³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ North Carolina staff. Photo: Brittany Salmons/³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

About ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ North Carolina

Meet our staff and learn about our history.

The mission of the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's North Carolina State Office is to help conserve and restore the North Carolina habitats we share with all wildlife, focusing on the needs of birds. ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ North Carolina achieves its mission through a blend of science-based research and conservation, education and outreach, and advocacy. 

The ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ has its roots in North Carolina and its history has always been linked to a passionate concern for birds and their habitats. It was this concern that led to the organization of the nation's first ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Society in 1886. In 1902, T. Gilbert Pearson organized the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Society of North Carolina, which launched wildlife conservation in the state. 

The official ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ North Carolina state office was incorporated in 1997. The state office is currently located in Garner and there are field offices in Wilmington, Boone, and Corolla, at our Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Sanctuary at Pine Island. 

Today, the threats are far different from a century ago, but they are potentially greater in magnitude. Habitat loss and degradation because of human influences are the greatest threats to birds. Habitats for nesting, foraging, migration and wintering are essential, and the conservation of these areas is critical. 

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ North Carolina's 53,000 supporters, nine chapters, and five campus chapters comprise a growing force of grassroots activists involved in conservation at every level.  

Triangle Office

Curtis Smalling

Vice President and Executive Director, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ North Carolina

Maggie Kalergis

Director, Leadership Giving

Headshot of Zach Wallace

Zach Wallace

Policy Director

Dana Sargent

Community Building Director

Cat Bowler

Senior Coastal Resilience Program Manager

Ben Graham

Senior Communications Manager, Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic

Brittany Salmons

Communications Associate

Headshot of Hannah Pursley

Hannah Pursley

Project Manager, Forests

Coast Islands and Sanctuaries, Wilmington

Lindsay Addison

Coastal Biologist

Marlene Eader

Volunteer Coordinator

Headshot of Ashlyn Newberry

Ashlyn Newberry

Biological Technician

Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Sanctuary at Pine Island, Corolla

Robbie Fearn

Center Director

Sara Marschhauser

Senior Coordinator of Habitats and Facilities

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's Impact in North Carolina
2024
Impact Report
2025
Impact Report
How We're Making a Difference
Learn about local work happening on the ground.
Brown-headed Nuthatch perched in a tree with a sunflower seed in its beak. Photo: Keith Burroughs/³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Photography Awards
Urban Forestry in North Carolina
Protect and expand urban forests in North Carolina to provide vital habitat for birds and healthy ...
View Project
Oystercatcher family on the beach.
North Carolina Coastal Sanctuaries and Science
Protecting waterbird populations of the North Carolina coast, and the natural systems that support ...
View Project
A branch bends under the weight of a tiny warbler.
Golden-winged Warbler Conservation
Reversing population decline of Golden-winged Warblers in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
View Project
Least Tern egg and chick on the beach. Photo: Lindsay Addison/³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ
Wrightsville Beach Bird Stewards
NC
Wilmington , NC
Protect beach-nesting birds, such as American Oystercatchers and Least Terns, on the south end of ...
View Project