Connecticut Parrot Society

THE CONNECTICUT PARROT SOCIETY - PEOPLE FOR PARROTS!

Board Member Biographies

Bob Cosgrove - President

A pet lover since he was a child, Bob never tired of the interaction between his animals and himself. During the past seven years, Bob has enjoyed the companionship of parrots, both as a hobby breeder and as a pet owner. He and his wife share their home with numerous different parrot species. Bob held many board positions (e.g., membership, treasurer, vice president) with another state avian association. He left that group to venture into a new direction with the Connecticut Parrot Society. Bob and his wife are retired and live in Southington.

Neil McKinnon - Vice-President

TBD

Vacant - Secretary

Lynne Heim - Fundraising, Treasurer

Lynne never really discovered the animal world until she was in her 30s, married, and had her own home. About four years ago, she bought her children a Guinea pig, and after doing lots of research, discovered there was actually a Guinea pig rescue in Connecticut. Lynne worked with Critter Connection in Durham, CT for about a year, taking in and adopting out unwanted Guinea pigs. About three years ago, Lynne and her family got their first parrot, a Solomon Island Eclectus named Jade. After that, Lynne was hooked. The woman from whom she purchased Jade was a small breeder in Delaware, and they have been friends ever since. She gave Lynne the idea of breeding about a year-and-a-half ago, and she has been at it ever since. Lynne met Allyson Faucher through one of the Yahoo chat groups more than a year ago. Lynne's breeder friend and Allyson have been her mentors. Lynne's husband, Bruce, and their two daughters, Kaitlyn and Sarah, also are bird lovers and members of CPS. In addition to Lynne's breeding pairs, the family shares four dogs, four parrots, and a bunny.

Barbara Cosgrove - Adoption Chairperson

Barbara Cosgrove has been an animal lover for her entire life. As a child, she brought home to her mother every type of animal (e.g., lizards, snakes, bats, birds, dogs, cats) to love and care for. This process continued with her husband and children's involvement. Currently, Barbara shares her home with her husband and their beloved feathered friends. She takes pleasure in keeping and caring for a variety of different parrot species - from Senegals to large macaws - both as a pet owner and as a small hobby breeder. Barbara also enjoyed an exciting and rewarding career as a registered nurse for 30 years prior to her life with parrots. Currently, Barbara serves as president of the Connecticut Parrot Society. During the past seven years, she served the Connecticut Association for Aviculture in many capacities: hospitality, refreshments, adoptions, auction proceedings, assisting at special events, arranging open house speakers and vendors, and organizing a field trip and annual picnics. In addition, Barbara was on the board of directors as membership co-chairperson for two years and as program chairperson for two years. She continues to be a member of that association. Barbara is serving her fourth year as Connecticut state coordinator for the American Federation of Aviculture.

Stacey Weise - Conservation Chairperson

Stacey is extremely passionate about birds. She enjoys photographing them and other favorite animals, such as horses. When Stacey is not photographing animals, she is working toward her second master's degree.

Stacey has spent a great deal of time on research about the history of birds and other animals. Additionally, she has done extensive work in the field of animal welfare and hopes to bring some of this fervor to CPS.

Stacey makes it an everyday practice to be kind to both animals and the environment, and hopes that her efforts as conservation chairperson will go a long way toward educating people and raising awareness about conservation efforts. She believes that everyone can make a difference and that parrots are special creatures, who deserve every human effort to help them thrive.

Margaret Weber - Membership Chairperson

Margaret is a relatively new member of the Connecticut Parrot Society, but a life-long animal lover. Her interest in birds began years ago, when an African Grey chomped on her ear in a local pet store. Since that time, she has been adopted by a Yellow-crowned Amazon and a Congo African Grey (not the same one), and is tolerated by her cockatiels. When she is not at home entertaining the birds, Margaret is employed full time as an office manager handling administrative, accounting, compliance, and receptionist duties in a small office, and is employed part time in a Connecticut YMCA.

