Cali Crampton
Dr. Lisa “Cali” Crampton, Project Leader
crampton@hawaii.eduDr. Crampton (“Cali”) has been KFBRP’s Project Leader since April 2010. She obtained her Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology from the University of Nevada at Reno in December 2004.
Cali has extensive experience coordinating the design, conduct, and delivery of large research and monitoring projects with teams of diverse stakeholders. For her doctoral research, she examined the landscape ecology and conservation of Phainopeplas, threatened passerines in southern Nevada, for the regional Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). As part of her post-doctoral work, she led a team of other scientists, NGOs, and government managers in designing the HCP’s adaptive management plan for conserving and restoring threatened desert woodlands on which Phainopeplas and other sensitive species in Nevada depend. In addition to her familiarity with avian field research techniques, Cali is experienced in the use of multivariate statistical and spatial analysis tools to evaluate the effects of environmental variables on animal distribution, abundance, and fecundity. For example, while working at the USGS Kilauea Field Station on Hawai’i Island, she analyzed field data on the population and behavioral ecology of the endangered Laysan teal to improve monitoring and management strategies implemented by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Subsequently, for the US Forest Service, she analyzed impacts of recreation on abundance of Sierra Nevada forest birds, small mammals and carnivores.
All of Cali’s projects have involved substantial interaction and communication with scientific and non-scientific groups, including interpretative programs for the general public. Consequently, her record includes numerous journal publications, technical reports, and conference presentations as well as popular articles and TV shows.
Justin Hite
Justin Hite, Field Supervisor
Justin joined KFBRP in February 2015. Justin fell in love with birds as a child and was delighted to discover that you could make a career of studying any aspect of any bird on the planet. He graduated from Cornell University with a BS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in 2005, having already spent six summers studying California Gulls at Mono Lake and two winters studying Jacamars in Venezuela. Since then he has studied numerous species in 12 countries, and taught field skills to Cornell undergraduates in Borneo, Honduras and Panama. Besides nest searching and recording bird songs, his favorite pastime is entertaining his friends with imitations of bird displays.
Tyler Winter
Tyler Winter,
Crew Leader
Tyler has spent most of his life outdoors observing wildlife and natural interactions. He further pursued this passion at the Evergreen State College where he received a dual degree in Wildlife Biology and Chemistry. His passion for birds was ignited during his independent study of wintering birds and migration in Mexico’s Sonoran Desert. Since graduating, he has studied fall migration patterns for five years, working in California and Idaho with Palomarin Bird Observatory and Intermountain Bird Observatory.
As a Crew Lead and Camp Manager for Intermountain Bird Observatory he was able to share his love of the outdoors with school groups and coordinate overnight trips for Scouts, families, and other small organizations. He also instructed interns on proper bird handling techniques while monitoring the safety of ongoing research projects.
His interest in island biogeography and endangered species lead him to KFBRP where he currently works as a Field Associate. He can be found either working remotely in the Alaka’i or helping with IT in the office.
Tyler is certified by the North American Banding Council as both a raptor and passerine bander.
Roy Gilb
Roy Gilb, GIS and Database Management Assistant
Roy joined KFBRP in May 2020 as the GIS Analysis and Database Assistant. He grew up in the hills of Virginia and spent as much time outside in the Blue Ridge Mountains as possible. After obtaining a degree in Geography from the University of Richmond with a concentration in computer science, he spent some time studying Climate Change and Sustainability at the University of Cape Town.
After returning to the US, he began his career in GIS at the Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation in Richmond, VA. There he worked on GIS data projects that included identifying the most valuable lands for native plant and animal life and also worked with a team of ecologists on a series of large-scale Species Distribution Models. His latest job was at a GIS Consulting company in Richmond where he worked on a variety of projects, including a nation-wide VA Cemeteries GPS mapping contract. His continued interest in conservation brought him to KFBRP, where he manages their data processes and occasionally joins for field work.
In his free time, he enjoys running as far as possible on trails and up mountains, rock climbing, and playing guitar.
Bow Tyler
Bow Tyler, Field Assistant
A mild obsession with birds landed Bow with KFBRP in March 2020. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, he developed a love for the natural world while out hiking in the Olympic and Cascade mountains. Since then he has vowed to pursue a living in the field of conservation.
Bow went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science from The Evergreen State College with an emphasis on ecology and ornithology. He has worked for avian conservation projects in the West, Midwest, Mexico and Malaysian Borneo. Now he is thrilled to be working as part of the field team here on Kauai.
