Meet the Staff of Michigan Audubon

Kathleen Mennillo, MBA: CEO

Kathleen Mennillo, MBA, is known for her ambition, business acumen, and integrity and has served at the executive level for over a decade. She comes from her dual role as Executive Director for both the International Hearing Society and the National Board of Certification for Hearing Instrument Sciences. Leveraging the power of relationships and networks, broad business skills, financial acuity, and strategic management, Kathleen propelled the organizations to unprecedented growth and financial stability. During her tenure, she secured the passage of two legislative bills in less than four years, skyrocketed revenue by 375% to more than $4 million, reinvigorated their signature education program, and led through a complete organizational transformation, from staffing to location to streamlining processes. She is honored to join such a prestigious organization dedicated to conservation, education, and research and looks forward to assisting the organization in reaching new heights.

Kathleen relishes adventures with her sweet basset hound Olga, traveling the world with her husband, tending the flowers in her garden, advocating for bees, and designing jewelry.

Lindsay Cain, MS: Manager of Education and Events

As an environmental student researcher, Lindsay spent years developing a deep passion for the environment. She received her Bachelor’s in Biology from Alma College and her Master’s Degree in Natural Resources and Environment from the University of Michigan. Before taking this position, Lindsay taught biology as an adjunct professor. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, cleaning, and spending time with family and friends.

Tara Douglass: Director of Partnerships

Tara is an inspirational leader obsessed with aligning an organization’s brand and messaging to strategic initiatives and projects in nonprofits. She is exceptionally gifted at navigating the many layers of an organization and working with C-suite leaders in building long-term, meaningful partnerships. Her curiosity began when she realized the importance of an association’s audience, messaging, and the positive outcomes the two sectors can accomplish when brought together. As someone who appreciates time in nature, Tara is excited to bring her strengths to Michigan Audubon and to help further our mission. “Partnerships provide the voice, the elevation, the possibilities, and the reach that would otherwise never be met for a nonprofit,” she shared. Outside of work, Tara loves watching all sports (her kids, the Lions, the Spartans, you name it!), reading, and walking the trails at the nature center near her house.

Carolyn Fabro: Education & Events Coordinator

Carolyn joins Michigan Audubon with nearly 10 years of event planning experience. Prior to joining the team, she was behind the many events held at Potter Park Zoo, where she developed a passion for conservation. She enjoys sharing that passion with others and strives to make every event memorable for the guests. Carolyn treasures being with her husband, two kids, and many pets in her free time and enjoys reading and crocheting.

Molly Keenan: Editor & Communications Coordinator

Molly’s love for the outdoors began as a young girl in her hometown of Elk Rapids, where she would frequently explore the woods surrounding her family’s cabin. Known to refer to their well-worn bird guide, she liked flipping through its pages to determine what kind of woodpecker was knocking at the birch tree outside her window or to identify which finch was dining at their birdfeeder. With a degree in journalism from Michigan State University, Molly enjoys using her skills to help organizations that she cares about deeply. Honing communications strategies, assisting with fund development, and nurturing relationships with volunteers, donors, and partners, have played a part in her roles with BoarsHead Theater and the Old Town Commercial Association. In her leisure time, Molly is a devoted crossword-solver, avid reader, and enthusiastic singer of show tunes.

Chad Machinski, MS: Conservation Manager

While Chad’s first love is botany, he doesn’t deny the intertwining nature of birds, plants, insects, and all other organisms we share the world with. His passion for the natural world began in his undergraduate time at the University of Michigan, taking several different forms along the way. His graduate studies at the University of Michigan allowed him to more closely examine the natural communities of Michigan and further understand the complex nature of ecosystems. His work as a Nichols Arboretum Caretaker while in school further enabled him to be directly involved in conservation work as he led workdays removing invasive plant species, performed trail maintenance, and guided tours. Chad can usually be found out in a park in a few ways: binoculars glued to his face, hunched over looking at plants, or flipping logs looking for snakes and salamanders.

Nancy Rasinske: Staff Accountant

Nancy joined the staff of Michigan Audubon after many years of both private and public accounting experience, most recently retiring from the role of Chief Financial Officer for Grand Ledge Public Schools. She spends her time away from work gardening, reading books, walking with her husband and two German shepherds, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Julie White, MBA: Director of Membership & Marketing

Julie’s passion for avian welfare and environmental stewardship has brought her to Michigan Audubon, where she is excited to put her dedication, strategic vision, and unique blend of experience as a marketing director to work for the birds. She firmly believes in the transformative power of community connections and looks to foster environments where collaboration thrives. Julie is eager to continue her journey, forging new connections and making a lasting impact in marketing, conservation, and beyond!

Julie is always up for some outdoor fun with her loved ones! You’ll catch her cycling, hiking, kayaking, or simply admiring the stunning Michigan sunsets.

Whitefish Point Bird Observatory Field Staff

Whitefish Point Bird Observatory (WPBO) is a program of Michigan Audubon located along the shore of Lake Superior in Paradise, Michigan. As a premier migration hotspot, WPBO is home to multiple seasons of avian research including:

  • Spring Raptor Count | March 15–May 31
  • Spring Owl Banding | March 15–May 31
  • Spring Waterbird Count | April 15–May 31
  • Piping Plover Monitoring | May–August
  • Summer Owl Banding | July 1–Aug. 25
  • Fall Waterbird Count | Aug. 15–Nov. 15
  • Fall Passerine Count | September–October
  • Fall Owl Banding | Sept. 15–Oct. 31

Nova Mackentley (2024 Spring Owl Bander) and Chris Neri (2024 Spring and Summer Owl Bander)

A lifelong birder, Chris became particularly fascinated with owls at the age of eight. He was introduced to owl banding by Katy Duffy in Cape May, NJ, in the mid-90s and knew after the first night that his life had just been changed. He has since worked with birds of prey in NV, NJ, NM, ID, CA, OR, MN, and his home state of PA. His life changed again when he arrived for his first season of owl banding at WPBO in the spring of 1999. As he puts it, “I have been fortunate enough to spend seasons at some of the premier raptor sites around the country working on some great research projects, but nothing has captured me the way the owl migration at Whitefish Point has.”

Originally from upstate New York, Nova first came to Michigan as a pianist and graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy. From there, it was an adventurous trek through Carnegie Mellon University and Oberlin College, studying abroad in Tanzania and earning her B.A. in Biology. Nova has loved Whitefish Point and the unique owl migration from the minute she was first hired as an owl bander back in 2005. She has worked with passerines, owls, hawks, parrots, ground squirrels, and ocelots at various field sites worldwide, but the owls always bring her back to Whitefish Point. 

During their many years at WPBO, Nova and Chris have substantially upgraded the spring owl banding, discovered a unique movement of juvenile Northern Saw-whet Owls during the summer, coauthored several papers on owls, and feel grateful to call the U.P. their home. As nature photographers, Whitefish Point and its wonders have inspired much of their photography.

Michael Patrikeev, MS: 2024 Spring Raptor Counter

Michael Patrikeev is a graduate of St. Petersburg State University (Russia) and studied diurnal birds of prey for his M.S. In later years, he worked at the Lower-Svir Nature Reserve in Russia, and then headed the wildlife inventory section at the Ecological Centre of Azerbaijan. He conducted avifaunal surveys and inventories in the latter country and published “The Birds of Azerbaijan” in 2004. Michael arrived in Canada in 1992 and has since worked for the Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Parks Canada, The Nature Conservancy, and Texas Parks and Wildlife. Michael is semi-retired and works in Canada and the United States for wildlife-related contracts. His private interests include the conservation of tropical birds and amphibians.