Jessica El-Beck - Merchandising Chairperson

Jessica has been an animal lover since she was a baby and grew up in a house full of pets. She got her first cockatiel when she was 12 years old. Ten years later, during college, her now-husband, Mike, suggested that they bring the bird to live with them. Soon after, they fell in love with a baby African Grey at a bird store that no one wanted because “it was mean.” Their vet asked if they knew what they were getting into. They had no clue, but fortunately, this bird store put them through a three-hour course. After graduating from Illinois State University with a M.S. in chemistry, moving to Connecticut, and joining CPS, they adopted several more parrots that needed homes. Jessica and Mike also adopted six cats and two retired racing greyhounds. Jessica now works as the merchandising chairperson for CPS and is on its adoption and outreach committees.

Elizabeth A. Douglas - Newsletter Editor, Historian, and Librarian

A favorite aunt piqued Elizabeth’s childhood interest in birds, which began with parakeets and led to her later attraction to cockatiels. She served as editor for the North American Cockatiel Society’s Tiel Times for ten years, and previously edited the Avian Fanciers of Western Connecticut’s Fancier publication for three years. Currently, she shares her home with seven cockatiels. Elizabeth collects bird-related items, and during the holidays, she displays a tree with hundreds of bird ornaments. “Elizabird” counts genealogy, conchology, antiquing, and ancient history as other hobbies.

Jackie Smith - Outreach and Education Chairperson

Jackie was introduced to pet ownership when she was very young. The family always had cats. When Jackie turned 12, she asked her mom for an aquarium. Mom agreed, and thus started Jackie’s love of fish. Jackie had several cats and dogs and many aquariums throughout the years. A trip to a pet store for aquarium supplies started Jackie’s love of parrots. In one of the cages was a baby Meyers. This Meyer was very animated and friendly. When she arrived home, Jackie told her family all about this pet store bird, Pete. Several days later, Jackie and her husband, Mark, were out shopping and stopped in to see Pete, the baby Meyer. When Pete saw Jackie, he came running over to her to be scratched. Nothing more needed to be said, and Pete came home. Currently, Jackie lives with Mark, her children, Justin and Stephanie, Joey the cat, dogs Jake and Gracie, two aquariums, and parrots Pete, Pepper, Skittles, Henry, Smidgeon, Baby, Mango, Little Prince, Davey, Marley, and Tequila.

Deb Kristopik - Program Chairperson

Deb has a master of science in physical education, health, and human performance. She has taught at all levels of education, and now is an assistant therapeutic recreation director at the Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center. She has been caring for animals since she was five years old, when she got her first parakeet and boxer puppy, and has cared for and loved everything, including horses, ducks, turkeys, roosters, and lizards. Birds have always had a soft spot probably because her grandparents always had canaries, finches, and parakeets. Deb was an original CPS committee member and served as the outreach and education chairperson. Presently, she is its program director and assists in fostering parrots for the club. Deb and her husband, Greg, have two boys, Gregory and Ryan; a very comical African Grey named Rizzo; an 11-year-old-dachshund named Bella; a 21-year-old-cat named Sheba; and a variety of other therapy birds that provide lots of joy and laughter to her patients.

Crystal Gagnon - Publicity Chairperson

TBD

Michael Herbst - Website Chairperson

Michael became interested in parrots during college when he and his wife, Jessica, brought her childhood cockatiel to their apartment. While visiting a local pet store, Michael was introduced to a shy African Grey and was subsequently exposed to many types of parrots. Almost 10 years later, Michael and Jessica have moved to Connecticut and have joined CPS. Currently, they have nine parrots ranging from cockatiels to macaws, including the African Grey who is no longer shy. Michael enjoys entertaining, cooking, and building things for his flock of adopted parrots in his spare time.

Connecticut Parrot Society, Inc
P.O. Box 488
Middletown, CT 06457

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