Northern Arizona University

Judy Buzard, Senior Financial Analyst

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Gary Deason, Ph.D., Director

Field Marks
Tall, large, mature member of a once northern species. Appears calm. Orderly except in meetings when inevitable alpha behavior emerges. Informal appearance. Prefers walking.

Preferred Habitat
Found previously on lakes and streams of the boreal forest of northeastern Minnesota and southern Ontario. Still frequents these northern latitudes in summers for their aquatic resources. Now winters in high desert regions of northern Arizona enjoying hiking trails and ancient ruins. Although ranging into new territory, continues to nest on field-woodland interfaces meandering in evenings among local forests on wildlife trails.

Characteristic Habits
From late August through early June, spends many hours with other members of the species perched around large tables exchanging vocalizations - a ritual social behavior whose exact meaning and outcome remains obscure in spite of years of participation. Occasionally seen with younger members of species passing on information.

Ecological Niche
The migrant has been seen making forays into cool deep canyons, high windy mesas, riparian systems, ancient ruins, modern tribal communities, and, in protest, sweltering urban areas. Although new to its adopted territory, usually adapts quickly to become a part of its surroundings.
 

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Maria Galvez, Accountant

Field Marks:
This relatively average height species is most commonly spotted in comfy jeans and a t-shirt occasionally exhibiting business casual plumage. This particular variety of Maria has brown eyes and exceptionally long brown hair.

Preferred Habitats:
While eager to explore new lands like Australia and Europe she is most commonly found exploring the southwestern region of the US. This species enjoys getting her feet wet in the cool waters of Oak Creek and finding beautiful views atop the mountains of northern Arizona. During colder seasons she can be observed enjoying a cup of tea and crafting in her warm, cozy apartment.

Characteristic Behavior:
Throughout the fall and spring Maria frantically deciphers complex methods for documenting and evaluating financial transactions. She prefers to escape such chaos by observing others fictitiously relate via modern technology. When not laughing and exchanging experiences with the species known as Judy she can be found processing expenditures, grumbling over travel documentation, or hunting down a solution to unbalanced accounts.

Ecological Niche:
Primary contribution is tracking the inflow and outflow of monies for the center. Provides a helping hand whenever and wherever possible.

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Heather Farley, Program Coordinator

Field Marks:
Of average height and build, this active individual may be difficult to spot in her many forms. By day she is the picture of professionalism but by evening she takes on the form of an academic in the halls of Northern Arizona University’s Political Science Department. In her “spare” time, Heather is likely to be found in her most casual form with her two cats or spending time outdoors.

Preferred Habitats:
While this particular species has migrated from the hot, humid Eastern Coastal ecosystem, she now takes pleasure in taking in as much cool, fresh air as she can in the Northern Arizona area. She can be found warming herself on long hikes in Sedona or cooling down on any number of Flagstaff trails. When the weather is right, it may be quite difficult to catch Heather as she zips around town on her favorite mode of transportation – her bike.

Characteristic behavior:
Heather is constantly on the lookout for new ways to promote the work of the Center and start new and exciting programs on campus. She is eager to educate others about sustainability and stewardship and may rope you into a long conversation about environmental issues on campus, in the region, and around the world. When she is not working on sustainability at NAU, she studies environmental policy and public administration through many books, articles, and lectures.

Ecological Niche:
As the Center’s Program Coordinator, this species seeks to be the point-woman as much as possible. Whether she is helping other staff members to accomplish a task or talking to folks about the goals and accomplishments of CSE, she does her best to be as knowledgeable as she can about campus “happenings”.

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Gary Paul Nabhan, Senior Research Associate

Field Marks:
Usually first seen from afar, as part of a moving dust cloud or near the vortex of multi-cultural workshop or celebration. Once within range for positive identification, he is the slightly curly, bearded, somewhat disheveled middle-age guy warbling in a mix of Native American, European and Middle Eastern languages, though his call notes are typically in English, Spanish, Seri or O'odham. His plumage changes seasonally, from subdued coats and ties in Washington DC to bolo ties and vests at conferences in the Southwest, to khakis, t-shirts and running shoes while involved in desert fieldwork.

