HAPPE Parrots Board of Directors

Kathryn Forst, President & Cofounder of HAPPE Parrots

Ed Forst, Executive Director & Cofounder of HAPPE Parrots

Betsy Christison, Direcotr of Enrichment & Director of Fundraising
Betsy Christison is the founder and director of Central Illinois Bird Rescue and Adoption, a state licensed rescue located in Washington IL. Her primary area of expertise is working with smaller birds, including budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds and small parrots.  She networks with other rescues in four nearby states to find permanent homes for those birds relinquished to her, besides rehoming birds from the Peoria Animal Welfare Shelter.  Betsy is also very active in educating individuals on proper avian care, and enjoys taking some of her rehabbed rescue birds to nursing homes and schools.

Betsy also helps raise funds for bird rescue by selling naturally molted parrot feathers and homemade bird toys on eBay.  She is very committed to maintaining a safe, free-flight lifestyle for small birds, and has an indoor flight room for her budgies.  She is limited to the quantity of birds residing at her rescue due to chronic back pain, but is always willing to assist in finding placement for birds with other licensed rescues.

Betsy currently owns an african grey, a sun conure, a senegal parrot, a quaker parakeet, a Meyer's parrot, a peach faced lovebird, a pair of Bourke's parakeets, and several budgies.

H.A.P.P.E. Parrots Rescue is thankful that we have Betsy on our Board of Directors as Director of Fund Raising and Enrichment

Phyllis Cotton, Director