IAABC Foundation

Hillary Hankey started Avian Behavior International, now the Avian Behavior Conservancy, as a comprehensive resource for avian education and conservation. A master falconer and overall bird enthusiast since a young age, Hillary and her team teach interactive conservation education with birds near San Diego, California. They produce free-flying bird programs for zoological parks and serve wildlife rehabilitation organizations, zoo teams, and other animal behavior enthusiasts through a science-based learning program, the Avian Behavior Lab. Hillary is on the Board of Directors of the Indonesian Parrot Project, the African Hornbill Conservation Alliance, and is executive director of the Avian Behavior Conservancy. Hillary is currently enrolled in the Masters Program at Colorado State University for Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology.

Melanie Canatella, the owner of Fluff and Feathers Training, is a multi-certified animal behaviorist and trainer working with all species of animals. She has degrees in fields of psychology and applied behavior analysis, and she strides herself in staying updated with science-based approaches to her behavioral modification methods. Her passion has always been with birds, working in multiple fields training them, and growing her skills alongside them.

Valli Parthasarathy, DVM, DACVB, is the owner of Synergy Veterinary Behavior, a veterinary behavior specialty practice in Portland, Oregon. She works with families whose dogs, cats, birds, horses, and other species display behavior concerns, focusing on strengthening the human–animal bond through improved understanding and evidence-based treatment.

Dr. Parthasarathy is a nationally and internationally invited speaker on topics including early recognition of behavior problems, multi-species behavior treatment, and reducing stress during veterinary care. She is one of the few veterinary behaviorists in the U.S. who treats birds, has spoken about avian behavior for the USDA and the Association of Avian Behavior, and developed a hands-on parrot behavior camp for veterinary behavior residents.