Helen Dishaw currently holds the position of Curator of Bird Programs at Tracy Aviary. A lifelong animal person, she has worked with a variety of exotic animals in AZA facilities for more than two decades, committed to the excellent care and welfare of animals in human care. She became involved in work directly and primarily with avian species approximately 10 years ago and since that time has been involved in managing free-flight bird programs. Helen has been a member of IAATE since 2004 and during that time has chaired several committees as well as participated in the creation of IAATE’s Position Statements on best practices of avian management for educational and free-flight programs. For more than a decade, she has served as Vice President of IAATE. Helen is the Ambassador Animal Advisor for the AZA Raptor Taxon Advisory Group; she also serves on the steering committees for the Raptor TAG and the Ambassador Animal Scientific Advisory Group.