From leading tours and birthday parties to visiting Title 1 classrooms with our Ambassador Animals, our conservation educators play a hugely important role in our mission of connecting people and nature. Our Conservation Team reached more than 7,000 people in 2021-22 - in no small part because of amazing educators like Kyra Thurow Bartow!
Kyra grew up in the woods of North Carolina and quickly fell in love with birds, wildlife, and the outdoors. She attended Catawba College in Salisbury, NC, where she received a degree in Environmental Education with a minor in Religion. Since graduating in 2013, she has worked at Osprey Wilds Nature Center, Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium of North Carolina, Greenville Zoo of South Carolina, and Marbles Kids Museum. She joined PWC as an educator in February 2022 - which means she's officially been with us for a year now!
An avid birder, Kyra loves all things bird! She also enjoys board games, crafting, and desserts, as well as playing outside in the woods and teaching everyone about the wonders of the natural world.
Who's Kyra's favorite Ambassador Animal at PWC? "Choosing my favorite is super tough," Kyra says, "but right now, it is Willow the red-shouldered hawk because I love her feisty spirit! I love working at PWC because the mission to connect people to nature is really lived out in our daily activities, programs, and way of life. I also love getting to be a part of the Raptor Care Team to connect with such incredible avian ambassadors."
Kyra brings her experience, professionalism, sense of fun, and passion for wildlife to every program she leads at PWC, whether it's for a family of three or a full classroom. We feel so, so lucky to have her on our team. Thank you, Kyra, for a year of connecting people with nature. Here's to many more!
Did you catch us on My Carolina CBS 17?
“Whooo” were those familiar faces on My Carolina on January 18th? Why, only Piedmont Wildlife Center’s very own Apollo and Shelly - with their human friends Executive Director Karen McCall and Director of Conservation Noelle Rizzieri!
Huge thanks to the team at CBS 17 for inviting us to talk nature connection, native wildlife, and PWC’s 20th anniversary. We can’t wait to come back with more of our Ambassador Animals!
Watch our My Carolina debut in the video above, on Facebook, or on our YouTube channel. You can hear Karen talk about PWC’s mission of nature connection starting at 0:30. Noelle joins Amber and Carly to share fun facts about our Ambassador Animals at 5:05.
Community Spotlight: Karen McCall
From raptor volunteers to camp counselors, program coordinators to monthly donors, it truly takes a village to keep Piedmont Wildlife Center running. This month, we're celebrating the heart and soul of that village: Karen McCall, PWC's Executive Director!
Karen grew up in Chapel Hill, NC, and spent much of her time outside camping, hiking, sailing, kayaking, backpacking, snorkeling, and diving. She was introduced to the great outdoors by her parents, who took her on her first camping trip when she was less than 8 months old! Karen attended UNC-Wilmington, where she initially pursued Marine Biology but finished with a B.S. degree in Mathematics with emphasis on Physics in 1986 to broaden her opportunities.
After graduation, Karen's love of being outside in nature grew stronger while living and working on sailboats in the Caribbean for 7 years. Upon moving back to the States, she settled near family outside of Charlotte and worked for 10 years at the Charlotte Nature Museum, where she taught kids and families about the wonders of our natural world.
Karen eventually returned to the Triangle, and in May 2012, she joined Piedmont Wildlife Center as a raptor volunteer, outdoor educator, and eventually Director of Education. She became Executive Director in late March 2020 - just as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning! Thanks in large part to Karen's compassionate leadership, PWC not only survived that difficult time but managed to expand many of our programs, and we're now preparing to celebrate our 20th anniversary in January.
In addition to being an expert outdoor educator and naturalist, Karen is a skilled artist who likes to dabble in linocut printmaking, painting, basket-making, and drawing inspired by her nature encounters. You can find some of her work in our Nature Store!
As a leader, Karen embodies our core values of gratitude, respect, curiosity, inclusivity, and awareness. She is committed to making sure every staff member, volunteer, and camper feels heard, and her passion for helping others form a deep connection with nature keeps PWC's programs grounded in our mission. We are so grateful to have her at the helm of our growing non-profit as we prepare to enter PWC's third decade. Thank you, Karen, for all you do for our staff, campers, Ambassador Animals, and community!
PWC board member wins volunteer award
A huge congratulations to Dominique Cole Johnson (second from right), who won Outstanding Board Director at the Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center’s 2022 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award & Key Volunteer of the Year Awards for her service on PWC's board of directors!
Despite her busy work life as vice president at Pinnacle Financial Partners, Dom joined PWC's board in February 2020. As Board Treasurer, she used her business expertise to assist our Executive Director during a time of pandemic-related operational challenges. When a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion task force was formed, Dom helped guide our staff to a better understanding of how to welcome diverse populations. She attended almost every fundraising and community event, greeting guests and sharing her enthusiasm for our mission. Dom always has a positive, upbeat attitude and works tirelessly to encourage our staff.
We're so proud to have you on our team, Dom! Thank you for all you do for our PWC community.
