We have a nimble staff, a responsive board, and many contributing carvers, artists, and members.
The Staff:
Executive Director, Erin K. Talmage
Erin earned her MS in Wildlife Biology from th eUniversity of Vermont (UVM) with a focus on ornithology. She serves on two Vermont Scientific Advisory Groups, Birds and Reptiles-and-Amphibians. When not at the Museum, she can often be found looking for salamanders for the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas, collecting data for iNaturalist and eBird, or volunteering with the Four Winds Nature Institute and Vermont Master Naturalists. She is the primary photographer behind our Instagram feed and is never far from her bird-friendly coffee.
Museum Educator, Allison Gergely
Allison joined the Birds of Vermont Museum in 2010, following years of teaching middle school science and math. She earned her master’s degree in Ecological Teaching and Learning (ETL) from Lesley University and serves as the principal educator at the Museum and through outreach programs in the area. A lifetime of daily walks in the woods with the dogs keeps her connected to the beauty and cycles of nature, and makes her eager to learn, care, and share more about our environment. Her badge of honor is being the only person she knows who’s been pooped on by a flying Wild Turkey.
Outreach & IT Coordinator, Kirsten Talmage
Kir’s background in physics and environmental science (MS University of Montana) carried her to experiential education, then from teaching into communications and the web. She has a lifelong interest in art that spills over into graphic design. She coordinates most of the Museum’s publicity, some programs for children, and the annual art exhibits, as well as managing the Museum’s IT needs and social media feeds. Not content with weaving art and science together at work, Kir is also an illustrator and a volunteer with the Four Winds Nature Institute. You can often find her talking back to birds.
Museum Assistant, Brady Lasher
Brady is currently an undergraduate at UVM (Class of 2028) for secondary education and social sciences. He has been working for the Museum since May 2024. As a huge fan of history (including natural history), he always wanted to be a part of the preservation of it, and the Museum gave him the opportunity to do so. When at the Museum, it is likely you will see him at the front desk or running around doing different tasks and interacting with visitors. When not at the Museum, he is often exploring the many wetlands around his house, playing with his dog, and doing independent research for his field of study.
The Board:
President, William Mayville
Secretary, Mae Mayville
Treasurer, Brian Werneke
Members:
John Brocious
Taran Catania
Zac Cota-Weaver
Becky Cozzens
James Osborn
John Peckham
Kari Jo Spear
Elizabeth Spinney
David Sunshine
Wood Carvers:
Bob Spear, woodcarver, naturalist, and founder. Crafted or inspired almost every exhibit.
Ingrid Riga Rhind curator, carver, creator of the overhead bird exhibit, contributor to several exhibits and raffles
Bob Lindemann, woodcarver, contributor to wetlands exhibits., workshop teacher
David Tuttle, woodcarver, contributor to wetlands exhibit, and workshop teacher
Dick Allen, former board member, woodcarver, contributed to wetlands exhibit
Jim Mitchell, woodcarver, contributor to wetlands exhibits
Larry Bertrand, woodcarver
Bill Paterson, woodcarver, contributor to wetlands exhibits
Peter Bailey, woodcarver, contributor to wetlands exhibit