Annual Members Meeting

Kathrin Bergin, Ph.D.

From my early childhood, where I was patiently waiting for the sparrows and chickadees to eat seeds from my palms, to today, where you can frequently find me working on converting my garden into a native pollinator garden or hiking and bird watching in the Great Swamp, I have always been passionate about nature and the environment.

With the urgent need to address the impact of climate change, I am thrilled to be able to serve on the board of the New Jersey Audubon and contribute to its important mission of inspiring and empowering people to care for nature throughout New Jersey.

I am a pharmacist by training and hold a Ph.D. from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland. I have been in corporate leadership positions for more than 25 years and I have lived and worked in Switzerland, Singapore and the US; I also have been lucky enough to explore flora and fauna in many countries across the globe.

Jason Bigler

I have been a neighbor to New Jersey Audubon since moving to Harding in 2010 and I’ve been a birder since childhood when I set up my very first bird feeder. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania surrounded by farmland and green space, and have also lived in Colorado, California, and the United Kingdom. In addition to birds, I have a special interest in forest stewardship given we have such problems with invasive species here in NJ. On the weekends, you’ll find me systematically trying to eliminate Japanese Barberry, Wineberries, Multiflora Rose, Japanese Stiltgrass, and Oriental BIttersweet…amongst others…and replacing them with native species that are beneficial to birds, bees, and butterflies. We have been very deliberate with our landscaping efforts to benefit the local fauna.

I got to know New Jersey Audubon over the years as a neighbor and partnered with the organization to help combat the continued pressure of invasive species within the Scherman-Hoffman property. I am deeply committed to furthering the mission of New Jersey Audubon’s core values while serving on its Board.

Amy Cradic

Ms. Cradic joined New Jersey Resources (NJR) in February 2018. As Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Non-Utility Businesses, Strategy and External Affairs, Amy leads NJR Clean Energy Ventures, NJR Energy Services and NJR Storage & Transportation. She also oversees the company’s Corporate Strategy, Government Affairs, Communications and Sustainability functions.

Amy has been a driving force behind NJR’s enterprise-wide sustainability strategy. This has included the establishment of an Office of Sustainability, positioning NJR at the forefront of decarbonization innovation.

As head of NJR’s renewable energy subsidiary, Clean Energy Ventures, Amy progressed the company’s leadership role as one of the largest owner-operators in New Jersey’s solar marketplace, with over $1.2 billion invested in solar projects. Amy also oversees NJR Storage & Transportation, which owns and operates FERC-regulated natural gas pipeline and salt cavern storage facilities in Pennsylvania and Mississippi, respectively.

Before joining NJR, Cradic served the New Jersey Office of the Governor in several capacities, including as Senior Policy Advisor, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Cabinet Liaison before becoming Chief of Staff to the Governor. Prior to that, Ms. Cradic served as Assistant Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

She currently serves on the Board of Governors for Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, as Chair of The Drumthwacket Foundation, and as a Visiting Associate at the Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics. She is a trustee for Executive Women of New Jersey and New Jersey Audubon.

Alan Crawford

I’m thrilled to serve on Board of New Jersey Audubon, an organization that I see as being on the forefront of environmental action and community engagement in New Jersey and beyond. NJA is about so much more than just birding, which of course brought me to the organization as a member many years ago. We do critically important work in many areas, the most important of which to me are community programs and youth engagement.

I’m a lifelong birder and have considered myself an environmentalist since middle school (probably before we even coined the term!). My conservation ethic is rooted in having been raised in a country setting, surrounded by nature, with parents and grandparents who wholeheartedly supported environmental causes. Add to that seven Summers at camps on wooded mountainsides, Hiking, skiing, and especially birding with family and friends, and Volunteering with colleagues for local environmental organizations.

