Cassie Malina founded Awesome Animal Solutions in 2020 to offer the most positive, least intrusive effective solutions to anyone looking to help their animals reach their fullest potential. She offers virtual and in person consulting for people working or living with animals. Prior to 2020, Cassie spent twenty-two years with Natural Encounters, Inc., where she produced and performed in free flight bird shows at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and across the country. As NEI’s Director of Staff Development, she mentored countless staff and workshop attendees on the many aspects of managing and training a large bird collection. She was Parrot Kindergarten’s School Counselor for the first two years that the school has operated, beginning in April 2021.

Cassie has taught the art and science of animal training at numerous workshops, webinars, podcasts, and conferences across the US and abroad.  She received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 from the IAATE, commemorating her 20 years on the Executive Board. She is also a ZAA, ABMA, and IAABC member, sitting on the ZAA Welfare Committee. She was featured on the ABMA Podcast “Animal Behavior Conversations” in March 2024 discussing “How to Start a Behavior Program”. She completed Dr. Susan Friedman, Ph.D.’s LLA course and maintains her IAABC CPBC and IATCB CPBT-KA certifications.

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.