Our team consists of veteran bat rehabilitators and educators with extensive experience in urban wildlife issues.
Dianne Odegard
After 12-1/2 years as Education and Public Outreach Manager at Bat Conservation International by day and bat rehabilitator by night, Dianne has now gone full-time with her true passion, as co-founder of Austin Bat Refuge. Dianne has been a wildlife rehabilitator since 1990, always working with animals that live in close proximity to urban areas and human structures, with the hope of educating people about ways to live harmoniously with wildlife. She considers bat care to be service work, benefiting both bats and humans.
Lee Mackenzie
As a carpenter and then a nationally-acclaimed design-build remodeler, Lee has been humanely dealing with a variety of small mammals in structures his whole career. A wildlife worker for over 20 years, and now co-founder of Austin Bat Refuge, he creatively combines rehabilitation and permaculture, providing the highest possible quality of life in our “bat gardens,” an Austin Bat Refuge original concept and the first of its kind.
As the go-to person for bat information at BCI for over a decade, Dianne remains in demand for speaking engagements and bat presentations throughout the Central Texas area.
Contact us to schedule a presentation for your group!
From Bat Conservation International:
“It is our mission to conserve the world’s bats and their ecosystems to ensure a healthy planet. Often partnering with local organizations is key to achieving our target. One such organization is Austin Bat Refuge, run by former BCI Education and Outreach Manager, Dianne Odegard, and her husband, Lee Mackenzie. They are trusted educators and bat rehabilitators who have spent many years dedicating themselves to urban wildlife conflict resolution. Austin Bat Refuge is a wonderful resource located in the heart of Austin, and acts as our ‘boots on the ground’ when it comes to bat issues and presentations in the Austin/Central Texas area.”
Our board
Jessica Cochran
Jessica has been a passionate bat advocate for many years, both as a volunteer and as a professional grant writer. She brings expertise, enthusiasm and an infectiously positive outlook to our team!
Katherine Kroll
Katherine came to us after volunteering at Australia’s Tolga Bat Hospital where she also found time to create their website! She has been lovingly patient with us in her efforts to update our own website. Insightful and compassionate, we are lucky to have her on the team.
Lisa Ramie
Lisa intuitively applies her joyful enthusiasm and impressive skillset wherever they are most impactful. Most recently she was the driving force behind our wildly successful Giving Tuesday campaign. She is invaluable to us!
Robin Roelofs
Robin is critical to our mission, keeping our financials rock-solid. While we miss her kind, calming presence in Austin, we are grateful that she continues to assist us remotely from her new job and home in Grand Canyon National Park!
Hilary Pelham
Hilary may be a recent addition to the board, but she is indispensable as our community liaison. In addition, she has volunteered at our Congress Avenue Bridge information table for years, and is now taking our education outreach to new heights with her popular Flight Cage Live Streams.
Our VIPs
Marsha Price
Marsha is our great friend, long-time collaborator, and bat savant. She has an intuitive understanding of orphaned and injured bats, backed by long years of vet tech experience and a heart as big as the moon, making her one of the best bat rehabilitators anywhere. We are proud to call her one of us!
Kyndal Irwin
Kyndal was our first volunteer. We are so proud to know this amazing human and wish her well in grad school!
