Ernie Flores, President

Ernie Flores is a Director in a large aerospace company where he has been pursuing his passion for things that fly. Born in Los Angeles, California, Ernie spent his formative years between Southern California and Mexico City. He graduated college as an Electrical Engineer from California State University, Long Beach. While his career on the Space Shuttle and many advanced aircraft has been a dream come true, Ernie’s true encounter with his passion for flight came in the mid 1990’s, when his eyes were opened to the natural world of birds. In one of his earliest explorations, Ernie came upon the Nature Conservancy Kern River Preserve (now Audubon), which was the beginning of a close association with the Preserve, its leaders and conservation and outreach goals. Ernie has enjoyed volunteering and supporting the preserve in numerous ways and has become a supporter of the conservation and environmental movement, animal rights, and bird research, rehabilitation, and advocacy organizations. He has also been a regular volunteer for the SSRS. Outside of work, Ernie enjoys helping the needy, exploring the wilderness, hiking, downhill skiing, genealogy, birding and especially searching for owls in the Southern Sierra. A favorite quote of his is: “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened” – Anatole France.

Wendy Walwyn, Treasurer

As a South African who grew up watching birds and traveling through remote parts of Africa, birding and the outdoors are Wendy’s passion. She has lived in different parts of the world, traveled through many more, and remains at heart an avid outdoor enthusiast who loves to watch and study birds on any continent from a bike, a kayak or on foot. After many years at UCLA, Wendy is now based in Hood River, Oregon and spends her weekdays figuring out how to obtain funds and support for an accessible healthcare clinic. Weekends are of course birding, biking, swimming, kayaking in any order so long as it is outside. In addition to being Treasurer for SSRS, Wendy is Vice-President of the Kern River Valley Heritage Foundation, a land trust and steward of more than 5,000 acres in the Kern Valley.

Jason Weiner, Secretary

Jason is a long-time environmental advocate, whose passion for the Sierra’s and its wildlife was instilled at a young age from time spent during winters and summers in the range. He currently serves as Bank Climate Advocates’ (BCA’s) Executive Director and Legal Director. Prior to co- founding BCA in 2022, for 12 years he served as Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation’s Senior Attorney, General Counsel and International Program Director, where he used his science and legal background to advocate and litigate to protect the environment and the lifeways of indigenous peoples. While with Wishtoyo, Jason also led and managed an estuarine restoration project, and established a watershed monitoring and research program. In 2016, he was awarded a Daily Journal and callawyer.com Clay Award for Environmental Attorney of the Year. Before his time with Wishtoyo, he helped over 700 Nicaraguan community members and sugarcane workers pursue and submit a complaint to the International Finance Corporation to improve their working conditions and protect their environment. Jason’s educational background includes a Masters of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environment Studies, and a law degree from Vermont Law School. He has also served as Adjunct Faculty at California State University Channel Islands, where he twice taught Environmental Law & Policy.

David Younkman

David Younkman, now retired, has spent his entire career advancing conservation and protecting the environment.  David began his career with two decades at The Nature Conservancy, beginning as Ohio State Director and leaving as Vice President for Resources of the Latin America and Caribbean Program, where he developed TNC’s Adopt an Acre Program and their Parks in Peril Initiative. David also served as Executive Director for American Oceans Campaign and as Western Regional Director for the National Wildlife Federation. David spent twelve years at American Bird Conservancy (2009-2021), serving as Chief Conservation Officer and later as Vice President for the Western Region, where he helped establish ABC’s western programs to protect birds and their habitats. David received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Miami University and a Master of Science in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Tim Ludwick

Tim grew up in rural Pennsylvania and developed a love of wildlife and the outdoors, particularly birds, early in life. Since then, his passion for birds and conservation has led to a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Range and Wildlife Management. He has worked with many different bird and wildlife species and published research on grassland bird fire ecology and dove nesting ecology.  Over his career thus far he has worked for, and with, a variety of Federal agencies across the western US. He is currently a fish and wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in New Mexico where he works with a great team that partners with agencies and industry to conserve endangered species while sustainably managing land and resources. In his off time, Tim is an avid birder and wildlife photographer and enjoys traveling and hiking with his wife Becky. It was after a move to Ridgecrest in 2011 that he discovered the wonderful place that is the Kern River Valley. The KRV quickly became a favorite birding destination and he got involved with bird banding efforts at the Canebrake Ecological Reserve and helped run the Kern River Valley Christmas Bird Count for several years.