Current Leadership
Sydney Kakuk (she/her)
President & Co-Founder
Favorite Bird: Black-Capped Chickadee
Sydney loves birding because it is a "great way to be present out in nature," and brings her "peace while having fun." When she isn't birding, you can find Sydney using her training as a professional opera singer to perform around the Twin Cities. She also loves to read and is a self-professed "crafty girl" who loves to draw, paint, sew, embroider, etc. You can also find her kickboxing gym! In the summertime, Sydney pours her heart into her garden. She currently works for the Minnesota Judicial Branch and hopes to make a positive impact on public safety and the criminal justice system. She loves animals and volunteers with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota. Sydney is excited to help create a robust and positive community of birders in the Twin Cities!
Contact Sydney
Katie Ebinger (she/her)
Co-Leader & Co-Founder
Favorite Bird: Common Loon
Katie loves birding because it feels like "real-life Pokémon hunting," and regulates her nervous system like "nothing else." Katie especially loves loons because their calls sound like "home" to her. Outside of birding, you can find her reading books and managing her local book club. She is "obsessed" with Romantic Fantasy, like Sarah J. Maas' ACOTAR series. You can also find her enjoying her local fitness center and making friends wherever she goes. She is a licensed Elementary Education/EDL Teacher, but she is taking time off to be at home with her "awesome 3-year-old daughter." She loves animals of all kinds, especially her two dogs and one cat. Katie loves building connections through shared hobbies and cannot wait to meet more feminist birders!
Contact Katie
Kassandra Ford (she/her)
Co-Leader & Co-Founder
Contact Kassie
Favorite Bird: Northern Cardinal
Kassandra "Kassie" loves birding because it is something anyone can do, regardless of where they live. When she is not birding, she loves to read, travel the world, and relax at home with her cat, Ajax. For her day job, Kassie (Dr. Ford) is an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Her area of expertise is actually in fishes (shh, don't tell the birds), and she loves teaching, mentoring, and doing scientific research with students. Her work has allowed her to visit 44 different states and 20 different countries. She loves nature and all its organisms, but especially her cat. Kassie is thrilled to help make this club an inclusive an d welcoming place for folks at all levels of birding!