Judith Scarl

Executive Director
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Dr. Judith Scarl joined the AOS as executive director and CEO in July 2021. She brings years of experience developing partnerships with state and federal agencies and non-profit organizations to identify common goals and develop a unified voice for bird conservation. Most recently, she served as the U.S. Coordinator for the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) and the Bird Conservation Program Manager of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). Judith has a strong passion for and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in science and conservation, indispensable assets for the AOS and ornithology. Her extensive connections with a broad network of conservation partners, her deep understanding of the need to support students and early-career professionals, and her passion for expanding inclusivity and equity in the field of ornithology will drive key areas of program development for the society. Judith is also deeply engaged in volunteer work with teens and young adults whose lives have been affected by foster care. She loves indoor rock climbing, riding her motorcycle, sushi, and curating her Little Free Library.

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Crystal Ruiz

Director of Operations & Administration
Pronouns: she/her/hers

aos staff member crystal ruiz

Crystal joined the AOS in March 2015 and holds a BS/BA degree in accounting and Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential. Prior to AOS, Crystal worked as an administrator at a regional-based environmental non-profit and as an international accountant in a private firm. She enjoys looking at the big picture and figuring out how to successfully roll out programs while keeping the lights on and people smiling. Photo by KayBee Photos.

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Chris Mulvaney

Membership & Data Operations Manager
Pronouns: he/him/his

Chris joined the AOS as in independent contractor in 2017 and transitioned to a full-time role with the Society in January 2019. Previously, he served thirteen years with Chicago Wilderness, a regional conservation alliance of more than 200 organizations, where he helped to foster partnerships, facilitate regional biodiversity recovery strategies, and develop and monitor metrics toward collective impact.

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Christine Handel Schmidt

Communications & Marketing Manager
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Christine joined the AOS in June of 2020. For more than 25 years, she’s worked as a communicator and marketer, developing communications plans for various organizations, including governmental agencies, nonprofits, and both private and publicly traded corporations. She has co-developed and deployed NASA-mission-based STEAM curriculum in K–12 and institutional environments across the U.S., while mentoring a new generation of female science educators. When she’s not avidly enjoying the Colorado outdoors, sustainably gardening, or practicing yoga in her free time, she’s likely working on illustrations for her children’s books about birds.

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Mark Penrose

Managing Editor
Pronouns: he/him/his

Mark originally served as managing editor for The Auk under three editors: Kimberly Smith, Spencer Sealy, and Michael Murphy. After a break, he rejoined as managing editor of the AOS journals, Ornithology (formerly The Auk) and Ornithological Applications (formerly The Condor), in 2014. Over the years, Mark has worked on everything from journal management to design and layout to typesetting. He is a Jersey boy and a long-suffering Jets fan.

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Lauren Novi

Event Coordinator
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Lauren joined the AOS in March 2021, after moving from Atlanta to Chicago. She has been in the non-profit world for more than 10 years and is extremely passionate about wildlife and environmental conservation. Before joining AOS, she spent the past eight years working as an event specialist for Zoo Atlanta, where she was responsible for coordinating all large-scale, signature events. Her event planning experience spans everything from Broadway theater conventions to beer festivals to traditional naming celebrations for both sets of Zoo Atlanta’s twin Giant panda cubs. In her free time, Lauren enjoys traveling, photography, and hiking with her dog, Momo.

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Mint Jang

Administrative Assistant
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Mint joined the AOS part-time in August 2019 and assists staff with day-to-day operations. She hails from the Peachtree state of Georgia, loves to travel (especially for food!), and enjoys following rabbit holes of information. Her current areas of interest include sustainable living and traditional food cultures.

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