Leadership - Colorado Field Ornithologists

CFO Leadership

CFO Board of Directors

Charles "Chuck" Hundertmark

President

Chuck's interest in birds developed in junior high but took off while finishing undergraduate work at the U. Pennsylvania. He is a past president of Albuquerque Audubon, New Mexico Ornithological Society and Denver Field Ornithologists, and past board chair of Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. He has presented papers and workshops in his field in regional, national, and international forums, published papers in ornithology, and taught numerous bird identification and behavior classes.

Light morph Swainson's Hawk. Photo by Chuck Hundertmark.

Vacancy

Vice President

Sondra Bland

Treasurer - Grants & Scholarships Chair

Sondra has always loved nature and the outdoors; she is an avid hiker and runner who discovered birding relatively recently. A trip to Monte Vista to see the Sandhill Cranes was the spark, when she discovered not only how amazing cranes are but how beautiful and diverse ducks are through binoculars. She is a tenured professor at the University of Colorado Denver where she runs a Neuroscience research lab and teaches Psychology and Neuroscience. Sondra has been a member of CFO since 2009.

Kyle Carlsen

Secretary

Kyle grew up birding in southern Ohio. He has worked as a field researcher and writer and has been published in a number of journals, books, and magazines. He moved to colorful Colorado in 2021 to work for the Boulder-based nonprofit Environment for the Americas, where he manages marketing and communications. He is an avid traveler and frequent speaker and trip leader at birding festivals throughout the country. His favorite bird is the Grasshopper Sparrow.

Peter Burke

Colorado Birds Managing Editor & Colorado Birding Challenge Committee Chair

Peter is a lifelong birder raised in central New Jersey. Currently based in Boulder, he is a marketing and operations consultant and the editor of Colorado Birds. Peter has led birding adventures throughout the U.S., Mexico, Central and South America. In 2019 he founded Epic Birding Tours with the goal of helping indigenous Ecuadorian communities to participate in, and benefit from, ecotourism on their lands. Peter's photography has been published in numerous magazines and field guides.

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch. Photo By Tom Benson (CC-BY-NC-ND)

Helen Butts

Board Director - Field Trips Committee Chair

Helen’s grandmother fostered her interest in birds when Helen was a child growing up in the Midwest. Helen has traveled and lived in many places, and while she adores new habitats, she loves Colorado, her home for the last 12 years. Helen has experience on charter school boards and the Colorado Association for Bilingual Education. She is a lifelong educator and public school administrator and loves combining learning, people, nature, and wildlife.

Doug Faulkner

Board Director - Conventions Committee Chair

Peter Gent

Board Director - Colorado Birds Records Committee Chair

Peter arrived in Colorado on September 1, 1976 and have lived in south Boulder and worked at the National Center for Atmospheric Research ever since. I have been a member of the CFO for 45 years, and have twice been President and twice been Chairman of the Records Committee. I have had the good fortune to bird all over Colorado and have birder friends from all corners of the state.

Megan Jones Patterson

Board Director - Membership Chair

Megan has a lifelong interest in the intersections of science, outdoors, and education, often with birds being the focal point. She has a doctorate in animal behavior, researching the display behaviors of manakins in Costa Rica. Education and work have allowed Megan to enjoy birding around the globe; she loves living here in Colorado where there is great avian diversity. Megan's current contributions to field ornithology include volunteer bird banding, raptor monitoring, and submissions to eBird.

Linda Lee

Board Director - Communications Committee Chair

Linda Lee's interest in birding was sparked when she worked for The Nature Conservancy many years ago, and that interest has not waned. Her friends know that if she starts talking with them, she may become easily distracted by a bird flying overhead. Linda has worked and sat on boards for several non-profits in Colorado. She has extensive experience in fundraising, grant writing, annual campaigns, event planning, and marketing. She is currently in Denver Audubon’s Master Birder program and has led several bird outings for the City of Louisville.

Kaily Taylor-Meek

Board Director

Kaily Taylor-Meek is an Environmental Biologist with a passion for Ornithology and wildlife conservation. She holds an MS in Environmental Biology from Regis University and conducted research on Northern Flicker hybridization at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Currently an Affiliate faculty member in Biology at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Kaily is dedicated to promoting sustainable environmental practices and protecting bird species. As a Latinx woman, she actively fosters diversity and inclusion, believing diverse perspectives are essential to addressing environmental challenges.

