Meet Our Team
Officers and Board Members
The DIBS Board of Directors have the common goal of preserving critical migratory bird habitat on Dauphin Island, an important stopover location for a large number of neotropical migrants. The previous and current Directors bring a diverse range of skills and interests to the cause, including members who are environmental engineers, scientists, wildlife naturalists, conservation experts, educators, public relation experts, lawyers, business leaders, and birdwatchers. All have a love for and connection to Dauphin Island, striving for bird and wildlife biodiversity preservation through education and land conservation.
Officers
Ralph Havard
President
Ralph is a native of Mobile, Alabama and a 45-year resident of Dauphin Island. As a lifelong birder and naturalist, he understands the critical importance and the challenges involved in the preservation of Dauphin Island’s unique and stunning biodiversity. Ralph retired from the Alabama Marine Resources Division in 2009, after 34 years of service. His career encompassed a range of duties, from fisheries management and assessment, public outreach, and was instrumental in the development and implementation of Alabama’s highly-acclaimed artificial fishing reef program. Ralph has served on the executive board of DIBS since 2009 and became its president in 2012. He also served for many years as a board member of the South Alabama Land Trust (SALT), one of our primary partners in the conservation of Alabama’s coastal habitat. He and his wife, Cathy, are long time supporters of DIBS. He enjoys fishing, gardening and eco-travel. Ralph is a proud U. S. Navy veteran, plays the guitar, is an avid scuba diver, and speaks French…albeit with a South Alabama accent.
Greg Harber
Vice President of Conservation
Greg Harber resides in Birmingham and is employed in the UAB Microbiology Department as a Research Assistant. He has had a lifelong interest in birds from his childhood days in Fort Lauderdale, FL and currently serves on the board of directors of Alabama Audubon and the Alabama Ornithological Society. Greg has a long history of leading field trips and presenting talks in Alabama. In addition to birding, his other interests include cycling and photography. Greg has been a member of DIBS since 1996.
Andrew Haffenden
Vice-President of Acquisitions
Andrew Haffenden is a naturalist and birder who has recently returned to his home country, Australia. When he resided on Dauphin Island, his main interests were shorebirds and wildlife research. He has travelled extensively as a birding guide with a small U.S.-based travel company that specialized in nature-based custom and small group tours to select world destinations, including Cuba. Andrew is well-known for his fascinating and informative bird walks and bird talks. He is also a Board Member of the Alabama Ornithological Society.
Jennie Stowers
Secretary
Jennie Stowers is a resident of Montgomery and Dauphin Island. As a retired Biology teacher of 30 years, her love of Dauphin Island, fascination with birds, and conservation of the natural environment are a natural extension of her career. Jennie believes the mission of DIBS is accomplished through outreach and educational programs that inform the broader community of the importance of Dauphin Island as a critical and unique wildlife habitat. Along with birdwatching, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, bike riding, and spending time with her cocker spaniels.
Betsy Eagar
Treasurer
Betsy Eagar lives in Mobile and is retired after 40+ years teaching in the Mobile County Public School System. She previously served as DIBS Secretary and has been a Board Member for numerous years. She also volunteered with the Coastal Birding Association, a chapter of Alabama Ornithological Association. Betsy enjoys outdoor activities, including bird watching, gardening, hiking, and travel. In addition to acquiring skills for her evolving job as treasurer and money keeper, she serves as gatekeeper to the new DIBS website. All errors are hers and they can be corrected: email DIBS1295@gmail.com.
Board Members
Rich Colberg
Rich Colberg is a full-time resident of Dauphin Island and serves on the Dauphin Island Foundation and the Dauphin Island Board of Adjustments.. He is a retired program manager and business owner. He joined DIBS because it is an organization focused on the conservation focused exclusively on preserving this “little piece of paradise,” which impacts the quality of life and local economy. He believes this is accomplished through the practice and promotion of conservation values and habitat protection for the long term.
John Dindo
John Dindo recently retired as a senior marine scientist and assistant director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab where he also led the Discovery Hall Program. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Alaska where he studied salmon, and a Master's degree from the University of Alabama/Birmingham focusing on mullet. He has a PhD in Marine Science from the University of Alabama/Birmingham and has been conducting avian research on colonial nesting birds in and around Dauphin Island for over 43 years. For many years he taught Ornithology classes to undergraduate students at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. He is currently working on grants to study Alabama coastal nesting species in Mobile Bay/Gaillard Island and the islands in Portersville Bay and Mississippi Sound including Lightening Point. John is involved in conservation issues serving on the boards of the Alabama Coastal Foundation and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Foundation. He and his wife Charlene split their time between their homes in Mobile and on Dauphin Island. Their sons live in Mobile and their two young grandchildren love spending time on Dauphin Island and in the water.
Walter Ernest
Walter Ernest is the Director of Operations Pelican Coast Conservancy in Mobile and is a resident of Fairhope. He has worked in the field of natural resource conservation for over 20 years, serving on local, regional, and national non-profit boards. He enjoys recreational fishing, nature photography, and spending time in the outdoors.
Larry Gardella
Larry and his wife, Andrea Menyhart, reside in Daphne. During his long legal career, he served as Director for Advocacy at Legal Services Alabama in Montgomery. In retirement, Larry continues to contribute as an attorney, providing pro-bono legal services. Larry’s contributions to the Alabama birding community are numerous and varied, and his birding skills are widely respected. Larry is actively engaged in a variety of birding initiatives, including Alabama Ornithological Society, Christmas Bird Counts, Alabama Audubon Society, Eastern Shore Birders Group, Breeding Bird Surveys, and Alabama Coastal BirdFest. Dauphin Island holds a special significance for Larry as a favorite destination for bird watching His passion for birding on Dauphin Island has naturally extended into his long-term support of DIBS.