Allison Cabrera
Allison Cabrera- Field Associate
A steward for environmental justice from a young age, Allie has committed herself to making a positive impact on her surroundings. With a Masters of Arts in Environmental Conservation Education from New York University, she has spent over 10 years teaching children about the wonders of the natural world. Her love of birds blossomed in the unlikely setting of the East Village in Manhattan. Here she observed Red-Tailed Hawk populations and their influence on the local community, which ultimately became the focus of her thesis. Allie has been with KFBRP since 2020, working mostly on the ongoing mosquito study. When not in the field she loves to snorkel, camp on the beach and craft.
Julia Diegmann
Dr. Julia Diegmann- Outreach Specialist
Olivia Snowden
Olivia Snowden, Kupu ʻAina Corps Member
Marry Polly
Mary Polly- Avian Conservation Field Assistant
Mary Polly is from North Little Rock, Arkansas and graduated from Wheaton College in 2021. She studied interpersonal communication and environmental science. While in school she spent a lot of time in different leadership roles fighting for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the student body. Upon graduating she started to pursue a career where she could explore environmental science from an intersectional lense. This unexpectedly led her to working at KFBRP in February 2022 and since then she has enjoyed learning about and working with Kauai’s native forest birds.
Mia Pitts-Hope
Mia Pitts-Hope, Kupu ʻAina Corp Member
Mia Pitts-Hope comes from Denver, CO! The scenic and sunny state served as a host for a growing love of the environment and the spaces around it. Choosing to focus more on the spaces around her, she left to attend Wheaton College. She graduated in 2022 with her degree in media communications. Bringing awareness and highlighting the community, current issues, and underrepresented groups in media led her to pursue a career in this field. Connecting her love for the environment and her commitment to uphold her media vision led to her KUPU! She will join the team this upcoming August and looks forward to embracing the new environment, honoring and learning alongside the people and creatures of Hawaii!
Riley Temkin, KUPU Avian Conservation Field Assistant
Riley Temkin
Riley joined KFBRP in October 2022 as a KUPU Avian Conservation Field Assistant. He developed his interest in avian ecology and conservation during his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Davis, where he worked as a Research Assistant aiding in projects studying seabird chick-rearing behavior and raptor ecology in agricultural settings. After graduating, he worked restoring coastal sagebrush habitat in his hometown of Los Angeles before his desire to once again work with birds led him to seabird research positions in Southern Alaska and the Farallon Islands off the coast of California. Riley is excited to be a part of KFBRP and gain experience using applied methods to conserve endangered birds.
Katie Temple – Graduate Student
Katie Temple
Katie is currently a master’s student at Auburn University and is advised by Dr. Jean Fantle-Lepczyk and Dr. Chris Lepczyk. Her research focuses on the effectiveness of current conservation methods for Puaiohi. For her undergraduate degree, Katie attended Evergreen State College where she found her love of wildlife, research, and the outdoors. In between degrees, Katie worked various field jobs across North America for several years including working for KFBRP in 2017 and 2018. When working with them several years ago, Katie fell in love with Puaiohi and feels extremely lucky to be able to study them for her thesis.
Cozette Romero – Graduate Student
Cozette Romero
Cozette (She/Her/Hers) has loved nature and wildlife from a very young age but fell in love with avian ecology and Hawaiian ecosystems during her undergraduate degree at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. This is where she completed her B.S. in Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation. She has worked at various Hawaiʻi based organizations including the Listening Observatory for Hawaiian Ecosystems (LOHE) lab, Mauna Kea Forest Restoration Project (MKFRP), and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (HAVO). She is now a master’s student at Colorado State University working with KFBRP to assess the impact of invasive rat control on
the demography and conservation of native forest birds on Kauaʻi. She hopes to use her love for wildlife, ecology, and science to help improve ecosystem function, inform management, and deconstruct barriers to STEM fields for historically marginalized communities.
Gus Forrest – Field Assistant
Gus Forrest
Gus grew up in the mountains of Colorado where he developed a strong love for the naturalworld, specifically the wildlife that inhabited it. He developed hobbies such as fly fishing, wildlife
photography, and hiking which only furthered his interests in working in the biology field. He attended Adams State University, where he completed his Bachelors of science in biology while
also playing soccer all four years. During the last year of his undergraduate degree, he was introduced to the idea of graduate school working with wildlife. He followed this path and began a masters degree through Colorado State University – Pueblo working with the grassland bird species, the Cassin’s Sparrow. His thesis focused on the habitat characteristics of this species and how it affected the sparrows breeding biology. He successfully defended his thesis this past summer. He truly enjoy working with birds due to the plethora of species and behaviors they exhibit. In his past job working for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission he had the opportunity to work with the endangered Florida Grasshopper Sparrow. The work was extremely rewarding and he began looking for other opportunities to work with endangered species and conserve their dwindling populations. This led him to KFBRP and he looks forward to assisting the team with conserving such wonderful species on the island of Kauai.