I recently retired from a career of over 40 years in Information Technology, in which I filled a wide variety of roles in several different industries. I have served on the Haverford School Alumni Board, the boards of Radnor Hunt and the Beach Club of Cape May, the Council of the Society of Colonial Wars (PA), and on the Environmental Commission of the Borough of West Cape May, where I was also appointed Deputy Mayor for most of 2023. I continue to serve on both the Environmental Committee and the Bird Conservation Committee of Willistown Conservation Trust (a land trust in Southeastern Pennsylvania), and I volunteer as a field trip leader with Cape May Bird Observatory.

José Ramírez-Garofalo

José Ramírez-Garofalo is an Ecologist and serves as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Protectors of Pine Oak Woods Inc. in New York City. Working with a number of stakeholders from federal agencies to local non-profits, he uses cutting-edge statistical methods and natural history information to help inform natural resource management decisions and conservation actions.

He frequently writes about the natural history of New York City and New Jersey and is an author of The Birds of Freshkills Park (2022) as well as numerous peer-reviewed journal articles. Additionally, he is an Associate Editor for the peer-reviewed journals Urban Naturalist and Check List, a Publication Editor for the Journal of Ornithological Record North American Birds and serves on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission-Heron Specialist Group. José currently serves on the executive council of the Waterbird Society and serves as the Vice Chair of the Ornithological Council.

José completed his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and his Master of Science at the City University of New York, and is currently completing his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution at Rutgers University.

Kathy Horn

As a budding birder in central New Jersey many years ago, it didn’t take me long to become aware of the work that New Jersey Audubon was doing. Like many new birders, it was the numerous educational opportunities that first attracted me to the organization. I was captivated by the Spring and Fall Festivals, the year-round bird walks, and the publications. It was evident right from the start that many people were very committed to doing this work, from the small cadre of paid staff to the army of volunteers that showed up for walks, rain or shine, much to my relief after a 3-hour Friday night drive to Cape May. Eventually I became one of those volunteers and have had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people who share a passion for exploring the natural world. Of course, New Jersey Audubon does a lot more than educate, and its scope is broader than birding. With our vision of “a future in which people and nature thrive together,” it’s also about inspiring people to care about the natural world around them. It’s about using data to prioritize conservation activities. It’s about aligning our strategies with our values. It involves working with other organizations to increase the impact of our work. There’s a lot of good energy in the organization right now and, for me, it’s an exciting time to be on the Board and to help with this work.

Gordon Keen

My grandfather gave me my first bird book when I was 11 years old. Tramping after birds keeps me in touch with him and with the rest of humanity for whom the outdoors is essential.

Since my retirement as a corporate lawyer in 2006, I have been able to do a lot more birding and developed a love of Cape May, where I have met some great birders – Pete Dunne, Michael O’Brien, Kevin Karlson, and many others – all devoted to preserving that special place. Cape May Bird Observatory (CMBO) was my entry point to New Jersey Audubon. I bring my legal skills and business background to the New Jersey Audubon Board, considering myself to be more of a pragmatist than an idealist. This seems fit, giving that New Jersey Audubon grapples with real-life issues and facing trade-offs with eyes wide open.

A great example of New Jersey Audubon’s commitment to conservation, a subject more vital today than ever before, is the shorebird research program, monitoring the condition of long-distance migrants. I love watching the team catching and banding Semipalmated Sandpipers. Researching these birds for over 20 years has led to a growing understanding of the reasons for the decline of shorebirds worldwide. New Jersey Audubon is working hard to reverse that trend, and I am proud to be part of that effort as a member of the Board.

Angela Ortiz

Angela has been working for Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) since 2008, she is currently the Director Sustainability and Public Policy Advocacy, she the development and implementation of the Sustainability, and Climate Strategies, supports the advocacy efforts at state and federal level as well as the backup office for the Corporate Citizenship team. Angela has broad technical knowledge of Corporate Sustainability, climate change, Sustainable Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Policy and Energy Management.

Angela is a certified project manager and holds international certifications on CSR and Sustainability. Besides her experience in the private sector, she has done work for different NGO’s, academic institutions, and multilateral organizations in the US and Latin America.

She received a Master’s degree from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and has a Master’s degree in Capital Markets and International Business and a Bachelor’s in Finance from the Externado University in Bogota, Colombia. She serves as a board member at NJ Audubon has a daughter and lives in Staten Island NY.