Travis Hightower
Travis Hightower is a 19-year Yardmaster Clerk at the Terminal Railroad for the Alabama Port Authority and is a third-generation rail worker. Travis grew up in Mobile along the shores of the Mobile Delta. Travis and his wife Crystal, a fisheries scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, made the permanent move to Dauphin Island over three years ago, living in the woods on Infanta Street. As a musician, he enjoys entertaining his family and friends. He is passionate about island habitats and has been an avid supporter of DIBS. He contributes to habitat conservation on the island, having seen many changes and damaging practices to island wetlands.
Brian Jones currently serves as the Curator at the Alabama Aquarium on Dauphin Island, where he has worked for the past 25 years. He enjoys the facility's focus on local habitats and the balance between informal education and animal care that the position demands. A life-long outdoors enthusiast originally from Louisiana, Brian received his B.S. in Biology from Spring Hill College, and his M.S. in Marine Science from the University of South Alabama. A full-time resident of Dauphin Island for 29 years, he is a member of the Dauphin Island Foundation, enjoying photography, fishing, birding, and hiking, along with his better-half Tessie.
Brian Jones
Don Ladner
Don resides in Dauphin Island and Montgomery. Don worked for the Alabama House of Representatives for 33 years, serving as Public Information Officer and Administrative Assistant to the Clerk of the House. Don was able to work on various conservation issues including Forever Wild and funding for the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. He has been active in DIBS and the Alabama Ornithological Society since 2002 and has enjoyed birdwatching in Dauphin Island and other areas of Alabama. In retirement, Don purchased a home on Dauphin Island. He serves on the Board of Adjustments for the Town of Dauphin Island and participates in other community interests.
Jennifer Latour
Jennifer, a Dauphin Island resident since 2013, has a background in environmental work. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Recreational Management and currently is employed as a Marine Educator at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Her previous positions include roles with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and as a Tennessee Aquarium Environmental Educator. Currently, Jennifer volunteers as a member on the Dauphin Island Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and is a council member of the Town of Dauphin Island.
Dena McKee
Dena McKee moved to Dauphin Island seventeen years ago with her husband, Don McKee (longtime DIBS Board Member). She is heavily involved in the community, serving as Chairman of the Board of Adjustments and as a lifetime Board Member of the Dauphin Island Foundation. An active artist who has organized three different art festivals for many years, Dena also was instrumental in starting the local art gallery and Arts Council. In her “former” life, she worked in sales and service for State Farm Insurance for thirty-five years, and had earned a B.S. in Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. Dena is committed to preserving the natural integrity and habitat on the island.
Paul Porter
Paul Porter is a graduate of Auburn University and moved to the Lake Martin Alabama area in 1984 to join Russell Corporation as an industrial engineer and later VP of Operations. In 2006 Paul started the Benchmark Group Inc as a consulting firm primarily focused on project management and construction scheduling with healthcare and multi-family projects ranging across the United States. With his wife Dianna, they spend time between Dauphin Island and Lake Martin. Paul and Dianna have been active in church and non-profit work in the Lake Martin area. Paul has enjoyed life on Dauphin Island beginning in 1993 when his parents, John and Jackie Porter, moved to the island to pursue their passion for birding and conservation.
Elberta Reid
Board Member, Emeritus
Elberta Reid is a resident of Birmingham and a well-known birder and conservationist in Alabama. An active and honorary board member, she was a founding member of FODIAS, Friends of Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary, which was formed so there would be a contract between National Audubon and DI Park and Beach Board. FODIAS evolved into DIBS. She believes that though we face many problems today, events have unfolded in a wonderful way if one views the world the way DIBS does. She is also active in numerous organizations including Alabama Audubon and the Alabama Ornithological Society
Beth Reinert
Beth Reinert divides her time between Mobile and Dauphin Island. She is married to Jeff, and they are the proud parents of two married sons and grandparents to two grandchildren. Beth holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Education degree, with a specialization in Therapeutic Recreation. Throughout her professional career and philanthropic efforts, Beth has worked with breast cancer survivors and dementia patients through extensive and varied initiatives. She and Jeff also share a creative life, writing and producing music together with their band, Father’s House. Beth is an avid and accomplished birdwatcher and has been a wonderful volunteer and supporter of DIBS for years.
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Linda Reynolds
Linda Reynolds is a resident of Guntersville and Dauphin Island, and retired from Lake Guntersville State Park as the Resident Naturalist. The renowned Eagle Watch at the park was the brainchild of she and her husband Dick. She is Past President of the Alabama Ornithological Society and very active in North Alabama birding groups as a leader and guide. Community involvement and playing tennis also occupy her spare time.
Neil Sass
Board Member
Neil and his wife, Susan, are residents of Dauphin Island. He has always been interested in and involved with the environment. His professional career included work with the FDA and Alabama State Toxicology Department as a toxicologist. After retirement in 2009, he and Susan moved permanently to Dauphin Island. Neil has become very involved in activities on the island, including serving on the Board of Adjustments, Planning and Zoning Commission, Water and Sewer Authority Board, and the Industrial Development Authority. Neil also volunteers with the DI Sea Lab and holds an active Federal Falconry Permit. He and Susan have been long-time supporters of the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries, whose work he considers to be one of the most valuable aspects of Island life.
Founding Board
Charles Kennedy - Emeritus
Elberta Reid - Emeritus
Laurie Bailey - Deceased
Dan Holliman, Ph. D. - Deceased
Minnie Nonkes - Deceased
John Porter, Ph. D. - Deceased
In the 1990s, the Founding Board Members and other dedicated birders from the area answered the call that "somebody should do something" when it appeared that bird habitat on Dauphin Island was in danger of disappearing. This legacy of action for the birds continues to this day.