Alex Sinker – Field Assistant
Alex Sinker
Having been born and raised in Colorado Alex developed a love for the wilderness and wildlife at a young age. Most of her free time was spent hiking and exploring the Rocky Mountains. Her interest in avian conservation developed during her undergrad at Colorado State University – Pueblo, where she researched climate change consequences on an under-studied passerine, the Cassin’s Sparrow. After graduation, her work in conservation started by completing a four-month husbandry internship at my local zoo, where she got to work with a variety of animals such as lions, snakes, tortoises, and tropical birds. Shortly after, she got the opportunity to utilize her newly learned skills while working at White Oak Conservation, a captive breeding and reintroduction program working towards growing the population of the critically endangered Florida Grasshopper Sparrow. After, she gained field techniques needed to assist in rebuilding their dwindling populations in the wild while working for the Florida Fish and Wildlife. After working these jobs her love for conservation of endangered species flourished. She is very excited to start working with KFBRP and helping to conserve endangered Hawaiian birds.
Brendan Wang – Field Associate
Brendan Wang
Brendan became unexpectedly captivated by birds in high school. He obtained a Bachelor’s in Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. He traveled to Panama with the university to study Prothonotary warblers in their winter homes in the mangroves. Since then, he has dedicated his life to the research and conservation of birds. He has been in the ornithology field going on 5 years now and has worked in the Appalachian hills of West Virginia and Pennsylvania, the Gulf Coast of Alabama, the Texas hill country, the Florida Everglades, the saltmarshes of South Carolina, and the Alaka’i Wilderness of Kaua’i. Brendan was a part of the KFBRP team for the 2022 season and is excited and grateful to be
returning for another season. Outside of the bird world, Brendan enjoys listening to music, photography and videography, skateboarding, and writing.
Corrina Carnes – Mosquito Research Field Technician
Corrina Carnes
Originally from Eastern Washington State, Corrina grew up on the edge of a wildlife refuge, where from a young age she felt most at home romping around in the woods. A long-time resident of Oʻahu, she graduated from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in 2013 and spent the first few years of her career working with endangered Hawaiian waterbirds, pueo (the Hawaiian short-eared owl), and on various invasive species control projects. More recently, she has been assisting with mosquito research on the Big Island and Maui, and is excited to be continuing this work with KFBRP. Corrina’s hobbies include wildlife photography, backpacking, trail running, and re-living her childhood adventures with her three nieces.
Serena Zhao – Postdoctoral Fellow
Serena Zhao
Serena joined KFBRP in February 2023 as a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit at UH Mānoa, as part of ongoing mosquito control work. She has a Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she investigated microbial communities associated with mosquito larval habitat in partnership with public health agencies in Madison and the Chicago suburbs.
Jenny Allen
Jenny Allen – Fiscal and Program Associate
Jenny has been rescuing animals in need since kindergarten and has always had a special love for birds. Australian by birth and a veterinary graduate from the University of Sydney, Jenny came to the US for a Residency in Equine Medicine at Washington State University, but quickly became engaged in the conservation science community after the 1989 Exxon-Valdez disaster—when oil-spill remediation work drew her to Alaska for more than a decade as a technical program manager—before ultimately returning to her warmer roots and making Kauaʻi home in 2010. Along with horses and birds, Jenny’s other lifelong passion is native plants, and on Kauaʻi she has worked for the National Tropical Botanical Garden at Limahuli, Princeville Botanical Garden, and the Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committee (KISC).
Jenny joined KFBRP in May of 2020 to provide fiscal and program support. Being a long-time KFBRP fan and in awe of the work that the team does, she is thrilled to be on board. She also volunteers for the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge doing weekly botulism surveys for endangered waterbirds, and for the University of Hawaiʻi Bishop Museum Plants of Hawaiʻi project, helping database and catalog Hawaiʻi’s plant collections. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, camping, gardening, and learning about birds.
Monika Mira
Monika Mira – Website Coordinator / Outreach Assistant
Monika has been a resident of Kauaʻi for nearly 30 years. She came to KFBRP several years ago to help with the layout and publishing of Who Am I? A Kauai Forest Bird Guessing Game. She has since adapted to updating and maintaining our blog and website, designing education and outreach materials, and increasing our presence on social media. Monika’s role continues to diversify as KFBRP’s needs change.
Monika is the author of many books including, The Complete Hawaiian Reef Fish Coloring book. She has developed a large body of environmental educational materials for children and hopes to continue using these skills to expand KFBRP’s education and outreach program.
Monika has a degree in Marine Science from the University of Hawaii Hilo. She is passionate about plastic-free living, reducing ocean plastic, and reversing climate change. She spends her free time volunteering for local non-profits that fulfill these missions.