Veda Truesdale

I joined the board of New Jersey Audubon in 2021, compelled by our science-based conservation priorities and a vision of expanding access to New Jersey’s thriving ecosystems to a broad range of nature lovers around the state. With my background in environmental policy, I have worked on climate change mitigation and adaptation, coastal access and resilience, and land-use planning. I am keenly aware that our understanding of the right thing from a conservation perspective often changes based on new research and I am pleased to be a part of an organization that recognizes the need to continuously evolve. Since joining the board of NJA, we have gone through leadership transitions and have worked to refine our priorities based on new evidence, practical realities, and a foundational appreciation of birds, their habitats, and healthy ecosystems.

In my fifth year on the Board, I serve on the Executive Committee and chair the Facilities Committee. I look forward to bringing conservation-minded individuals from the birding community and beyond to join our board of directors, to ensure we effectively use our resources to fulfill our mission. It is an honor and privilege to be a part of this organization, and I am very excited about years ahead.

Mike Van Wagner

Mike Van Wagner retired in 2022 from NJM Insurance Group after a long and successful career. In his 39 years with the company, Mike held various leadership posts, spending the last ten as Vice President of Public Affairs. In this role, he established the company’s first Marketing Department and led NJM’s legislative affairs, corporate communications and corporate giving efforts. During this tenure, he also took a leave of absence to serve as Executive Director of the NJ Business Action Center under the administration of Governor Chris Christie.

Mike currently serves on the boards of HomeFront (vice chair), the Princeton Area Community Foundation, Greater Trenton, the Mooch Myernick Soccer Foundation, and the Ewing Township Recreation Advisory Board. Previous board service includes LeadNJ (chair), the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County and the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce.  Mike holds a BS degree in Political Science from Guilford College and resides in Ewing Township, NJ.

Paula Vuksic

Paula has been in public accounting for over 35 years, with the last 25 being at Citrin Cooperman. Her tax practice consists of high net worth individuals, closely held businesses across a range of industries, and estates and trusts and regularly collaborates with numerous other firm’s practices to provide support on various tax matters. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting at Fairleigh Dickinson University and then completed her Master’s in Taxation at Seton Hall University. She is currently serving on the Board of Trustees and Finance Committee of her high school, St. Catharine Academy in the Bronx.

She joined the board of New Jersey Audubon in 2022 and am also serving on the Finance committee and currently Chair of the Audit committee. Being able to bring her experience in public accounting in her board and committee service has been very rewarding.

She currently lives in Bergen County with her husband and daughters and tries to get outside as much as possible believing that connection to nature is very important. “For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it” – Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

Joe Basralian

Joseph L. Basralian is the President of Winne Banta Basralian & Khan, P.C. Throughout his 55-year career, he has represented clients in all aspects of commercial real estate – including acquisition, land use planning, financing and development – and he has also represented financial institutions in all aspects of commercial lending, including over 300 economic development bond issues. He represents a wide variety of business entities in all aspects of contracts, licensing agreements, mergers, and acquisitions.

Mr. Basralian is active in several professional organizations, including serving as a former Secretary and Trustee of the Central Board of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the largest Armenian charity in the world. He is a Trustee of the Bergen Community College Foundation and served as its President for two years; a Trustee of the Winifred M. and George P. Pitkin Foundation, Inc.; a member of the Board of Directors of the Hackensack Meridian Realty Corporation; former Secretary and Trustee of the Armenian Fund USA; and numerous other charitable organizations. Mr. Basralian was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for his charitable endeavors on behalf of the community and the 2010 Medallion Award for Volunteerism and Philanthropy by the Bergen Community College Foundation. He had an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale¬ Hubbell since 1979 and has been named in a list of New Jersey Super Lawyers since 2006. He was named as a “Best Lawyer” in Business, Corporate & Commercial by (201) Magazine. In 2015, he received the Bergen County Bar Foundation‘s Community Service Award. Mr. Basralian is a member of the New Jersey and New York State Bar Associations, the Bergen County Bar Association, and the Armenian Bar Association. He is fluent in Armenian.

