MCAS held their annual membership meeting and election of officers on May 21, 2024. Check out each board member’s bio below!
President: Melinda Repperger
Melinda has served as the Vice President for several years. Now, she is moving up to MCAS President. We are looking forward to her continued leadership!
Vice President: Collin Stempien
Collin has served as a Member At Large for a few years, and his duties have included coordinating MCAS field trips. Now, he will be planning programs for our chapter meetings and standing in for our President as needed. We can’t wait to see what he does!
Secretary: Rhonda Plitt
Treasurer: Lisa Price
Members At Large
Our Members At Large will help decide policies and fulfill other duties as needed for the chapter.
Field Trip Planner: Kaylin Bruening
Kaylin was born and raised in Ocean Springs, MS. She received her Bachelor of Science at the University of South Alabama and spent most of her undergraduate years heavily focused on conservation-based projects. Although she enjoys many different activities, she is most passionate about the protection of the biodiversity of the Gulf Coast and had the opportunity to channel her passion during her time as a steward for the Audubon Mississippi Coastal Bird Stewardship Program by protecting and advocating for our local nesting shorebirds. Overall, Kaylin is greatly looking forward to being involved with the community that makes up MCAS.
We’re looking forward to all of the field trips Kaylin will be planning!
Climate Watch Coordinator – Amanda Douglas
Amanda grew up exploring the coastal habitats along the Gulf of Florida, igniting her passion for all things outdoors. Equipped with a strong knowledge of nature-based tourism, Amanda fell in love with inspiring guests to connect with the world around them in hopes that they will work towards preserving it for future generations. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Fish and Wildlife Management. Amanda is the Stewardship Coordinator for Audubon Delta – Mississippi Coastal Bird Stewardship Program where she continues to gain valuable insight and understanding of interpretive services, while developing skills that encouraged visitors to value the stewardship of coastal nesting birds and their habitat. In her new MCAS role as the Climate Watch Coordinator, Amanda looks forward to fostering an environment that encourages volunteers to join community science projects across the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
We’re looking forward to joining Amanda during the Climate Watch surveys!
Webmaster – Jessica Martin
Jessica is a North Mississippi native and moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2013. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Marine Biology from the University of Southern Mississippi. She is an avid nature lover and has worked alongside a variety of live animals such as American Alligators and various species of snakes. Jessica fell in love with bird conservation and Audubon’s mission in 2020 when she joined the Audubon Mississippi Coastal Bird Stewardship Program and always looks for new ways to help support them.
We’re looking forward to see what she will do with the website and social media pages!
Outreach Representative – Sally Puent
Sally has served for several years as the Liaison to the Pascagoula River Audubon Center (PRAC). We’re looking forward to seeing her grow within her role as the Outreach Representative to multiple organizations!
