Meet Our Staff
Alexis Highland
Managing Co-Founder & Avian Specialist
Background & Experience: Alexis grew up surrounded by parrots—including a Blue and Gold Macaw, an African Grey, and a Cockatiel—so birds have been a part of her life since before she can remember. Her fascination with animals led her to pursue a degree in Biology and Environmental Studies at North Central College, where her passion for birds and conservation deepened.
Alexis co-founded Parrot Stars with a commitment to ethical care, education, and conservation. She agreed to take the management role because it allowed her to build a foundation dedicated to improving the lives of parrots in captivity. Over the past eight years, she has helped grow a community of parrot lovers who collaborate, learn, and support one another without judgment—creating a space focused on the well-being of parrots everywhere.
Philosophy: Parrots cannot tell us what they need, so it is our responsibility to anticipate their needs and respond with kindness and compassion. Training, enrichment, and thoughtful care allow us to move away from suffering and toward a life of wellbeing for every bird.
Why She Loves Parrot Stars: Alexis is proud of the store’s growth, its impact on the parrot community, and the opportunity to continue advancing conservation and education initiatives. She is excited for the future of Parrot Stars and the continued expansion of its mission.
Fun Facts: Alexis is fluent in Spanish and spent four months living in Costa Rica during a study abroad program. She continues to study Spanish weekly with her same Costa Rican instructor via Zoom.
Joyce Ernst
Avian Specialist
Background & Experience: Joyce grew up surrounded by birds, including canaries and parakeets, and her passion for parrots deepened as an adult when Bo (a Blue and Gold Macaw) and Corkey (an African Grey) became a part of her family. Working closely with Bo and Corkey, Joyce learned firsthand about parrot training, behavior, and the incredible bond humans can develop with these intelligent birds. She also was influential in instilling the same appreciation for avians in Alexis (who is her daughter).
Philosophy: In the early 2000s, Joyce began breeding Parrotlets and Green-cheeks at home as a family hobby, which eventually became a small business. This experience fueled her love for education and ethical breeding, allowing her and Alexis to deepen their knowledge of proper care and best practices. Joyce enjoys observing the development of parrots and sharing her expertise with bird owners, helping them provide the highest quality care, enrichment, and quality of life for their birds.
Why She Loves Parrot Stars: Joyce loves interacting with the variety of species at Parrot Stars and guiding customers toward practices and products that help their parrots thrive. She finds joy in seeing current and future bird owners embrace the enrichment, training, and care that improve the lives of their feathered companions.
Fun Facts: Joyce is an incredible artist and hopes to return to her drawing and painting hobby soon. Her early experiences with her own birds inspired her lifelong dedication to education, ethical breeding, and fostering human-parrot connections.
Avery Voress
Avian Care Specialist
Background & Experience: Avery’s fascination with animals began in childhood, starting with a love of dinosaurs that soon evolved into a deep appreciation for birds. That early passion led him to study zoology at The Ohio State University, where he graduated with a degree focused on avian science and conservation. Avery joined Parrot Stars in 2024 and quickly found a special connection with parrots.
Philosophy: Avery believes parrots are among the most extraordinary and intelligent groups of animals in the world. He approaches each day with compassion and patience, focusing on creating healthy, balanced relationships that serve the needs of the parrot above all else. He emphasizes the immense responsibility of parrot ownership—encouraging prospective owners to fully understand the lifelong commitment and prioritize the parrot’s well-being.
Why He Loves Parrot Star: Avery is passionate about advocating for parrots and their well-being. He values working in an environment that prioritizes education, ethical care, and hands-on experience. He’s inspired by helping people understand the complexity of parrots and the importance of their welfare—both in captivity and in the wild.
Fun Facts: Avery “dotted the i” as a member of The Ohio State University Marching Band, where he played the sousaphone—an honor and memory he’ll never forget.
Maria Gonzalez
Avian Care Specialist
Background & Experience: Maria joined Parrot Stars in 2019, bringing a lifelong love of animals and a natural talent for bird care. Growing up in a family of animal lovers, Maria developed an early appreciation for animal behavior and care. Since joining the team, she has quickly expanded her responsibilities beyond general care, becoming an expert in reading parrot body language and providing compassionate, confident care for every bird.
Philosophy: Maria believes in embracing each bird’s individuality, quirks, and sense of humor. Observation is key to building trust, and she emphasizes going at the bird’s pace and avoiding comparisons between birds or within a species. She takes time to learn what motivates and excites each parrot.
Why She Loves Parrot Stars: Maria enjoys connecting with each bird on an individual level and helping bird owners understand and appreciate their parrots. She values the opportunity to provide thoughtful, high-quality care to every parrot in the store.
Fun Facts: On her days off, Maria loves exploring nature, hiking, or playing soccer - her lifelong sport of choice.
Diana Aparicio
Avian Care Specialist
Background & Experience: Diana joined Parrot Stars in 2022, after volunteering to help with bird care on the weekends. Her love of birds developed over time after realizing how incredibly intelligent and complex creatures they are.
Philosophy: Diana loves the excitement of the hands-on experiences that comes with caring for parrots. There is a new opportunity to train every day.
Why She Loves Parrot Stars: Diana enjoys the many different species she has been able to see close-up while working at Parrot Stars. She appreciates that Parrot Stars staff is dedicated to answering customer questions fully and carefully to set them up for success long-term.