He has been married to his wife Jacqueline for over 50 years and together they have three adult children. In recent years, backyard birding has re-energized his lifelong interest in nature. Purchasing seed regularly at Lorrimer Sanctuary in Franklin Lakes, where he and his wife raised their children and still live, was part of his inspiration for directing the Pitkin Foundation to make a multi-year leading gift for the center’s renovation, which will begin in 2024.

Dave Hall

For decades, Dave has been an active member and field trip leader for New Jersey Audubon. Dave has served on the Board of Directors for the last 9 years, taking active leadership roles in the Conservation Committee, Facilities Committee, and the Executive Committee throughout his service. As an expert birder, enthusiastic naturalist, and patient teacher, Dave has been an inspirational leader for the northern wing of the Wandering Tattlers Team in the organization’s World Series of Birding.

Dave is married to Nancy, and they have two adult children. He has lived in northern NJ for almost 50 years and is often found birding in Hatfield Swamp in Essex County. He is also a Professor of Neuroscience at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, where he specializes in the brain anatomy of the roundworm, C. elegans. In a perfect world, he chases birds every morning, and studies worm neurons every afternoon.

Rich Kauffeld

My journey into birding and nature conservation began during a walk on the beach in Cape May, when a Nature Conservancy intern asked if I would help to monitor Piping Plovers. I quickly learned the joy of watching these cute little beach nesters and was soon joining walks in the Cape May Meadows, spending hours on the Hawkwatch, and learning so much more from talented staff and volunteers at the Cape May Bird Observatory (CMBO). While nesting plovers sadly disappeared from this beach, they introduced me to an incredible community of new friends committed to saving nature for future generations.

It has been a privilege to serve on New Jersey Audubon’s Board over the past decade, to help refine our mission and strategies, enhance financial sustainability, and expand our impact. While my intent was to “give back” after a career in corporate planning and consulting, the experience has enriched my life in meaningful ways. I will continue to serve New Jersey Audubon as an advisor and donor. And I look forward to our annual festivals, World Series of Birding, migration watches, frequent walks in the Meadows, and enjoying nature with our next generation.

Phil Witt

Phil Witt has been involved with New Jersey Audubon for over 40 years, since he learned birding at the feet of Rich Kane in the late 1970s. Since the mid-1990s, he has volunteered, first working in the Scherman Hoffman bookstore and in recent years running photography workshops at Scherman Hoffman. As New Jersey Audubon volunteer Associate Naturalists, he and his wife also present photography-oriented travelogues for local libraries and photography clubs. Since joining the New Jersey Audubon Board of Directors, Phil has served on and chaired a variety of committees, and he currently is 1st Vice Chair of the Executive Committee. Professionally, Phil is a retired forensic psychologist who specialized in legal cases and court testimony.

Steve Buckingham

Steve has been Board Counsel to New Jersey Audubon since 2014. As Board Counsel, he provides legal advice and representation, on a pro bono basis, to the Board of Directors and to the President and CEO of New Jersey Audubon. Over the years, Steve has guided and counseled the Board and President on a variety of legal issues relating to real property, conservation easements, charitable gifts and bequests and related restrictions, contracts, and laws governing or affecting the organization, as well as helping avoid or resolve legal disputes with third parties. Steve succeeded the late Board Member Alan Bernstein, who had served as Board Counsel for more than 30 years. When he began as Board Counsel, Steve was a partner in the litigation department of Lowenstein Sandler LLP, where he had practiced law since 1992. Steve retired from the full-time practice of law in 2020, but remains Of Counsel to Lowenstein.

Steve and his wife Barbara Hedeen have been birders and Life Members of New Jersey Audubon since before Steve was appointed Board Counsel, so he was very familiar with the conservation and education work of New Jersey Audubon when the opportunity to serve as its Board Counsel arose. Steve is happy to donate his time and legal experience to help the mission of the organization.