Our People

Dr. André F Raine – Science Director

André is an expert on seabirds, and has carried out research and conservation work for Hawaii’s three endangered seabirds, as well as consulting on seabird projects around the world. His extensive experience includes:

• multi-site seabird monitoring projects using techniques including acoustic monitoring, radar and burrow cameras.
• seabird tracking projects (using satellite tags, data loggers and geolocators).
• seabird surveys (including location of breeding colonies for rare birds) and banding.
• seabird translocation and social attraction to predator proof fence sites.
• consultation and expert advice to scientists and policy makers from US Fish & Wildlife, the State of Hawaii, NGOs and private entities.

Internationally, Andre has been involved in seabird projects in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Malta and the UK. Beyond seabirds, André has worldwide experience in conservation and biological monitoring, and is highly versed in a variety of survey techniques for passerines, raptors and waterbirds, as well as small mammals, large mammals, reptiles, and insects. As the Conservation Manager for BirdLife Malta, André produced the country’s first Breeding Bird Atlas, spearheaded anti-poaching activities and provided scientific data and expert advice to the European Union and the Maltese Government. André has a Masters in Conservation (Honors) University College London and a PhD from the University of East Anglia.  He is the lead or co-author of 28 scientific papers, and has written five books on bird and wildlife identification. Andre has a banding permit in the UK, Malta and Hawaiʻi.

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Helen Raine – Executive Director

Helen Raine is an expert in conservation project management. Her most recent projects have included:

• Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture; as Hawaiʻi Wetlands Conservation Co-ordinator, she provides advice and support to encourage the creation, restoration and management of habitat for endangered waterbirds.
• The Kauaʻi Seabird Habitat Conservation Plan (KSHCP); created the Management Plan for a proposed Social Attraction Site for two endangered seabirds within a predator-proof fence and consulted on the main HCP document.
• Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP); volunteered and worked on a wide range of projects including publicity materials, successful grant writing, bird banding, point counts, mosquito monitoring trips and egg harvesting trips for a captive breeding project of highly endangered forest passerines within the Alakaʻi Swamp.

In Europe, Helen managed the EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project, Malta’s largest conservation project; partners included the Armed Forces of Malta, HSBC bank, Malta Maritime Authority and international NGOs. Work included:

• The creation and execution of the seabird colony management plan. The plan was used by the Maltese government as a template for other protected seabird colonies in Malta.
• The first major rat eradication project in the Maltese isles to protect endangered seabirds.
• Research included the first use of cutting-edge technology on this species, including GPS data loggers, geolocators and satellite tags. The output of this work was a key report to advise the government on a roadmap to designate Marine SPAs (several of which have since been declared).

Helen is also a writer and journalist, and has published hundreds of articles on a wide range of topics, particularly the environment and travel, including the American Birding Association’s Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaiʻi. She has a MSc in Conservation from University College London.

Marc Travers – Senior Scientist

Marc has conducted 10 years of research quantifying avian collisions with infrastructure in concert with developing and testing solutions to prevent collisions. In collaboration with partners, Marc has innovated this field by developing novel monitoring solutions featured in Nature’s online magazine and has developed novel collision prevention technology.

Additionally, Marc’s research on seabirds and other taxa has taken him to a number of islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the Canadian Arctic, and Antarctic where he has helped local teams initiate a powerline monitoring program, studied the indirect demographic consequences of nest predation, climate changed induced diet shifts in birds and Polar Bears, niche partitioning, avian disease dynamics, physiological indicators of health in wildlife.

Caitlin Scott – Crew Lead (IMMP)

Originally from Washington, Caitlin earned her B.S. in Biology at Whitman College. Growing up at the base of Mount Adams, she has always been very active outdoors and enjoys trail running, hiking, and mountain biking. She first started working on birds when she did her thesis research in Panama, studying the effects of human disturbance on bird populations in the Bocas del Toro Island Archipelago. She has held previous jobs working to restore beaver and fish populations in the Pacific North West.

Caitlin is excited to be the crew lead fot the IMMP staff and contributing to the conservation of Kaua‘i’s seabirds. In her off time on the island, she is learning to surf and exploring the trails!

Hannah Weipert – Technician

Hannah was born and raised in Michigan but has since lived and worked in many states across the country. Attending Texas State University for her B.S. in Wildlife Biology, Hannah immediately realized her love of birds, quickly becoming involved as a technician for avian related studies under a doctoral student.

After college, Hannah worked with seabirds on a small island off the coast of Alaska and the following year came to Kaua‘i to continue conservation for multiple seabird species. Hannah is honored to be a part of the ARC team and carry on with helping to preserve many of the endemic and threatened species that Hawaii has today.

Jason Gregg – Technician

Bobby Brittingham – Technician

Born and raised in Maine, Bobby has become extremely passionate about working to conserve endangered species and graduated from University of Maine Orono with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology in the fall of 2019. He has worked with mammals, amphibians, reptiles, but has a soft spot for seabirds after working among tern and puffin colonies in his home state.

Vincent Van Dyke – Technician

Growing up on the coast of California Vinny developed a strong bond and affinity for the ocean and the species which call it home. Graduating from Humboldt State University with a B.S. in conservation and management, his love and passion for seabirds took root in the Redwood Coast. Vinny is stoked to be a part of the ARC team and continue conservation efforts for some of Kauai’s striking native seabirds.

Trysen Kaneshige – Local Multimedia Artist

Trysen has spent the last two months with ARC painting larger than life murals of our native waterbirds and seabirds as part of the ‘Cat Safe, Wildlife Safe Kaua’i Project’. The project, which was supported by the County of Kaua‘i’s ‘Rise to Work’ program, uses street art to introduces Kaua‘i residents to the endangered birds that live here, and to the idea that both cats and birds are protected when residents keep pet cats indoors and refrain from feeding outdoor cats.  You can see more of Trysen’s work here.