Interested in Joining the Board?

CFO strives to have a board that geographically represents all of Colorado, to facilitate this, quarterly board meetings occur online or in hybrid format.

Many board members are still actively working or raising families so don't think you need to be retired to participate!

Directors serve a 3-year term with a two-consecutive term limit. Board members may return to the board for additional non-consecutive terms.

Learn More

Board Liaisons

Henry Stiles

Conservation Committee Liaison

A love of outdoor photography initially sparked Henry Stiles' passion for birding. His interest in photographing birds in their natural habitats grew as he became more aware of environmental issues. After a successful career in technology, where he worked as a software engineer and manager, Henry shifted to become an environmental advocate. He now focuses on conservation campaigns and raising awareness about environmental issues. Henry is a registered lobbyist in Colorado working for a state-wide environmental organization Environment Colorado.

Canyon Wren perched on lichen covered rock.

Vacancy

Student Liaison

Vacancy

Western Field Ornithologists Liaison

Committees

Committees make CFO function! We thank all the volunteers who serve on CFO committees. We would not have an organization if it wasn't for the dedication and effort of these individuals.

If you are interested in joining one of these committees or would like more information on what these committee members do, please contact the committee chair directly or contact us.

Colorado Birding Challenge

Coordinates the state-wide big day/bird-a-thon that raises money for conservation projects and CFO. Learn more about the Challenge.

Membership

Peter Burke (Chair)
Nick Komar
Mark Minner-Lee

Colorado Bird Records Committee

Evaluates applications of records for rare and unusual observations of Colorado birds including new county and state species records. This committee maintains the official Colorado state bird list and publishes quarterly reports in Colorado Birds. Learn more about the records committee.

Membership

Peter Gent (Chair)
Linda Chittum
Eric DeFonso
Michael Lester
Ric Olson
Mark Peterson
Cathy Sheeter
Jason St. Pierre
David Tønnessen

Colorado Birds Journal

Produces our flagship publication, Colorado Birds: Quarterly Journal of Colorado Field Ornithologists. Read Colorado Birds.

Membership

Peter Burke (Managing Editor)
George Mayfield (Photo Editor)
Heather McGregor (Science Editor)

Communications

Manages and maintains all CFO communications channels including Colorado Birds, CFO social media, CFO websites, COBirds listserv, CFO email, and the CFO Speaker Series.

Membership

Linda Lee (Chair)
Mary Geder
Chuck Hundertmark
Megan Jones Patterson

Conservation

Represents CFO for state and regional conservation issues and coordinates conservation-related activities with partners. Learn more about recent conservation activities.

Membership

Philip McNichols (Chair)
Pat Cullen
Luke George
Chuck Hundertmark
Nick Komar
Stephanie Pitt
Arvind Panjabi
Scott Somershoe
Amy Walsh
Julie Zahniser

Conventions

Plans and runs the annual CFO conventions. Learn more about CFO conventions.

Membership

Doug Faulkner (Chair)
Sondra Bland
Helen Butts
Kyle Carlesen
Chuck Hundertmark
Megan Jones Patterson
Linda Lee
Philip McNichols
Kaily Taylor-Meek

Field Trips

Plans CFO field trips during the annual convention, the Field Workshop Series, and throughout the year.

Membership

Helen Butts (Chair)
Diana Beatty
Debbie Barnes Shankster
Felice Chimney
Joanna Clark
John Haycraft
Laura Steadman
Melissa Mezger
Travis Walker

Grants and Scholarships

Evaluates applications and makes recommendations to the board on funding decisions. The committee coordinates the science sessions at the annual CFO conventions. Learn more about CFO grants and scholarships.

Membership

Sondra Bland (Chair)
Megan Jones Patterson
Kaily Taylor-Meek

Investments

Oversees CFO investments.

Membership

Sondra Bland (Chair)
Kyle Carlsen
Bill Hopping
Chuck Hundertmark
Nick Komar
Vicky Miles

Membership

Supports CFO members and volunteers.

Membership

Megan Jones Patterson (Chair)
Diana Beatty (membership recruitment)