The Chicago Audubon Society Board of Directors is excited to welcome Matt Igleski as our first Executive Director. This is a brand new position and Matt joins CAS with decades of experience working in nonprofits. He has spent the past 9 years working at Lincoln Park Zoo educating people of all ages about animals, most recently as Student and Teacher Programs Developer. He served or is serving on several local bird organizations’ boards: Chicago Ornithological Society, Illinois Ornithological Society, Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society, and Indiana Audubon Society.

Originally from Grand Rapids, MI, Matt grew up just two blocks from John Ball Zoo, where he visited frequently to feed his curiosity of wildlife and nature. It is also where he kicked off his career as an education volunteer, and eventually a zookeeper. Matt began birding while taking an ornithology class during his graduate work in conservation biology at Central Michigan University. Since moving to Chicago in 2013 with his wife Vickie, his primary avocation has been birding all around Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Matt has been heavily involved in increasing the conservation efforts for North American songbirds from zoos and aquariums across the country. He has also led many bird trips in the region and was on the team that helped establish the original group of volunteers to monitor Monty and Rose.

Matt is eager to begin working for the members of CAS, and the CAS board is very happy that he will be joining our team. He will be starting later this month.