About — Missouri River Bird Observatory

Our Mission

To contribute to the conservation of birds and their habitats via science, education, and advocacy.
To gather information about avian communities and habitat use that will assist state, federal, and private natural resource managers in their efforts to implement conservation programs.
To provide opportunities for Missourians of all ages to learn about species and habitat conservation.
To advocate for sound, science-based conservation policy that benefits birds, other wildlife and environmental quality.Whether you’re brushing up on skills or starting from scratch, we’re here to help.

How we accomplish this…

Each year, MRBO conducts avian population monitoring and applied research on almost 100,000 acres of Missouri’s most imperiled habitats – prairies, wetlands and forests. The resulting data are communicated to land managers, owners and the public so that we all further understand specific effects of stewardship on birds. Education and outreach is an integral component of MRBO’s work and takes place in both formal and informal settings. Each year we conduct over 100 educational events for people of all ages. The organization’s work is accomplished in partnership with many other non-profits as well as state and federal agencies.

MRBO Director Ethan Duke shows a Black-capped Chickadee to a 2nd grade class at the Columbia Audubon Band With Nature event.

Strategic Framework

MRBO has successfully contributed to conservation efforts throughout the state of Missouri for over a decade. The framework for the strategic plan our organization will adopt into its next decade can be found here. This framework will help shape activities, goals, and funding initiatives for the future. Below are the four overarching categories in which we intend to focus our strategic framework, presented in no particular order. While many of our existing activities fit in to this framework, there is room for considerable expansion!

MRBO states five core values and philosophies that pervade all areas of the organization’s work. They are:

Robust data and scientific integrity
Time- and cost-efficiency and use of technological innovations
Fostering the formation of partnerships
Embracing and encouraging equity, diversity, and inclusion
Empowering and providing opportunities for young people

Vision: MRBO contributes to the conservation and continual improvement of the highest-quality habitats possible for birds and other wildlife.
Goals:
- Improve public and private habitat management quality
- Support increases in the occurrence and functionality of intact natural systems (e.g. watersheds, floodplains, grassland complexes)
- Encourage/facilitate enrollment of private acreage into conservation programs
- Decrease environmental pollutants (i.e. chemicals, plastics, emissions and other waste)
Vision: MRBO contributes to the improvement of local and regional food systems, which are integral to wildlife and natural resource conservation, and to providing people with quality food.
Goals:
- Promote an agricultural system that is fair to both people and wildlife and that results in natural resource conservation
- Encourage people to choose food based on ecological conservation
- Promote local, bird-friendly food systems
- Work to make local, sustainably produced food available to as many people as possible
Vision: MRBO works to build communities that provide the things birds need: food and water, shelter, safe passage, and places to raise young.
Goals:
- Reduce avian window collisions
- Proliferate the use of native plants in homes, schools, and all public places
- Reduce chemical use in home yards and public places
- Support initiatives to reduce populations of outdoor cats
- Promote/support the reduction of waste in communities, particularly single-use plastics
Vision: MRBO provides opportunities for people to experience, enjoy, and understand the natural world, fostering awareness of the need for conservation action.
Goals:
- Increase the amount of time spent outdoors by people of all ages and demographics
- Foster enjoyment of all parts of the natural world
- Increase understanding of basic ecology and ecological connections, including humans as part of nature
- Provide opportunities for volunteerism, internships, community engagement, and other involvement in MRBO’s work

Make an Impact Today

Please consider making a financial contribution to the work of the Missouri River Bird Observatory.

Supporters’ donations comprise the vast majority of funding for MRBO’s education and advocacy programs and also help us maintain our headquarters in Arrow Rock, MO. Support from individuals is a critical part the organization’s operation.

MRBO supporters receive our seasonal newsletter, The Rectrix, are recognized in annual reports, and receive invitations to special events such as the annual MRBO Members’ Party. All financial contributions are tax deductible.

Become a MRBO Supporter Today

You are also welcome to send your name, address, phone number, and email address along with a personal check to: Missouri River Bird Observatory, P.O. Box 16, Arrow Rock, MO 65320

Our Team

Ethan Duke and Dana Ripper

Co-founders/Directors

Ethan and Dana founded the Missouri River Bird Observatory in 2010 and serve as the organization’s Co-Directors. Both have wildlife ecology and management backgrounds and worked on conservation projects throughout the country prior to making Missouri home in 2008. Ethan and Dana lead MRBO with passion and dedication and are grateful for the excellent staff who make all of the organization’s work possible. They currently spend most of their work time on conservation policy advocacy and public outreach.
Marlee Malmborg

Operations Assistant

Marlee is originally from north-central Illinois and currently resides in Moberly, Missouri. Her passion for the outdoors began at a young age through bird watching, foraging for wild mushrooms, hunting, fishing, and camping with her dad. She earned her B.S. in Science from the Missouri University of Science and Technology in 2016.

