Sara is an applied aquatic ecologist, visual artist and curator. She obtained a MS at the University of Concepcion Chile and a PhD at the University of Washington. She has been painting for as long as she has been a scientist. Her art has been published in books and magazines, shown in galleries and museums in Chile, Europe, Canada, and the US and are part of public and private art collections. She is currently a member of the Ann Arbor WSG Gallery and an Associate Research Scientist and Lecturer in the School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS).

Steve was the British Ornithological Union (BOU) Chief Operations Officer, responsible for the day to day running of all BOU activities, until July 2022. Now a full-time birder and avid collector of wildlife art, Steve was quite good at art at high school, his successful exam piece was of a Black-winged Stilt after which he went on to study graphic design. He designed the BOU’s Janet Kear Union Medal in 2019 which he himself was awarded by the BOU in 2023. He is avid collector of bird and wildlife art.

DJ Monette currently serves as the Associate Native American Liaison Advisor under the National Native American Program for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. DJ has nearly 30 years of experience working with Tribes - 4 1/2 years with the San Carlos Apache Tribe located in East Central Arizona and 25 years (of which about 23 years serving in a Tribal liaison capacity role) with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. DJ has 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren and loves playing hockey, fishing and hiking and being outdoors.

Hailing from an island in the Chesapeake Bay region, waterfowl have been a part of Walt’s life from a young age. After completing a master’s degree on canvasbacks, he has been involved with migratory-bird management over a 30-plus-year career. He currently serves as a pilot-biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where his primary duties include flying migratory-bird surveys, banding crew leader, wingbee checker, and scientific advisor for the judges of the annual Federal Duck Stamp contest.

Mesha Wood is a Park Ranger for the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Complex in SW Washington. Supporting visitor services, Mesha uses her background in graphic design and marketing to create signage, develop social media and web content, and create visual communication and educational materials for the complex. Additionally, she teaches design workshops for the USFWS National Conservation Training Center and serves as the Junior Duck Stamp Coordinator for Washington State.