Experience

Oregon Department of Forestry

• United States
• Government Administration
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Northwest Oregon Area Wildlife Biologist

  • Aug 2016 - Present

  Forest Grove, Oregon

• Biological Assistant

  • Jun 2014 - Jul 2016

  Salem, Oregon Within the State Forests Division at the Oregon Department of Forestry, I play multiple roles that help to enable the daily business of the Division. Generally these roles are threefold to include timber sale contract review, T&E survey contracting, and wildlife data management. These roles can be outlined as follows: I perform timber sale contract reviews that check for Endangered Species Act compliance. This includes development of Biological Survey Reports and managing our transition… Show more Within the State Forests Division at the Oregon Department of Forestry, I play multiple roles that help to enable the daily business of the Division. Generally these roles are threefold to include timber sale contract review, T&E survey contracting, and wildlife data management. These roles can be outlined as follows: I perform timber sale contract reviews that check for Endangered Species Act compliance. This includes development of Biological Survey Reports and managing our transition to the new LEAN efficiencies for timber sale planning. I provide support to the Districts as we cooperatively develop this new process. I also play a large role related to T&E survey contracting. Tasks include working with District representatives for T&E survey planning, estimating workloads for survey contractors, and survey contract administration for $2 million worth of survey contract work per year. These contract administration duties include servicing invoices from contractors, field inspections of contractors carrying out survey work on behalf of the Division, QA/QC of data products and reports delivered from contractors, and assisting in advising Districts on how to respond to survey results. I also coordinate annual T&E meetings with all Districts, and provide data and information as needed. I hold the main data management role for Division-wide wildlife information. I produce maps and data deliverables for public and other agency information requests. I prepare survey reports and other information to inform wildlife policy implementation as well as compile information required for development of forest management plan revisions. I am also responsible for Division-wide wildlife data management (including acquisition of data updates from outside the Department); and occasionally, perform wildlife surveys for Districts and incorporate that data into our systems.



ABR Inc.—Environmental Research & Services

• United States
• Environmental Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research Biologist

  • Apr 2003 - May 2014

  My career has concerned developing techniques to ascertain the risks of habitat modification to wildlife resources. Most of my current and past research investigates the behavior and use of habitats by Threatened and Endangered birds throughout North America. In my current position, I specialize in research concerning the modification of wildlife habitats by energy development and timber management. Specifically, I have lead and participated in projects concerning habitat assessments… Show more My career has concerned developing techniques to ascertain the risks of habitat modification to wildlife resources. Most of my current and past research investigates the behavior and use of habitats by Threatened and Endangered birds throughout North America. In my current position, I specialize in research concerning the modification of wildlife habitats by energy development and timber management. Specifically, I have lead and participated in projects concerning habitat assessments and determination of the breeding status of the federally Threatened Marbled Murrelet at several locations throughout the Pacific Northwest. All of my work in this regard was to provide information to land managers regarding habitat use by Marbled Murrelets within the context of timber harvest, utility corridor installation, and watershed protection. I communicated the results of my work to land managers through technical reports. Additionally, I have extensively used radar and night-vision techniques to research several questions regarding the nocturnal migration patterns of birds and bats at both proposed and constructed wind energy facilities throughout the United States. I have also used these techniques to study nocturnal movements of federally Endangered Hawaiian Dark-rumped Petrel, the federally Threatened Newell’s Shearwater, and the federally Endangered Hawaiian Hoary Bat. On other projects, I have designed studies, implemented fieldwork, analyzed data, and produced reports of studies to assess the diurnal movements of avian species at proposed wind energy facilities. I have surveyed pelagic seabirds at offshore oil prospects in the Arctic. I also have similar experience to that described above with respect to the federally Endangered Northern Spotted Owl and the Red Tree Vole, a survey and manage species for federal agencies in Oregon. Show less



The Nature Conservancy

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Wildlife Biologist

  • Apr 2002 - Jul 2002

  central Oregon coast This project involved population monitoring of the Western Snowy Plover along the Oregon coast. Field work included locating nests, conducting surveys, trapping and banding, placing protective fencing around nests, and following broods. I was also responsible for hot wiring nest exclosures for added protection from predators and conducting behavioral observations of predators on our study areas. I also maintained data on a daily basis and effectively cooperated with federal agencies.



