Pronouns: they/them/elle

Claudia is a non-binary, queer, Latine nature lover, ocean advocate, and sustainability professional. Their love of birds originated from going on casual outings with friends who taught them how to ID birds in a safe and welcoming environment. 

Claudia's favorite birds are the Northern Flicker, Acorn Woodpecker, and Townsend's Warbler.  

Outside of CCBC, Claudia loves to hike, tide pool, walk their dog, cuddle with their cats, and watch scary movies with their spouse. 

Claudia also serves as Advisory Board Chair for the national organization, Latino Outdoors.

Pronouns: she/her

Emily first got into birding while sitting in traffic, vanpooling between Santa Cruz and Monterey. Her favorite birds are the belted kingfisher, cedar waxwing, and snowy plover (squee).  

As an annual San Diego Comic-Con attendee, Emily loves all things science fiction and pop culture. In her free time, Emily loves watching sports and spending time with her husband and cat. She misses the love her life, Leia (as pictured). 

Pronouns: she/they

Gina is never not birding. She stays looking for birds wherever she goes. Birds are only one of the many things that spark Gina’s curiosity. Others include clouds, mixology and conscious awareness. 

As a proud queer Mexicana, Gina strives to create space for folks of diverse identities to connect with each other and nature as a way of healing and experiencing joy. 

Favorite birds: all the colorful ones.

Bio coming soon. 

Pronouns: she/her

When COVID-19 turned life upside down, Lisa was a frayed nerve. To give her anxious brain a job, she downloaded the Merlin app and started learning about the birds in her neighborhood, one at a time. What began as a distraction soon became a grounding practice. Birding replaced worry with curiosity, turned walks into adventures, and introduced her to wonderfully nerdy nature people.

By day, Lisa is a bookkeeper and she’s excited to bring her spreadsheet skills to the Collective. She also enjoys singing, jigsaw puzzles, and driving through the car wash. Her favorite birds are the ones she can identify by ear.