2025 #ParrotCrisis Action Summit Speakers

Nikki Buxton is the co-founder and Director of Belize Bird Rescue (BBR), Belize’s only multi-species avian rescue centre with a primary focus on the rehabilitation for release of wild-caught parrots liberated from the illegal pet trade. Nikki works very much hands-on hand-raising extracted and confiscated parrots and directing the rehabilitation of all species. Since 2016, working under Government permit, BBR has released almost 1,000 parrots rescued from the illegal pet trade. Nikki’s goal is to finally bring an end to the captive parrot trade in Belize. 

Melanie Canatella has been working with avians for over 21 years. You can find her working with all species in zoos, aquariums, wildlife rehabbers, rescues, and with companion animals. She specializes in tough behavior cases, even having a flock of 9 rescue parrots. 

Ginger Deason has over 25 years of experience in natural resource conservation, community development, and grant management. She was most recently the Program Officer for Central America at the US Fish & Wildlife Service where she managed the Central American grants program that supported wildlife conservation projects throughout the region. Prior to this, Ginger was a Foundation Representative at the Inter-American Foundation where she managed grants for grassroots community development projects in Guatemala, Ecuador, and Panama, many of which had a natural resource conservation focus. She has also worked for the US Peace Corps, Heifer International, and a small rural development organization called Rural Action.

Gail earned a Masters degree in Zoology, but for various reasons left the field. However, over many years Gail volunteered for the Wildlife Conservation Society, NYC Sierra Club, Gotham City Networking (leading their Gotham Green group), Climate Reality Project and Earth Regenerators. As a grant writing professional for 20+ years, she has worked with a number of animal welfare, wildlife, and environmental organizations. After Gail met LoraKim Joyner in 2014, she found her life’s work at One Earth Conservation.

University of Maryland (Zoology). RSCF founder and president. Director of the Tropical Conservation Institute, FIU. Field-oriented population biologist, ecological geneticist and environmental engineer. Technical expertise in field ecology, demographic and genetic analysis of small populations and animal husbandry. 

Laura Kiesel, Founder & Director of the grassroots group Save Arlington Wildlife (SAW) and the nonprofit Save Massachusetts Wildlife (better known as "Save Mass Wildlife"). Kiesel is a longtime environmental and animal advocate and naturalist who helped kick off the Save Wildlife movement in Massachusetts that encourages community efforts to prohibit dangerous rat poisons harming birds of prey. In 2024, through SAW, Kiesel led a successful legislative initiative in Arlington to ban the sale and purchase of birds in pet stores in the town--the third in the state to do this. Kiesel is the author of the forthcoming book Poisoned, due out in 2026 by Island Press. 

Karen oversees operations at Foster Parrots, Ltd. and The New England Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary, 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Rhode Island. The largest bird rescue i the Northeast, Foster Parrots is dedicated to the rescue and protection of unwanted and abused companion parrots and other displaced captive exotic animals. 

Judie Mancuso is the founder, CEO, and president of Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL), the leading political advocacy group dedicated to advancing animal protection laws. Since 2007, she has spearheaded more than 70 state bills—28 of which have been signed into law—achieving landmark victories such as banning the sale of animal-tested cosmetics, prohibiting wild animals in circuses, ending commercial and recreational fur trapping, and requiring plant-based meals in all state hospitals and prisons.

Under her leadership, SCIL has also championed protections for companion animals, including banning the retail sale of puppy-mill bred dogs, cats, and rabbits; mandating microchipping for shelter pets; legalizing dining with dogs; creating a specialty license plate that funds low-cost spay and neuter surgeries; naming the shelter pet as California’s official state pet; and outlawing leaving animals in cars during extreme weather.

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Recognized for her unwavering advocacy, Judie was named one of Orange County’s most influential people in 2019. She has served as Vice Chair of the Laguna Beach Environmental and Sustainability Committee and completed two terms on the California Veterinary Medical Board. She resides in Laguna Beach with her rescued cats and dogs.

Vanessa co-founded and co-directs Advancing Law for Animals, a nonprofit law firm for our nonhuman friends. There, she develops impact litigation to further the interests of animals exploited in research and food production. Vanessa is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School, and regularly presents talks as an invited expert in animal law both nationally and abroad.

