Secretary – Laura Ragas

My name is Laura Ragas. I am a long standing member of the NFSS. I live in South Louisiana and have had an interest in aviculture since childhood, raising various finches
and small hookbills as a young teenager. Approximately 30 years ago, I began to focus my breeding program on zebra finches exclusively. Thanks to my mentor and good friend, Garrie Landry, my passion for this beautiful species was sparked and continues today. My aviary consists of a couple hundred zebra finches of various colors. I find it especially satisfying to breed for the more uncommon colors while improving size and confirmation.

Married for 30 years, I am the mother of three wonderful children and have been blessed with six beautiful grandchildren.  I am a junior high school teacher in the twenty second year of my career. I enjoy teaching science and agriculture to my students. I use technology daily in my classroom and am well versed in Word, Excel, and various other software applications. Along with my aviculture hobby, I enjoy gardening, raising miniature goats, donkeys, horses, and a variety other barnyard animals. If it has feathers or fur, I’m all in!!

An interesting fact about my life is that I was raised in the southernmost community of Louisiana as a child. My siblings and I attended a one room schoolhouse and lived on an island named “Pilottown” where cars were nonexistent and a grocery store was a thirty minute boat ride away. I didn’t realize how lucky we were until adulthood, but now cherish that experience.

I hope to be able to assist NFSS by volunteering as an executive secretary. This would be a new endeavor for me, but I’m willing to give it my best effort!

Thanks,

Laura Ragas, NFSS Executive Secretary