Fun Facts: Diana is obsessed with TikTok and loves short form media as well as horror movies and sitcoms
Nick Glaza
Avian Care Specialist
Background & Experience: Nick has been part of the Parrot Stars team since 2024, bringing a lifelong love of animals and the outdoors to his work. Growing up with a variety of pets—including budgies, an Eclectus, a Ringneck, and a Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo—he developed a deep appreciation for birds, reptiles, and nature. Early experiences working with the forest preserve further fueled his curiosity and understanding of wildlife.
Before joining Parrot Stars, Nick worked in dog training, where he honed his skills in animal behavior. That experience opened his eyes to just how intelligent parrots are, inspiring him to dedicate his career to maximizing their capabilities and well-being in captivity. Today, he enjoys engaging with parrots up-close every day, providing expert care, enrichment, and guidance to help each bird thrive.
Philosophy: Parrots do not speak human language—you must read each individual bird and communicate in a way they can understand.
Why He Loves Parrot Stars: Nick feels proud to be part of a team that strives to be part of the solution, not the problem, when it comes to parrot care and education. He enjoys connecting with the Parrot Stars community and continues to grow and learn alongside the birds and their owners.
Fun Fact: Nick is a devoted sports fan and a diehard Chicago White Sox supporter.
Juan Martinez
Avian Care Specialist
Background & Experience: Juan has been fascinated by parrots since childhood and has been a dedicated parrot owner for many years. He shares his passion for birds with his family, who recently adopted an adult Sun Conure and an Umbrella Cockatoo. Juan joined the Parrot Stars team in 2024 and quickly became an integral part of daily parrot care.
Philosophy: Juan believes that every parrot is unique, and patience is essential when working with them. Birds learn at their own pace, and training should adapt to each bird’s personality and behavior. He encourages owners to actively participate in their parrot’s playtime, turning toys into enriching experiences and fostering engagement.
Why He Love Parrot Stars: Juan enjoys the spontaneous, playful nature of parrots and the opportunity to observe and support their development. He values helping owners understand their birds and maximize enrichment, training, and care.
Fun Facts: Juan is a metalhead who loves music, cars, woodworking, creating, and problem solving.
Shelley Graff
Marketing Director
Background & Experience: Shelley recently joined the Parrot Stars team so that Parrot Stars’s message could be spread far and wide. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism with a minor in Philosophy and her Master’s degree in Communications Theory. With over 11 years of professional experience in marketing, Shelley looks forward to helping Parrot Stars connect with a wider community of passionate, avian enthusiasts. She has lived her entire life with an array of creatures including dogs (mutts and greyhounds), cats, budgies, rodents, reptiles, and horses. She is the aunt of a Green-Cheeked Conure named Rainbow.
Philosophy: Shelley believes that pet ownership can be the most wonderful part of one’s life but it is also a tremendous responsibility. The power of knowledge is limitless and by continuing to learn about your companion animal from a scientific perspective, it will only benefit both of you in the long-run.
Why She Loves Parrot Stars: Shelley sees the depth of care that goes into each individual bird at Parrot Stars and admires it deeply. The concern that every member of staff has for the welfare of the birds makes her proud to have joined the Parrot Stars team.
Fun Facts: Shelley is an artist, photographer, and professional designer who is heavily involved with the retired racing greyhound community. She has adopted three greyhounds and is still very actively involved with the non-profit group Greyhounds Only, volunteering as its full-time social media manager. She loves all kinds of music and reading.
Luis Gonzalez
Avian Care Specialist
Background & Experience: Luis joined Parrot Stars back in 2016, briefly pursued other opportunities, and then returned in 2025. Luis finds the curious looks and nature of parrots appealing. He comes from a family of animal lovers, and currently cares for a school of Platies.
Philosophy: Luis feels that if you are calm and fearless with birds, they will be the same way with you. His philosophy is to give pets the same respect as other people.
Why He Loves Parrot Stars: Luis likes that he gets to keep physically healthy through working at Parrot Stars.
Fun Facts: Luis plays forward on the Tejaro soccer team. He is an artisan who like building projects, including making his own fish tanks!
Eve Hammons
Part-Time Avian Care Specialist
Background & Experience: Eve was the second employee hired at Parrot Stars after Alexis. She grew up with parakeets in the family home, but it was her first cockatiel that truly changed her life. Over the years, she expanded her flock and currently lives with four companion parrots. Eve discovered Parrot Stars before it even opened — she drove past the store, called to see if help was needed, and Alexis happily said yes!
Philosophy: Eve loves continuing her endless learning journey with parrots. She treats her own parrots as family, like children, and her human children feel the same way — loved, cared for, and valued. She appreciates that Parrot Stars encourages future owners to see their parrots as family members too. She understands that life in a human home is very different from the wild and wants people to provide the very best care, enrichment, and love possible for their feathered companions.
Why She Loves Parrot Stars: Eve enjoys sharing her knowledge and compassion with both parrots and people. She appreciates working in an environment that prioritizes education, ethical care, and helping people see their parrots as family members.
Fun Facts: Eve also works as a nursing assistant at a hospital, showcasing her care and compassion for both humans and animals. She is a proud mom to her human children as well as her feathered family.