Trip Leader: Marilu Lopez Fretts

Marilú López-Fretts serves as the project leader of Celebrate Urban Birds, a participatory science initiative from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that connects communities with birds, nature, and science. She works closely with diverse communities across the Americas, the Caribbean, and Ghana, fostering partnerships that center local knowledge and priorities. Marilú co-develops and facilitates culturally relevant educational materials about regional birds and their habitats. She enjoys finding creative ways to bridge science, people, and nature through bird observations, habitat restoration, gardening, culture, and the arts. She is passionate about making birdwatching, and environmental education welcoming to all, amplifying diverse perspectives in science and birding, and creating spaces where different voices are heard and valued.