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ACAS Bylaws - Article V.  Duties of Officers
 

 

President – Marilyn Vincent
 

Sec. 1    The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and of the Board, and shall direct and administer the affairs of the Corporation as its executive head, subject to instructions from the Board.  The President, with the approval of the Board, may appoint members to all committees.  The President shall also serve as a voting member of all committees

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From a very early childhood Marilyn loved everything about nature, from worms in the garden to the lightning in thunderstorms to the towering Rocky Mountains out her bedroom window. She knew spring had arrived when the lilacs bloomed & the robins hopped among the daffodils in the late snows. Birds had always been a part of the beautiful natural world around her in the Colorado Rockies, but something special happened once on a hike when she heard the incredible song of a Townsend’s Solitaire. Not knowing what it was, it awakened a desire to know more about any bird that could sing such an amazing song.

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Later, while living in Argentina, a retired school teacher who was also a bird watcher, explained the fun of finding out every bird’s name. And so began the adventure of “birding” – she was hooked! After moving back to the US & purchasing her first Golden Guide to Birds, she attempted (mostly unsuccessfully) to bird on her own.

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Moving to the RGV was a bonus because of the great variety of birds & the number of people interested in watching them. Unfortunately a career in teaching then school administration got in the way of what could have been a full-time hobby. A few visits to ACAS meetings & field trips solidified her interest & she soon became integrated into the birding community.

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Upon retirement her activity level in both ACAS & the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival has definitely increased & she enjoys learning more about birds every day!

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Marilyn also enjoys her family: Jacob, a hospital chaplain, 3 children & 10 grandchildren (all who keep her very busy). She volunteers at a local Food Pantry & teaches at her church & in foreign missions.

 

Vice-President – Marilyn Lorenz

Sec. 2 The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in his/her absence. The Vice-President shall chair the Planning Board. The Vice-President shall be prepared to succeed the President in that office at the completion of the President’s last term, or at any time the office of the President is vacated.

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Marilyn has been a Texas Master Naturalist since 2015 and is a regular nature guide leader at the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, the South Texas Ecotourism Center (STEC), and does turtle patrols at Sea Turtle Inc. She has done many birding presentations in the Valley using her husband Chuck's photos and also writes articles for various local newspapers.

 

 

Secretary – Sylvia Canales
 

Sec. 3    The Secretary shall keep a formal record of all actions of the Corporation and the Board and shall conduct the correspondence of the Corporation and keep a record thereof.  The Secretary will co-ordinate with the President on the agenda for all meetings of the Board of Directors and provide each Board member with an agenda.

 

Sylvia recently retired after 36 years of teaching.  Born and raised in South Texas, Sylvia enjoys gardening, observing wildlife, watching sports, working on projects and learning about other cultures.  After traveling over forty countries and five continents, she is looking forward to resuming her international travels next year.

 

 

Treasurer - Keri Cooper

 

Sec. 4    The Treasurer shall have custody of the funds and securities of the Corporation, and shall deposit all moneys and securities in the name of and to the credit of the Corporation in any such depositories as may be designated by the Board.  The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board.  All disbursements shall be signed by the Treasurer.

 

Keri loved visiting the valley for the 2019 RGV Birding Festival.  Several times she thought, "When I retire maybe I could live in this area."  In fact, she teased her friend that by moving to Port Isabel, she could escape the traffic and busyness of city life in Austin.  Who knew 5 months later COVID would change our lives forever.

 

Keri decided to retire mid-pandemic, sold her house and relocated to Port Isabel. Besides birdwatching, Keri is the proud mom of a college student and two little dogs.  ACAS's warm welcome has been the highlight of her relocation and she is looking forward to support ACAS however she can. 

 

Education/Events – Sue Griffin

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Education Chair is responsible for any events and activities that will educate young and old alike.  Her interest in educating others about the mission of ACAS and her past history in the field of education are a benefit in her role.

 

At present Sue is chair of the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival.  She and husband Billy Snider have been involved in many native plant landscapes and bird friendly water features created across the valley in parks and at private homes. 
                               

 

 

Habitat/Parks/Conservation – Linda Butcher

 

Linda Butcher, Habitat/Parks/Conservation Chair is a lifetime member of the Arroyo Colorado Audubon Society and is also a dedicated member of the RGVTMN.   She is well-known for her countless hours of dedication to the establishment and maintenance of Hugh Ramsey Nature Park.  She is on her way to an incredible count of 5,000 hours of service and recently received the Presidential Service Pin.  Linda's knowledge of the park and the vision of ACAS makes her well-suited as conservation chair. 

If you want to volunteer in Hugh Ramsey Nature Park please contact Linda at 956-244-8550

 

 

 

Membership - Teresa DuBois

The Membership Chair will keep all records of membership and remind members of dues.  They will greet members at meetings, help the Treasurer collect dues and supply and manage door prizes for the Speaker Socials.  Also included in this role is management of the ACAS booth during the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival and the  accompanying Photo Contest. 

 

Teresa was born in California, moved to Florida at the age of 1 and after 25 years there, moved to Texas. Texas has been a great fit as Teresa loves the salty air and sand beneath her feet.

 

She is married to her best friend Jack and they share 4 children 5 grandchildren, 3 dogs and 1 fur-baby! 

Love of the outdoors , gardening, and birdwatching prompted an invitation in 2016 to attend the RGV Birding Festival.  They loved it, becoming ACAS members as well as Texas Master Naturalists, fueling their passion for nature and making a positive impact on the native habitat in our area. 

 

Publicity- Terrilyn "Terri" Alaniz

Duties for the Publicity Chair include editor of the quarterly newsletter, Admin for our social media (FB, Blog/website) Other duties include promoting our programs through local media outlets such as newsprint, TV, and community calendars.

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Terri's family are originally from Newfoundland, Canada. First moving to Harlingen in 1996. Her grandparents instilled in her a love for nature. Often tagging along to see "Newfie Parrots" (Atlantic Puffins) and Northern Gannet Colonies. During migration you will likely find her visiting birding hotspots searching for birds that migrate the same way she did as an instant cure for homesickness.  

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During an intended temporary stay in the Rio Grande Valley in 2008,she met her husband and has been here ever since.

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Terri is a mom to two young boys, with a degree in Graphic Design. Although she prefers a paintbrush to a computer. Our feathered friends are the biggest inspiration for her art.

 

You can contact Terri at talanizgraphics@hotmail.com  with any ideas for newsletter or social media.      

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