I do a LOT of volunteering. For a full list, check out the Volunteering section on my LinkedIn.
Parrot Rescues
I've been active in promoting wildlife conservation since I was a child. Growing up with Steve Irwin and Jeff Gordon as my idols meant that I was acutely aware of my role (albeit a tiny one) in the environment. My passion for parrots blew up when I got to take care of the class parakeet one summer; my parents, who also loved nature, supported my conviction to spread the word about recycling, global warming, overpopulation, and avian behavior. I went through a peregrine falcon phase for a few years and nearly harassed my local wildlife rehabilitator into letting me volunteer (don't worry, they encouraged me to come back on my 16th birthday).
Nearly 20 years later, I play more of a facilitative role for local rescues and causes. I teach about this stuff all day long, so it's a privilege to return to ground zero.
A lot has changed since 1998, but the girl who fought for the birds is still here.
I also like to support other bird lovers, such as Mariana and Truman from The Parrot Wizard. I was stoked when they came to Phoenix to give a demonstration at Ginger's Parrot Rescue.
Wild At Heart
This was a one-time thing because I nearly passed out from a heat stroke! I helped Wild at Heart dig new burrows for relocated pairs of endangered burrowing owls. If you didn't know, burrowing owls are losing their habitat to urbanization. The owls we relocated were lucky; most lose their babies and burrows to construction or feral cats. If you have a cat, keep it inside!