Lyn Scrimger | East Lansing, MI
2024 Board Candidate

For more than 20 years of my work life I have had the privilege of serving in leadership roles — as retail manager, geographic information systems team leader, instructor, and volunteer coordinator. In these pursuits, I sought to understand the missions of organizations, and the interests and needs of individuals involved. I have gained experience in these areas through training in conflict resolution, and facilitation of group discussion during the course of my Master’s degree in Labor Relations and Human Resources at Michigan State University.

Why do you want to serve as a board member for Michigan Audubon, and what would you like to contribute?

My abiding curiosity about the natural world compels me to explore Michigan’s natural areas whenever I can, whether birding, hiking or kayaking quiet waters. As a child, walking the fields of the family farm, I whistled back to bobwhites and watched crows pick up leftover grains. The diversity of plants and animals has fascinated me for much of my life. That interest, and my commitment to conservation, led me to earn a bachelor’s degree in environmental education. I learned important perspective and birding skills as a stewardship intern for the Michigan chapter of The Nature Conservancy, where I recorded all birds that I could identify by sight or sound on preserves as I visited them. That experience led me to the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, first serving as Information Manager, and later as their Budget and Project Manager. My work as Operations Manager at Michigan Audubon, ending 2017, was a meaningful closure to my work-life in conservation and leadership roles. I would be honored to bring that commitment to birds and conservation to Michigan Audubon as a member of their board. I offer a sincere effort to secure increased public interest in conservation, a practiced contribution to effective group decision-making, a trained perspective in budget and project management, and my deep appreciation of this important organization. Thank you for considering me!

What is your favorite bird and why?

This really is a difficult choice. When I think of some of my favorites I recognize a commonality — their sounds. The primitive sounds of cranes and loons thrill me. However, the Wood Thrush may be my favorite. The Wood Thrush song has a calming, clear, musical quality that always brings a quiet smile for me.