Bellevue Man Named President of Eastside Audubon

One of Eastside Audubon’s foremost leaders on environmental issues was sworn in this week as the new president of the conservationist birding group.

Andy McCormick, an 18-year resident of Bellevue, had been chair of Eastside Audubon’s Conservation Committee for three years and solution that the Bellevue City Council adopted unanimously in November.

He started with Eastside Audubon five years ago as a volunteer doing habitat restoration and boardwalk maintenance at the Audubon BirdLoop in Marymoor Park, where the chapter continues its work on habitat enhancement and trail improvement.

“I want to share the fun of birding with people and I also want to be a contributor to preserving birds,” McCormick said. “Helping people have birds to enjoy for the future  — that’s what I’m about.”

In the various communities where he’s lived, McCormick has been a member of Massachusetts Audubon, Monterey Peninsula Audubon, and Portland (Oregon) Audubon.

He currently belongs to the Sierra Club Cascade Chapter, the Wilderness Society, Forterra (formerly the Cascade Land Conservancy), the Mountaineers, and Seattle Audubon.

He holds a doctorate in social work and social research from Portland State University and is a specialist in palliative care at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

McCormick took the oath of office this week at a dinner that honored the more than 130 Eastside Audubon volunteers who worked on conservation, education, and community outreach projects during 2011.

Also assuming Eastside Audubon board positions will be Dora Rajkhowa (Treasurer, Sammamish), Tim McGruder (At-large Member, Kirkland), Tricia Kishel (Birding Chair, Bellevue), and Mary Brisson (Communication Chair, Redmond).  

-- Information from Eastside Audubon