Scot Duncan, PhD
Executive Director, scot@alaudubon.org
Dr. R. Scot Duncan was raised on the shores of Pensacola Bay, FL by the celebrated birders and conservationists, Lucy and Bob Duncan. Both Scot and his brother, Will, have dedicated their lives to science, conservation, and education. Scot holds a BS in Biology from Eckerd College, and a MS and PhD in Zoology from the University of Florida. His research and explorations have taken him to Antarctica, New Zealand, East Africa, Central and South America, the Pacific Northwest, and ecosystems across the southeastern US. In graduate school, Scot studied tropical forest restoration in Uganda and Latin America, but for the past twenty years has focused his efforts on endangered species and ecosystems of the Southeast. He is the author or coauthor of 16 peer-reviewed science journal articles and 7 technical reports. Scot is also the author of award-winning Southern Wonder: Alabama’s Surprising Biodiversity. Before becoming Executive Director of Alabama Audubon, Scot was a Professor of Biology at Birmingham-Southern College for twenty years.
Allison Abney
Outreach & Communications Director, allison@alaudubon.org
Originally from Kimberly, Alabama, Allison returned to Birmingham in 2019. She received her BFA in Painting/Studio Art and MS Marketing degrees from The University of Alabama. She lived for many years in New Orleans, where she received her MA Arts Administration & Nonprofit Management degree from the University of New Orleans. While there, she worked with the Contemporary Arts Center in external affairs. Since, she has served in a development communications capacity at the Dallas Museum of Art and the Alabama AHEC program. Allison joins Alabama Audubon following a successful stint with the Altamont School. She happily resides in Irondale, in her “little house on the hill,” with the Ruffner nature preserve as her front yard and with all manner of wildlife as her neighbors.
Kathryn Gray
Seasonal Coastal Bird Steward, kathryn@alaudubon.org
Born and raised in southwest Missouri, Kathryn spent her early years watching her grandpa work on Bald Eagle surveys for the Missouri Department of Conservation. Her family’s love for the outdoors grew her passion for stewarding the planet and it’s ecosystems well. Kathryn graduated from the University of Mobile with a B.S. in Marine Science in 2019 and has since worked in wildlife rehabilitation in Alabama, North Carolina, and Texas. During this time, she worked with all kinds of animals including snakes, hawks, possums, owls, foxes, otters, sea turtles, pelicans, dolphins, and her favorite – gopher tortoises. When she isn’t pointing up in the sky to tell her friends what kind of bird is flying over at that moment, you can find her paddle boarding, hiking, camping, or hammocking.
Alliemarie Humphries
Administrative Coordinator, alliemarie@alaudubon.org
Born in Birmingham and raised primarily in Central Florida, Alliemarie joined us in 2019 after spending several years working in administration for various organizations in West Alabama. Following completion of a B.A. in literature from the University of Alabama, she continued to cultivate experiences through volunteer work. Alliemarie has a master’s degree in public administration, with certification in nonprofit management, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is currently pursuing a doctorate, studying health education and promotion at UAB. One of her goals while at Audubon (and beyond) is to play a role in creating broader access to birding and developing programming that aims to improve resiliency for those with mental health diagnoses. In addition to her studies and work, Alliemarie volunteers for a handful of local and state-wide organizations. She currently resides in Birmingham with her partner and their rescued-cats.
Lianne Koczur, PhD
Science & Conservation Director, lianne@alaudubon.org
A Massachusetts native, Lianne’s lifelong interest in birds began by watching them at feeders in her yard. After earning a B.A. in biology from the University of Maine at Farmington, she spent several years working as a field biologist, monitoring piping plovers and least terns in South Dakota and black-capped vireos and nesting sea turtles in Texas, restoring seabird habitat on California’s Santa Barbara Island, and conducting shorebird surveys along the Gulf Coast. In 2013, Lianne earned her master’s degree in range and wildlife management from Texas A&M–Kingsville for her studies of American oystercatcher reproductive success; she then continued at Kingsville, earning a Ph.D. in wildlife science in 2017 for her work on reddish egret movement. She joined our team in March 2019, and currently resides in Hoover.
Olivia Morpeth
Coastal Biologist, olivia@alaudubon.org
Born and raised in central New Jersey, Olivia graduated from Delaware Valley University in 2018 with a BS in conservation and wildlife management and a minor in business administration. She worked at the Mercer County Wildlife Center in college, rehabilitating orphaned, injured, and displaced native wildlife. Olivia came to Alabama in the fall of 2018 to intern at the Orange Beach Wildlife Center. Starting in April 2019, she interned at the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge in Fort Morgan, protecting sea turtle nests and collecting data through predation observations and excavations to determine hatching success on refuge beaches. During her time at the refuge, she also participated in Alabama beach mouse trapping surveys as well as beach nesting bird surveys for snowy plovers.
Theresa Nabors
Programs Assistant, theresa@alaudubon.org
Theresa graduated from the University of Alabama’s New College program with a depth study in interdisciplinary culture and social change with a concentration in ethnographic photography. She has a love for traveling and exploring new places and ideas. In 2020, she had a baby and graduated from the University of Alabama with a master’s of social work degree. Theresa is excited to bring her passion for environmental conservation to Audubon and this position. She’s a Birmingham native and lives in the Crestwood neighborhood with her husband and daughter.
Chris Oberholster
Development Director, chris@alaudubon.org
Chris started working with Alabama Audubon as the organization’s Partnership & Policy Director in December 2016, before transitioning to his current fundraising role in 2019. Born and raised in South Africa, he earned a master’s degree in agronomy and soils at Auburn University, and has lived in and explored Alabama for the last thirty years. Before coming to Audubon, Chris worked for almost twenty-five years at The Nature Conservancy—most recently as that organization’s Alabama State Director—and played a pivotal role in the 2012 renewal of Alabama’s popular Forever Wild public-land program. An avid hunter, birder, and stamp collector, he lives in Hoover with his wife Suzanne and their three children.
Ruby Rolland
Coastal Biologist, ruby@alaudubon.org
A Nebraska native raised outside of Omaha, Ruby has been in love with the outdoors since she was a young child who went on nature walks and raised butterflies. She attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated in 2020 with a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife. Ruby worked all across the Midwest during her college years surveying piping plovers and least terns and translocating greater sage-grouse hens and chicks. In August of 2021 she moved to Texas to work on a quail research ranch studying all aspects of northern bobwhite quail. After being introduced to birding in North Dakota by coworkers she has been enamored with bird watching, and more recently, wildlife photography. Combined with her other hobbies of fishing, camping and reading, Ruby is often found outside enjoying the great outdoors.
Cortney Weatherby
Coastal Outreach Manager, cortney@alaudubon.org
Born and raised in Nebraska, Cortney developed a love for all things outdoors at an early age. After earning a BS in Marine Biology from Northwest Missouri State University, she spent several years working as an educator and a naturalist with environmental organizations in the Florida Keys, South Carolina, Alaska, and Virginia. Cortney’s interest in birds started thanks to a coworker, and has since become intertwined with her passion for education, stewardship, and community building around coastal ecosystems. Cortney lives in Daphne and enjoys birding, fly fishing, kayaking, and reading.