Before joining MRBO, Marlee spent seven years with the United States Geological Survey, working on the conservation of endangered pallid sturgeon. She became the Operations Assistant at the Missouri River Bird Observatory in March 2022 and now plays a central role in coordinating nearly every aspect of MRBO’s operations, from logistics and communications to event planning and organizational support.

Marlee also leads MRBO’s American Kestrel monitoring project, managing nest box installations, tracking data, and working with partners and landowners to support this iconic species. Outside of work, she enjoys all things outdoors—especially hunting, birding, and exploring Missouri’s natural areas.
Tessa Poolman

Director of Community Conservation Programs

Tessa is a true Kansas City native, growing up just north of the river. Since she was young, Tessa has felt a strong connection to nature and extreme compassion towards wildlife. She graduated from Pittsburg State University and now holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with an Emphasis in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. During her academic journey, Tessa’s commitment to the field of conservation was evident through her active involvement as a member of the executive council of the Wildlife and Fisheries Society at Pitt State for two years. She gained practical experience working for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks at the Southeast Kansas Nature Center, enriching her and others understanding of local wildlife and nature.
With a deep love for her hometown of Kansas City, Tessa is excited to use her knowledge and expertise to connect people of all ages with nature through immersive experiences. Her passion for learning drives her to continuously seek out new information and insights about conservation and biology. Through her role with Missouri River Bird Observatory, Tessa hopes to inspire others to appreciate and preserve the nature around them.
Melina Matheney

Central Region Education Coordinator
Melina grew up in a small rural town in Northeast Missouri. Raised by two environmentally passionate parents, she grew up enriched by outdoor activities and encouraged to explore all of Missouri's natural wonders.

Her undergraduate years proved to be very formative as her passion for plants, education, and travel took hold. During the spring and fall she often found classes or work that taught her about plant life while spending summers leading middle school camps. She completed her degree in Environmental Studies at Truman State University in Kirksville, MO. Eager to explore new landscapes, she landed in southwest Utah where she worked in a conservation corps restoring trails and habitats. Driven by her fascination of western flora, she once again packed her bags and moved to California for the next four years where her passion for botanical life flourished. She spent her first summer working for the US National Forest Service in a rural town in Northern California. The next two years were devoted to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden as a rare plant technician. Her fourth summer she decided to rejoin the National Forest Service in northern California where she reconnected with her Californian ecological “roots”. Through each position she always found her best moments were the ones when she could share her joy and curiosity with others.

In her role with MRBO she hopes to foster enthusiasm and connection between Missourians and the beautiful natural world around them. When she is not delving into plant life you could find her seeking adventure through hiking, reading, cooking up new recipes, floating down a river, flying a kite on a windy day, or enthusiastically dancing. She would love to facilitate the fun through outdoor activities with you!
Isabelle Guthrey

Central Region Environmental Educator
Isabelle grew up in Marshall, Missouri, where she spent her childhood camping with her family, fishing with her dad, and nurturing a love for plants through her grandmother’s passion for gardening. She is currently majoring in Biology at Missouri Valley College, with plans to pursue a career focused on conservation and the protection of natural spaces.

Isabelle has been working with MRBO since the summer of 2024. She supports MRBO’s education and outreach programs, helping to inspire curiosity and environmental awareness in young learners across Missouri.

Isabelle also works at a local greenhouse and landscaping company, where she continues to expand her knowledge of native plants and backyard gardening. She hopes to continue combining her love of plants with her growing interests in ecology and environmental education.

Isabelle is passionate about connecting people—especially kids—with nature and is excited to continue sharing her enthusiasm for the outdoors with the next generation of conservationists.
Stori Smith

Plastic Pollution Educator
Stori grew up in North Texas surrounded by a menagerie of domestic animals, an enchantment with wildlife, and an early-onset determination to protect them. She followed this passion to Montana State University where she earned a B.S. in Conservation Biology & Ecology. After graduation, she moved to Washington where she spent nearly three years in veterinary medicine and became a volunteer sanctuary guide for Wolf Haven International. Most recently, she served two terms as an AmeriCorps Environmental Education & Stewardship Specialist with NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. This position instilled in her an unwavering respect for federal conservation work, community action, Indigenous stewardship, and the way water connects us all.

In 2021, Stori joined Saving Animals Facing Extinction (SAFE) Worldwide as a remote volunteer writer and artist for creative conservation projects. She continues to volunteer with them as a board member and Education & Communications Strategist. This keeps her in touch with international wildlife issues and even allows for periodic travel to anti-poaching projects in Africa!

Stori’s ultimate goals are to encourage people to understand their role in ecology, inspire their respect for other species, and empower them to act on behalf of their shared home. She loves learning science communication strategies, filling environmentalisms’ accessibility gaps, and finding solutions that address both human and animal welfare. Her role as MRBO’s Plastic Pollution Educator brings together all those things, and she’s excited to be part of the team!

Outside of work, Stori loves to read, write, draw, learn local lore, pretend she is still a competitive athlete, and do anything with dogs.