Natalie Sloane

I am the social and digital media specialist in the Cornell Lab’s Integrated Marketing team. I work with the team to strategize and create social media and digital assets that will inform and inspire our current audiences, and engage new folks who may be interested in the wonderful world of birds!

I’ve always loved nature and being outdoors. Birding was in my peripheral awareness growing up—counting birds at the feeder with my Mémère (grandmother), seeing them show up in my Grandma’s paintings, or watching my mom, aunts, and uncles grab their binoculars before a hike. But it became more focal to me at the start of Covid. Like many others, I was outside more, and having to slow down made me recalibrate how I was hiking and interacting with nature. I also discovered the joy of birds and birding with a community through a local group, In Color Birding. From then on, I was hooked. 

Birds have taught me to use my senses differently and how interconnected everything is. Once you let them in to your life more intentionally it’s like you can’t see the world any other way—just through bird-colored glasses.

Education

MSW, New York University

Outside the Lab

When I’m not distracted by birds, I enjoy spending time with my husband and cat Scrapple, traveling, reading, being with friends, karaoke, helping my community by planting trees and picking up trash, and playing board games.