Montana Audubon Announces New Director
HELENA, MT (July 19, 2017) – Montana Audubon announces the appointment of Larry Berrin as its new Executive Director. An avid birder, Berrin has dedicated his career of more than 25 years to conservation science and environmental education in multiple states including Pennsylvania, Vermont and Oregon. Montana Audubon is a leader in wildlife conservation in Montana and one of the largest conservation organizations in the state.
“The Board of Directors of Montana Audubon are proud to announce the appointment of Larry Berrin as our next executive director,” stated Fred Weisbecker, President, Board of Directors. “After an exhaustive search, he was our unanimous pick. We all look forward to Larry leading the organization, working with staff and active Audubon chapters on bird conservation, nature education, and policy work promoting birds and habitat protection.”
Berrin comes to Montana Audubon from Asbury Woods Partnership in Erie, Pennsylvania. As President & CEO, he led a major acquisition of the 205-acre Asbury Woods and Nature Center, which included securing over $1.3 million in government grants, representing some of the largest acquisition grants ever awarded to Erie County. During his tenure, he helped launch a $4.5 million capital campaign with $3.6 million raised to date.
Previously, Berrin served as Principal Executive/Manager at the Oregon Department of Forestry where he managed the Tillamook Forest Center and focused on legislative policy, partnership development, grant management and fundraising initiatives. Berrin has also served as Branch Director for Discover Your Northwest in Central Oregon at the Deschutes National Forest. In this role, he was responsible for managing multiple visitor centers, retail operations, recreation sites and programs reaching over 150,000 visitors and 10,000 students per year. He also led the effort to develop the 1.3 million-acre Deschutes Children’s Forest, the first of its kind in the northwest.
Earlier in his career, Berrin served as State Education Director in Vermont for the National Audubon Society where he was the recipient of that organization’s 2001 ACE Award in the category of Team Achievement.
“I’m so excited to be joining such a talented staff and an equally dedicated Board of Directors to help build on our conservation legacy in Montana,” said Berrin. “I look forward to enhancing our role as a leader in the conservation of native birds, other wildlife and natural ecosystems and continuing to expand our impact through our policy work in Helena, conservation education programs at the Montana Audubon Center in Billings, grassroots efforts in communities throughout the state, and partnership opportunities with volunteer-run, National Audubon chapters.”
Berrin holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from the University of Maine and has completed the graduate level program in environmental education at Antioch University. He has served as a member of the Governor’s appointed No Oregon Child Left Inside Task Force charged with implementing the Oregon Environmental Literacy Plan statewide.
Berrin will begin his duties at Montana Audubon on August 31, 2017.
Founded in 1976, Montana Audubon is an independent, statewide conservation organization whose mission is to promote appreciation, knowledge and conservation of Montana’s native birds, other wildlife, and natural ecosystems to safeguard biological diversity for current and future generations. For more information, visit www.mtaudubon.org.
Montana Audubon engaged Kittleman & Associates to conduct a search for a new Executive Director. Kittleman & Associates is a Chicago-based national executive search firm that specializes in the recruitment of CEOs for tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, public charities and philanthropic organizations. For more information, visit www.kittlemansearch.com