Meet the Board of Directors
Olivia LoBalbo
President and Founder
In 2013, Olivia founded the nonprofit Animal Education and Rescue Organization (A.E.R.O.) to help rescue, rehabilitate, and release native wildlife who are sick, injured, or orphaned. Her efforts were driven by a lifetime love of wildlife and a dream of creating her own wildlife rescue group. After years of working in vet clinics to learn the medical side; volunteering for other organizations to learn the non-profit side; working for her dad’s business and as an inventory manager at a vet clinic to learn the business side; she realized it was time to move forward and start A.E.R.O Animal Education and Rescue Organization.
Olivia is a licensed with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources as a Category IIB organization and as such, is considered a wildlife facility and can sponsor up to 20 apprentices. That designation has allowed A.E.R.O. to grow exponentially as an organization. As a result, Olivia balances her time between hands-on rehabilitating and hands-on running our organization.
Today, A.E.R.O. is a recognized leader in the Northern Virginia wildlife community.
Jennifer Kurtz
Vice President
Jennifer Kurtz, is an educator living in Houston, Texas. From a young age, she enjoyed being around animals, learning about them, and helping whenever possible. She is originally from Manassas, Virginia but moved to Houston in 2003. She still has many friends and family members in the Northern Virginia area so she come to visit whenever she can. Jennifer is looking forward to working more with the community and continuing to spread the A.E.R.O. mission.
Molly Jepson
Tresurer
Molly Jepsen was born and raised in Virginia. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and with her Master’s degree from American University. Molly began teaching high school math in 2009 in Washington, DC and has been teaching ever since. She has taught in Washington, DC schools and at a boarding school in England, but is currently teaching in the Fairfax County Public Schools system. Molly is an enthusiast of both animals and mathematics and is excited to be serving as the treasurer for AERO!
Anthony LoBalbo
Member at Large
Anthony LoBalbo was born and raised in upstate NY where he grew up playing in the woods and always had pets in the home. He graduated from University of Albany with a degree in finance and a concentration in business and shortly thereafter moved to D.C. He met and married Olivia LoBalbo, joined her in a love for wildlife, supported her in launching A.E.R.O. and continues to participate in hands-on rehabilitation as a licensed VDWR care provider. Anthony currently works for Charles Schwab and his financial background has helped A.E.R.O grow into a successful non-profit charity.
Olivia is a licensed with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources as a Category IIB organization and as such, is considered a wildlife facility and can sponsor up to 20 apprentices. That designation has allowed A.E.R.O. to grow exponentially as an organization. As a result, Olivia balances her time between hands-on rehabilitating and hands-on running our organization.
Today, A.E.R.O. is a recognized leader in the Northern Virginia wildlife community.
Jill Spohn
Secretary
Although Jill dreamed of following in Jane Goodall’s footsteps focusing on animal behavior as she camped and explored the woods in California, Ohio, and Virginia, she detoured into the information technology profession for a few decades. She returned to her passion for the environment when she joined the Fairfax Master Naturalist (FMN) Chapter in the Spring of 2014. She used her IT skills with both the FMN Membership and IT Teams for several years.
Jill has been an avid gardener and nature lover all her life, so when she “got the memo” during FMN training about how important native plants are for the environment, she worked on getting her yard certified as an Audubon at Home Sanctuary. In 2016 she became an Audubon at Home Ambassador and became the AAH Program Assistant in 2019. She enjoys guiding both individuals and organizations in learning how to provide habitat for wildlife.
She now juggles her ASNV work with gardening at home in Reston, watching the critters in her yard, volunteering as a wildlife transporter, ushering at Wolf Trap, and enjoying time with her husband and kids.
Mary Petty
Member at Large
Marylourdes ("Mary") Petty, JD believes that a single person can make a difference in this world by the contributions they make. Consequently, she is a regular contributor to non-profits that are close to her heart. AERO's service to wildlife, like all animals, both wild and domestic, resonates deeply with her. She holds a Bachelors and a Doctorate in Law and has worked in various aspects of the legal field for over thirty (30) year
Jill has been an avid gardener and nature lover all her life, so when she “got the memo” during FMN training about how important native plants are for the environment, she worked on getting her yard certified as an Audubon at Home Sanctuary. In 2016 she became an Audubon at Home Ambassador and became the AAH Program Assistant in 2019. She enjoys guiding both individuals and organizations in learning how to provide habitat for wildlife.
She now juggles her ASNV work with gardening at home in Reston, watching the critters in her yard, volunteering as a wildlife transporter, ushering at Wolf Trap, and enjoying time with her husband and kids.
Jerri Arrington
Member at Large
Jerri is joining A.E.R.O. not only in a board capacity, but also as a wildlife rehab apprentice.
Tanya Finch
Board Contributer
Tanys is the founder of Tanya's Turtle Project and an active volunteer. Her knowledge comes from not only being a Cat 2 rehabber, but a Virginia Master Naturalist
Jenny Groom
Fundraising Coordinator
Jenny come to A.E.R.O. with fundraising experience and a love for all animals. While she is helping to raise funds, shes also working towards getting her rehab permit.