Meet the Audubon Leadership: Michelle Munro, Membership Committee Chair
Michelle Munro stepped into the role of Membership Committee chair earlier this year. We talked with her about her involvement with Audubon and her advice to other backyard birders.
What brought you to Whidbey Island, and how did you get involved with Audubon?
My wife, Jeaneen, and I moved to Whidbey from Seattle in 2020, after buying the house of a friend who we’d been visiting for many years. I immediately reached out to local nonprofits, which was difficult because it was the height of the COVID pandemic.
Audubon was one of the few organizations that I could connect with at that time. I took the Birds of Whidbey class, and it was love at first involvement! I loved meeting the different instructors. Loved that they are islanders and have their own personalities and ways of presenting things. And I loved meeting a lot of good people who were our classmates.
Michelle (left) and her wife, Jeaneen Watkins, enjoy feeding Chickadees and other birds from their backyard deck.
Why did you become the membership chair of Whidbey Audubon?
From the beginning, I felt welcomed by the Audubon community. In my first volunteer role, I served as board secretary for about six months. I enjoyed the work, but I have an autoimmune disease that makes it difficult for me to commit to a schedule and regularly attend meetings. Which is important when you are the secretary!
As membership chair, I can use the skills I’ve gained over a lifetime of work with nonprofit organizations—professionally and as a volunteer—on my own schedule.
What other nonprofits are you involved with?
My primary and longest-term involvement has been with Summit Assistance Dogs. I’ve received two service dogs from them, and those dogs have changed my life! For the last 17 years, I’ve been sharing my story at Summit events and, for part of that time, serving on their board. I’m also involved with Whidbey Island’s Native Connections Initiative (which longtime Audubon member Sarah Schmidt co-leads) and serve on the Whidbey Health Foundation Board.
Do you have a favorite bird?
Yes—the Nuthatch! Jeaneen and I like to feed Chickadees and other birds from our back deck. We’ll get 30 Chickadees at a time landing on us! Lately we’ve had a couple of Nuthatches that are starting to eat out of our hands.
What do you think might surprise people about Audubon?
I was hesitant to get involved with Audubon because I didn’t know a lot about birds. And I was worried that my disability, which affects my mobility, might prevent me from participating in events.
But I quickly learned that when you connect with Audubon, you connect with a community of kindred spirits. It’s not necessary to be a bird expert or be able to hike five miles. It’s about the love of birds. I would encourage anyone who is an armchair birder and people with mobility challenges to get involved. However you want to participate, there will be other people who would like to join you.
