Board Candidate Statements

Three board members are up for reelection in 2024

The Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance board of directors provide the organization with financial oversight and strategic direction. Three members are seeking to renew their terms: Patrick Eagan (two-year renewal), Jeff Galligan (three-year renewal), and Darcy Kind (three-year renewal).

Our nominating committee also looks to identify talented board candidates who will bring unique expertise, new perspectives, and enthusiasm to our board. Our bylaws allow for members to nominate candidates as well. You may do so by submitting a brief statement from each nominee signed by at least 25 SoWBA members in good standing as of November 1, 2023. Nominations are due by mail or online no later than December 6, 2023.

SoWBA members in good standing as of February 1, 2024 will be able to vote on these candidates—members will receive a ballot via the quarterly print newsletter and email.

PATRICK EAGAN (two-year term renewal)

Patrick Eagan is a grandfather, photographer and emeritus professor at UW-Madison, where he taught classes on both sustainability and engineering. His last two positions at UW were as an educational fellow in UW-Madison’s Office of Sustainability and as chair of the Environment and Resources degree program in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. His wife, Lloyd, is retired from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and is also active in environmental endeavors.

JEFF GALLIGAN (three-year term renewal)

Jeff Galligan is one of the co-founders of the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, as well as the director of two TRIO Student Support Services programs and the Men of Excellence Program at Madison Area Technical College. For the past 11 years, he has developed and run programming for underrepresented student populations: students of color, first generation students, income-eligible students, and students with disabilities. Originally from the state of Oregon, Jeff developed a love for the outdoors at an early age. He has a passion for birding and wildlife and landscape photography. Jeff has a son, daughter, and stepdaughter. It is his dream to have access to the outdoors and our shared natural resources available to all young people. Jeff feels that the resultant opportunities will make an experiential-based understanding of and love and appreciation for nature a real possibility for everyone.

DARCY KIND (three-year term renewal)

Darcy Kind grew up spending time outdoors in rural Winnebago Co., Wisconsin where she learned an appreciation of nature and conservation ethics from her parents and surroundings. Darcy currently works as a conservation biologist with the WDNR. Her work is focused on helping private landowners in the Driftless Area create and maintain habitat for at-risk species. Aside from being in an incredible landscape, the best part of her job is working with and learning from so many dedicated and passionate landowners. She and her husband live in Madison, and in addition to outdoor recreation they also enjoy music and art.

Cover photo by Drew Harry