TLZPS Staff

Catherine Lorraine Gilbert

Catherine "Cathy" Gilbert is the founder and main caretaker for the parrots and cockatoos here at the Landing Zone. She volunteers her time everyday with all the parrots and cleans, feeds, and plays with all the resident birds.

She was raised in Bucirus, Missouri, on a small farm with her many siblings. While on the farm she cared for a variety of animals from cattle to chickens. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Missouri State University and a degree in Computer Programming from Draughon Business College. She started The Landing Zone Parrot Sanctuary, Inc., as a life-long project. 

She is the proud mother of three children and has always enjoys teaching them and others about animals and caring for them. She has changed the lives of many parrots and plans to improve the lives of many more. Cathy sees a need and is driven to serve the company of intelligent and deserving parrots who need homes long after their owners have lost interest in them or are no longer capable of caring for them. She feels these parrots cannot be returned to their dwindling original habitats as they were raised as pets and she wishes the parrots and the public to understand their lives are worthy of being kept safe and being loved.

She arranges, picks up or meets with parrots’ owners who wish to donate their parrots or anything else to the Sanctuary. Her duties are spelled out in our bylaws, and include managing the day-to-day business of the organization, attending meetings of our board of directors and voting on board decisions, as well as presiding over meetings in the absence of the chairman. She also personally cares for the parrots, ensuring each receives nutritious food, care and love and is kept in a clean and secure environment.

James "Kelly" Gilbert

Kelly is the president of The Landing Zone Parrot Sanctuary. He loves parrots and spends his free time caring for them hands-on. He was born in Springfield, Missouri and moved to California in the mid 80's with his wife, Catherine. Together, they had three children and a love for animals that eventually led to the foundation of The Landing Zone Parrot Sanctuary.

Kelly currently volunteers his time everyday with the resident macaws, amazons, and cockatoos. He donates time and expertise by building perches, cages, and maintaining air filtration systems. With his help, the Landing Zone had developed into what it currently is today and we are very lucky to have such a skilled handyman on our team.

James is also an avid enthusiast of solar power technology and built a solar power generator system for the Landing Zone to run the air conditioner in case of power outages that may occur in the Coachella Valley heat.

Chelsea Lee Gilbert

Chelsea Lee Gilbert is a Freelance Graphic Designer, Artist, and Chairman of The Landing Zone Parrot Sanctuary rescue organization.

Through her teen years, Chelsea volunteered at Desert Regional Medical Center (Palm Springs, CA) in the Gift Shop, Hospitality Cart and at the front desk. In addition to volunteer work at the local hospital Chelsea spent a lot of her time playing with, sketching and drawing animals ranging wildly in variety: fish, gerbils, guinea pigs, pigs, cattle, cats, dogs and birds; this sparked an interest in animals and founded her roots for becoming an animal lover and artist.

In addition to freelance graphic design, Chelsea is a personal assistant for a local photographer and creative director at a local art gallery in South Palm Springs.

She has kindly donated a large chunk of her free time creating all printed media for The Landing Zone Parrot Sanctuary in addition to all web material with the help of her brother, Alexander, for coding.

Chelsea stated, "It's hard work, but I see the potential of the Landing Zone and how many lives it will affect- human and psittacine. It pleases me beyond words can describe to be a part of this organization and help the creatures that we have been able to, even at this stage in our development!"

She maintains TLZPS.org/TheLandingZone.us website, provides graphic design and web design, hands out flyers around town and anything else to help the Sanctuary. Her duties are spelled out in our bylaws, and include presiding over meetings of our board of directors. She also personally cares for the parrots, ensuring each has enriching activities and toys to spend time on.

Chelsea is considering school at UC Davis to get a degree in Ornithology, specifically exotic avian, but is in need of a scholarship. If you would like to help, please email: Info@thelandingzone.us!

James Alexander Gilbert

James "Alex" Gilbert is a volunteer at the Landing Zone Parrot Sanctuary and also helps out with technical issues. He enjoys taking care of parrots in his free time and in general is an animal enthusiast.

Alex is from Palm Springs and has lived there his whole life. He attended College of the Desert in Palm Desert and focused his studies on music. He spends his free time playing music around the parrots, cleaning cages, and fixing any technical issues for The Landing Zone website in addition to creating videos and other digital media.

Alex is currently setting up a video recording and publishing system and template for TLZPS.org. "Better equipment would help tremendously."

Madison Lorriane Gilbert

Madison Lorraine Gilbert is the treasurer at The Landing Zone Parrot Sanctuary. She has donated both money and time to the organization and has personally taken care of a parrot and helped move him to The Landing Zone from across the country.

Madison attended the Air Force Academy after high school and graduated with a degree in Business Management. She will also graduate from Auburn University with a Masters. She is fluent in Ukranian / Russian and has gone on mission trips to Russia.

Currently, she resides in Las Vegas, NV and still is stationed as a 1st Lt. in the United States Air Force.


More on Madison will be added soon....

Laura Azahares

Board Member's bio under construction.

K-Lynn Patterson

Board Member's bio under construction.