Board of Directors

Heena considers herself a global citizen, having resided in six major cities across three continents. From Italy, to Delhi, to the Pacific Northwest, her experiences are vast and varied. With a background in law, Heena has been a dedicated sustainability strategist and policy expert at the UN for over eight years. She has advised governments to forge robust biodiversity strategies, action plans, and nature related ESG disclosures. Heena’s collaborations with Indigenous communities on biocultural protocols underscore her commitment to equitable impact. Heena holds a special fondness for hummingbirds. As a mother to an emerging bird enthusiast, she watches her toddler light up with joy every evening as the Seattle crows embark on their nightly journey. 

Jill is a lifelong Seattle resident and graduate of The Evergreen State College and the University of Washington. She was a CPA for many years, serving affordable housing and real estate clients. She most recently worked at Community Roots Housing for 14 years, retiring in 2020 as Deputy Director, and she continues to mentor colleagues in the affordable housing field. She is on the board of directors of Mt. Baker Housing Association and has served on several nonprofit boards previously. In her free time, Jill loves nothing better than a road trip with bird books, bird apps and binoculars in hand.

Anthony is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Washington. For over 20 years, he has helped lead numerous studies on substance use disorder treatment, much of that related to opioid use disorder. In addition to being a community theater actor and avid photographer, Anthony is also an aspiring birder building a portfolio of photos of local birds which he shares with his friends and family. He holds a doctorate in Sociology from Stanford University.

Andres has lived in the Pacific Northwest off-and-on since 2006. He is a finance professional, having recently left a 15-year career at Amazon where he led teams focused on global cash management and banking infrastructure. Andres discovered both birding and livable, walkable cities while living temporarily in Europe, and is excited to be on the board to help sustain and defend those things here at home. When not in front of a computer, he enjoys hiking with his dog, and baking.

Megan has always lived in cities, from Dallas and Des Moines to Shanghai and Hong Kong. For her, peace comes from making cities home to all species. Megan works in local government and lives in South Seattle. She holds an advanced degree in public administration and is a certified fraud examiner.

Nathan is a proud Seattle native with a deep-rooted commitment to animal welfare and a passion for fostering positive workplace environments as a Human Resources Business Partner with Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). With a strong sense of community, a love for family and friends, and an unabashed enthusiasm for all things Star Wars, Nathan brings a unique blend of compassion, professionalism, and nerdy charm to everything they do. Their unique blend of compassion, professionalism, and Jedi-like determination ensures that they are always ready to take on new challenges and inspire those around them. May the Force be with them as they continue their journey to make the world a better place, one paw print at a time.

Andrew has been building growth strategies using marketing technology for over fifteen years. He is currently the Senior Manager of Creative Operations at Starbucks, where he leads a team responsible for digital content publishing and technical strategy across North America. In his previous role managing email marketing for Teavana, his efforts engaged over two million new customers. He also helps lead Starbucks’ Partners for Sustainability network. He moved to Seattle in 2014, after falling in love with the local flora and fauna, especially the birds. Andrew strongly believes in engaging diverse communities in the effort to protect and renew nature. He was a founding member of Birds Connect Seattle’s NextGen Advisory Council and recently assisted Birds Connect Seattle in the launch of their new website.  Andrew is an avid birder and regularly attends Birds Connect Seattle neighborhood walks, classes, and the CBC.

Virb (Amanda Virbitsky) is originally from Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the 2019 Birds Connect Seattle Master Birder class. She is excited about conservation, and thinks that birds are a great way to get more people outside and to connect them to the natural world. In her work life, she has focused on sustainability as well as the outdoor industry. In addition to serving on the NextGen Council, she is also a member of the Board of Directors, the Equity and Justice Committee, and the Strategic Planning Committee, and has volunteered for the Neighborhood Bird Project and the Puget Sound Seabird Survey. When she’s not looking at birds, she’s probably hiking, cooking, or making art.

A native Seattleite and graduate of the University of Washington, Sharon enjoyed a decades long career in healthcare information technology, including 25 years managing her own independent consulting firm. Sharon is an avid photographer but fairly new to birding. She considers it a privilege to observe and capture images of birds in nature. Now that she is close to retirement, Sharon is refocusing her energy towards the celebration and preservation of our precious wild creatures and their habitats for future generations. She is honored to join the Board and excited to work on bird conservation initiatives in our region. When she isn’t learning more about birds in a Birds Connect Seattle class or photographing the bird life in local parks, Sharon might be spotted flying over our planet’s coral reefs with scuba and camera gear in tow.