EcoTravel Team

Andy has been the director of EcoTravel for The Connecticut Audubon Society (CAS) since 1996. He graduated as an honor student in biology from Hartwick College, where he studied avian ecology at their biological research station in the Bahamas. Andy is the original concept creator and scientific consultant for a cable television series on bird watching called All Bird TV that aired on Discovery’s Animal Planet. He is the original concept creator of the award winning Connecticut River Eagle Festival (during its time the largest birding festival in the world). Andy has conducted bird surveys for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and been participating as a Christmas Bird Count captain for many years. He’s been a consultant to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism concerning development of birding tourism in its more remote islands. Andy leads trips for CAS to Canada, Texas, South Florida, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Iceland, and many other unique destinations. Andy is a former licensed USCG 100-Ton Master boat captain and lives in Essex, Connecticut, with his wife. He is known for his attentiveness to traveler’s needs, fine birding skills, and infectious sense of humor.

Matt is a graduate of The Ohio State University with BS degrees in both earth sciences and evolution/ecology. Matt started birding in May 2013 and became more seriously involved after a trip to Costa Rica. Since then, he’s helped revive The Ornithology Club at Ohio State and worked as a volunteer guide for The Biggest Week in American Birding and the Yellow Rails and Rice Festival. He absolutely loves participating in citizen science, tour guiding, chasing rare birds in his free time, and meeting fellow birders from around the globe. Most of all, Matt enjoys sharing his passion for birds and conservation with others and never shies away from taking the time to help beginners start their explorations of the avian world. As EcoTravel Travel Specialist, Matt designs and leads many day trips and overnight tours.

Jim Sherwonit fell in love with the woods and birding in his teens. He started birding more seriously in 2010 after his first EcoTravel trip and has participated (as traveler, driver, and leader) in over 70 trips. He’s recently retired from managing a local office for a major transportation engineering firm for over 40 years. Jim has an enthusiasm for conservation, all things nature, and is an avid photographer. As he says, “Any day spent in the woods is a good day.” He is deeply involved in environmental conservation efforts and is a member of Connecticut and National Audubon Society, and the Connecticut Ornithological Association. He also volunteers at the annual Hawk Watch at Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven and is on the Board of Directors of the Old Saybrook Land Trust.

A musician and writer by profession, Rob began birding in earnest around the same time he picked up the violin at age eight. His love of music, languages, literature, and birds has led him to a lifetime of study and travel. A graduate of Holland’s Royal Conservatory, Union College, the University of Bonn, and Princeton University, he has taught foreign languages and ornithology in New York, English and music in Asia, and has birded extensively on every continent except Antarctica. As a lyricist and librettist he has co-written several new musicals with Richard Oberacker, including Ace, (NAMT Festival, St. Louis Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, The Old Globe, Signature Theatre), Journey To The West (NYMF), The Parenting Project (Cincinnati Fringe, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati), The Sandman (NAMT Festival, Fredericia Theatre Denmark, Majestic Repertory Theater), and their Tony Award winning musical Bandstand, which premiered on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, was filmed for Fathom Events nationwide release, and launched a National Tour. A principal player with New York Chamber Soloists and the Mozart Orchestra of New York, Mr. Taylor is a member of the Dramatist's Guild, and is represented by the Gersh Agency

Miley oversees all of the organization's conservation work, including our public advocacy program in Hartford. He is a member of the Long Island Sound Study's Citizens Advisory Committee, the Conservation Advisory Council to Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and many other local and statewide boards and committees. Miley was a founding director of the Connecticut Ornithological Association, and has published numerous articles and speaks statewide on topics relating to ornithology and the environment.

Sarah is responsible for the oversight and programming at our two facilities in northeastern Connecticut, the Lois Orswell Grassland Bird Conservation Center at Pomfret and Trail Wood: The Edwin Way Teale Memorial Sanctuary in Hampton. She has served in this position since 2003. From 1994 to 2001, she was our first resident naturalist in Pomfret, developing programming for the Bafflin Sanctuary prior to the Center at Pomfret's inception. Sarah earned her B.S. in Environmental Studies from Trinity College, spent several years conducting graduate research at the University of Connecticut and was an environmental consultant for 15 years, specializing in soil and water issues. A member of numerous environmental organizations, she formerly served on the board of directors for the Wyndham Land Trust.