Madeline Krasno is a former primate lab worker turned powerful advocate for compassion and transparency in science. Her successful free speech lawsuits against UW–Madison and the NIH—featured in The Washington Post—sparked national dialogue about the hidden human and animal costs of experimentation. Today, she leads Justify, a groundbreaking nonprofit creating space for current and former animal research professionals to process their experiences, reclaim their voices, and help build a more ethical, human-relevant future in science. Madeline holds a master’s degree in Humane Education from Valparaiso University and dual bachelor’s degrees in Zoology and Child Development from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Betsy is a Facilitator of Solutionary Teaching and Learning at The Institute for Humane Education. She has been in the education field for 25 years as a NYS-certified classroom teacher, environmental educator, and humane educator for a farm animal sanctuary, where she co-developed and taught Camp Kindness, a camp that inspires compassion towards farm animals. Betsy lives in New York, USA. Betsy lives her message of being kind and mindful of how her behaviors have an impact on people, animals, and the environment.  She has observed humingbird behavior as part of her undergraduate thesis and previously worked with the Northeast Avian Rescue.

Liz Cabrera Holtz is the Senior Campaigns Manager at World Animal Protection, a global organization working to end animal exploitation. As an attorney with more than 15 years of experience in the animal protection movement, she leads World Animal Protection’s work to end the sale of animals in pet stores through local legislation and corporate campaigns.

Juan Carlos has worked to combat the illegal trade of parrots for the past 40 years. He was the main author of the report of illegal trade of parrots which was the basis for the 2008 parrot trade ban in Mexico. He is the author of various articles and reports on wildlife trafficking, birdwatching, environmental education and communication campaigns related to parrots. He is the author of more than 60 identification guides for parrots, birds, marine mammals, terrestrial mammals, sharks and sea turtles.

LoraKim Joyner empowers the people saving the planet. She stands in solidarity and witness to the plight of the parrots and people where One Earth works with others – currently in Brazil, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Suriname. She is a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, Loros Sin Fronteras, Parrot Researchers Group, and Parrot Conservation Alliance.

Dr. Anthony Pilny completed an internal medicine and surgery internship at Florida Veterinary Specialists in Tampa, Florida and a residency in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine and Surgery at The Animal Medical Center in New York City. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners certified in Avian Practice since 2005. He currently serves as vice chair of maintenance of certification for ABVP, chairs the Association of Avian Veterinarians Welfare Committee, serves on the advisory board of Medgene, and is a veterinary advisor for the House Rabbit Society. Dr. Pilny has lectured nationally and internationally about avian and exotic pet medicine and has published numerous scientific articles and book chapters on birds and other exotic species.

Sylvia Margarita de la Parra Martínez is a biologist with a Ph.D. from UNAM and over 17 years of experience in parrot conservation. She works at One Earth Conservation as a project management assistant, supporting conservation initiatives in Latin America.

After 32 years in the real estate and financial fields Janet experienced a life event and motivating force that altered her path. Following her heart and desire to help at-risk parrots, she joined The Oasis in 2007, then becoming the 2nd generation Director in 2010.   The Oasis provides safe, stable and nurturing life-long sanctuary for displaced and exploited parrots. Their flock now numbers over 800 birds.

Bradley started out working with parrots in the research field, studying parrot behavior and wildlife trade in South Africa, before transitioning to rescue work at Foster Parrots Sanctuary. They have participated in several large-scale rescue operations across the country. Bradley also cares for four cockatoos at home, and has a particular passion for cockatoos with special behavioral and medical needs.

Roan Balas McNab worked as the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Guatemala Program Director from 1996 through 2021 based out of the WCS national office in Flores, Petén. Since 2021 he supports conservation and rural development initiatives as an advisor to the WCS Mesoamerican Program. Roan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from Duke University, and a Master’s Degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Florida, with a concentration in Tropical Conservation and Development. 

Bonnie Zimmermann started with the Indonesian Parrot Project in 2003 as the organization’s eco tourism leader. Currently she oversees multiple conservation, parrot rehabilitation and release programs in Indonesia.  To date, over 11,000 cockatoos, parrots and lories have been returned to their forest homes.

Kelly Nix leads Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary as Executive Director, overseeing the care of rescued farmed animals and driving education initiatives to inspire meaningful change. She is pursuing a Doctorate in Educational and Professional Practice with a focus on Comprehensive Humane Education and actively serves on several boards, including the Institute for Critical Animal Studies, Community Fruit Rescue, Brave New Life Project, and the Association for Professional Humane Educators. In Fall 2025, she’ll begin the Animal Law MSL Program at Lewis & Clark Law School as a scholarship recipient through the Center for Animal Law Studies.

Dr. Latas works with the wild parrots of southern California. She serves on the Steering Team for Parrot Researchers Group and is Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Wild Parrot specialist Group. Her interests are wild urban parrots in conservation, the health and recovery of parrots confiscated from the pet trade, and the health, welfare, well-being, conservation and preservation of wild parrots across the earth.