During Women’s History Month, we celebrate the incredible women at the heart of International Bird Rescue. At a time when few women led organizations in science, Alice Berkner founded Bird Rescue in 1971, making it a rare female-founded force in wildlife response—paving the way for future generations.
Today, four powerhouse women—Barbara Callahan, Michelle Bellizzi, Julie Skoglund, and Dr. Rebecca Duerr—carry that legacy forward, leading efforts to rescue and rehabilitate wild birds. Barbara, a globally recognized emergency response leader, has managed major spills like the Treasure spill and Deepwater Horizon. Michelle, Response and Training Manager, oversaw the San Francisco Bay Rehabilitation Program for 20 years and has led 30+ wildlife responses. Julie, Senior Director of Operations, specializes in large-scale animal care and emergency response, playing a key role in oil spills, the Mystery Goo Spill, and habitat crises affecting pelicans and terns. Dr. Duerr, DVM, MPVM, PhD, is a leading seabird specialist, researcher, and Bird Rescue’s clinical veterinarian. A global authority on avian medicine, she leads bird flu response protocols and advances wild bird rehabilitation practices worldwide.
As leaders in their fields, these women shape the future of rescue and response, saving wildlife in a changing world—one bird at a time.