community Engagement for The Nature Conservancy in Illinois, where he leads a team dedicated to connecting people with nature, primarily in the urban Cook County region.