Connecticut Audubon Society

• United States
• Environmental Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research Assistant

  • Oct 1998 - Nov 2001

  Connecticut and Massachusetts In this investigation, I sampled behavior and habitat use of adult and hatch year Roseate Terns with scan sampling and focal animal period methodology in order to detect temporal and spatial changes before and after an erosion control project. I also measured the physical characteristics of crevices used as shelter by Roseate Tern chicks and compared them to a random sample of crevices. Within this project I have produced proposals, reports, papers, and professional presentations. This… Show more In this investigation, I sampled behavior and habitat use of adult and hatch year Roseate Terns with scan sampling and focal animal period methodology in order to detect temporal and spatial changes before and after an erosion control project. I also measured the physical characteristics of crevices used as shelter by Roseate Tern chicks and compared them to a random sample of crevices. Within this project I have produced proposals, reports, papers, and professional presentations. This project has sharpened my skills with experimental design, univariate and multivariate analysis, and software such as ESRI ArcView 3.2, Endnote 6, Microsoft Office XP Professional Suite (Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word), Minitab 13, Adobe Photoshop 5.5, and SAS 8.2 for Windows. During the field season I also had supervisory responsibilities. Show less



Bishop Feehan High School

• United States
• Education Administration Programs
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Substitute Teacher

  • Oct 1998 - Dec 1998

  I filled teaching positions in various subjects for 10th-12th grade classes on an as needed basis.



The Peregrine Fund

• Hack Site Attendant

  • Jul 1996 - Sep 1996

  Deerlodge National Forest I successfully hacked four captive-reared Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) at a remote location within the Deerlodge National Forest with a partner. We lived in the backcountry under primitive conditions for two months while recording daily observations of color banded falcons using a spotting scope and binoculars. We maintained accurate records and later produced a technical report upon completion of the hacking effort.



Texas Tech University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Assistant

  • Feb 1996 - Jun 1996

  southeast New Mexico and western Texas I helped define and set-up 49 study plots of seven habitat types to characterize songbird communities for use in a thematic mapping project on the Fort Bliss Military Reservation in a portion of the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem. Once sampling plots were established I collected avian community information by nest searches and point count location mapping. In addition, I collected vegetation community information with a point-center quarter measure technique



Connecticut Audubon Society

• United States
• Environmental Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research Assistant

  • May 1995 - Aug 1995

  Connecticut I assisted on a long-term metapopulation dynamics and ecology research project by observing Roseate Tern nesting habits with a spotting scope and binoculars and recording information into a hand-held tape recorder and later transcribed the information onto data sheets. I monitored both Common (S. hirundo) and Roseate Tern nests, weighed chicks and eggs, and banded chicks and adults. I also assisted in mist netting and processing passerines, recorded detailed records of banding activity and… Show more I assisted on a long-term metapopulation dynamics and ecology research project by observing Roseate Tern nesting habits with a spotting scope and binoculars and recording information into a hand-held tape recorder and later transcribed the information onto data sheets. I monitored both Common (S. hirundo) and Roseate Tern nests, weighed chicks and eggs, and banded chicks and adults. I also assisted in mist netting and processing passerines, recorded detailed records of banding activity and observations of tern activity, set up observation blinds, and maintained tern nest boxes and nest tires. Show less



University of Rhode Island

• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Assistant

  • May 1993 - Aug 1993

  southern Rhode Island I collected information on avian species for use in a salt marsh restoration project at the Galilee Bird Sanctuary, Rhode Island. This involved mist netting and processing passerines, finding Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) nests and making observations on mother-nest associations, water bird surveys, data entry and maintenance, vegetation sampling, and point count location mapping of avian communities.