Catching Up with 2012 Scholarship Recipient Ioana Seritan
We recently reached out to one of WFO’s past scholarship recipients, Ioana Seritan (she/they),
to learn about what they’ve been up to in the years since they attended their first WFO conference, in Petaluma, CA, in 2012. Currently, Ioana is the American Birding Association’s Young Birder Program Coordinator and one of Birding magazine’s Associate Editors. She recently earned a master’s degree, and is passionate about wildlife conservation, community engagement, and scientific research.
I fell in love with birds around 2010, when I realized that there were all kinds of cool bird species right outside my window. One of the first birds that I identified was a Black Phoebe. I quickly became obsessed with birding. I received a scholarship to attend the WFO Conference in Petaluma, CA, in 2012. My dad drove me to the conference and attended alongside me. It was my first experience attending any conference, much less an ornithological conference, and I was beyond excited. I remember driving up Highway 37, watching the marshes and hills fly by the window, and wondering what the next few days would be like.
Of course, I ended up having a fantastic time. I took an illustration workshop taught by John Muir Laws, went to Bodega Bay with other field trip attendees, and saw a bunch of lifers. I also sat in on a number of ornithological talks, many of which went over my head but were fascinating, regardless. I remember being blown away by the sound ID quiz, and how fast everyone identified all those vocalizations I had never heard before. I also met a ton of birders who were welcoming and friendly towards a teenager who probably looked exactly as nervous as I felt. The funniest part of the conference was during some big event, when everyone was seated together – about half the room stood up at the same time to twitch a Common Cuckoo that had been seen in Watsonville. I left feeling inspired, energized, and much more connected to other birders than before. Attending the conference opened my eyes to how many people loved birds, how many people had cool jobs related to birds, and how much I had left to learn.
I have been to one WFO conference since then, Ventura in 2018. I’m looking forward to attending again soon! I absolutely encourage students and young professionals to attend WFO conferences. The conferences are great opportunities to network, catch up on the latest ornithological research, and get in some great birding. Anyone interested in ornithology would also benefit from WFO’s journal, Western Birds.
Since attending the Petaluma conference, I earned a B.S. in Environmental Sciences from UC Berkeley and an M.S. in Environmental Policy & Management from UC Davis. I have been an environmental educator, a wildlife rehabilitator, and a research assistant. I have also been one of the Associate Editors of Birding magazine since 2015. I am thrilled to now be the Young Birder Program Coordinator at the American Birding Association. I’m excited to have this opportunity to connect youth with resources and opportunities the same way that I was connected to resources and opportunities when I was younger.
I live in the East Bay Area, and some of my favorite places to go birding are Briones Regional Park, Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, and Meeker Slough. If you see me outside birding, biking, or sketching in my notebook, please say hi!
June 2026 | Ioana Seritan
If you are a past WFO Scholarship recipient, we would love to hear from you! Please email Lauren Smith at newseditor@westernfieldornithologists.org to share any memories from WFO conferences and what you’re up to now.