Characteristic Behavior:
Mixing jokes and big ideas, fluttering his hands and arms in attempts to make them (the ideas) fly. Listening to messages coming in across boundaries that are sometimes inaudible to others in the room. Readiness to get his hands dirty whenever there is a tangible need to demonstrate that cross-cultural collaboration for sustainable land and water stewardship can become a reality on ground where others thought such an outcome might be impossible. Often reported to be writing books of essays, poems or parables long before daylight reaches Winona, Arizona.

Preferred Habitats:
Workshops, meeting rooms, garden rows, and springs. Migrating seasonally between cultural ecozones on the Colorado Plateau, and those in the Sonoran Desert near the Sea of Cortez. En route, frequenting sustainable agriculture farms and wild plant gathering sites throughout North America. Occasionally spotted as a vagrant in Lebanon, Italy, central Mexico or the upper Midwest.

Ecological Niche:
Gary serves as a spokesperson for the Center in meetings with NAU administrators, collaborating organizations, professional societies, foundations, agencies and rural communities. He also works with others to build CSE's internal team capacity to model the kinds of collaborative behavior essential to good research, teaching and community-based development. He ensures that the Center's commitment to advancing the natural and cultural sciences does not leave out the environmental arts and humanities. As an essayist, poet, lecturer and workshop facilitator, he spreads the Good Word about NAU and its partners far and wide. He serves on advisory or consulting boards for the National Park Service, Orion Society, Trust for Public Lands, Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, Seed Savers Exchange, AERA, Terralingua, Amazon Conservation Team, Radius of Arab-American Writers (RAWI), and in the past, on those for Native Seeds/SEARCH, the Society for Conservation Biology, Society for Economic Botany, Society for Ethnobiology, and Sonoran Desert Protection Plan. He tries to gain more than half of all his foods from local sources, raising heirloom vegetables, field crops and fruit, raising Navajo-Churro sheep, turkeys and hogs, and gathering wild plant foods.

More on Gary
 

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Shelley Silbert, Director of Development, Strategic Initiatives

Field Marks:
Hardy, medium-stature, brown head with high cheekbones, hazel eyes and a broad-toothed bill. Plumage highly variable but tends toward saturated colors of cobalt blue, purple or green with black legs. Molts frequently to match changes in habitat. One of three species of Silberts naturalized in western U.S., rest of family found in southeastern U.S. in coastal and forested areas.

Preferred habitats:
Frequently observed careening down hiking trails in canyons and mountains, occasionally seen solitary and still beneath aspen branches with eyes turned towards the sky. Casual vagrant across much of the continent, especially in the summer. Rare migrant to Eurasia, Central and South America. Regularly seen at streams in warm weather, as well as along highways and the Flagstaff Urban Trail System, moving swiftly on spoked wheels with grey and red helmet obscuring brown head. Seldom seen in highly urban environments, except when foraging for resources to support CSE brood and other newly hatched ideas to advance environmental initiatives.

Characteristic Behavior:
Readily identified by energetic movements, often colliding with related members of genus in the hallways of ARD. Often sighted running from meeting to meeting, with regular mid-day forays to jogging trails and yoga classes. Calls in both English and Spanish include a low drone, occasional groans, and a frequent melodious chuckle. Rarely displays aggression, but can show agile hunting behavior when searching for green feed. Distinctive call a bubbling series of “Support us, visit us, this is exciting.” Active and conspicuous, but behavior is often hidden behind the thickets of more obvious CSE activities.

Ecological Niche:
As Director of Development for Strategic Initiatives at NAU, this species of Silbert seeks ways to support inter-departmental efforts towards creative environmental solutions on the Colorado Plateau, as well as supporting priority Native American initiatives. Keystone species in habitats requiring cooperation of diverse colonies to achieve specific goals and objectives. Reports directly to University Advancement Department, but nests at CSE. Active in the local region, serving on the Coconino County Parks and Recreation Commission, on the board of directors of Friends of Flagstaff’s Future, and numerous other organizations. Best known locally for her long-time association with oak leaves at The Nature Conservancy. Frequently observed soaring exuberantly with close cronies, one abnormally active male offspring, and diverse members of multiple species. Range is expanding.
 

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DeJa Walker and Paige Irwin, Student Support