Phil Unitt has served as editor of Western Birds since 1986 and is an ex-officio member of the board. As collection manager or curator of the department of birds and mammals at the San Diego Natural History Museum since 1988, Phil has prepared over 5,000 bird specimens. Having published more than 40 articles, book chapters, and books, he earned WFO’s prestigious Harry S. Swarth Award in 2024. His research has addressed the effects of wildfires, changes in California bird distributions, and the taxonomy, ecology, and/or conservation of the Gray Vireo, Horned Lark, Marsh Wren, Brown Creeper, and Willow Flycatcher, among other species.