PACIFIC RIM CONSERVATION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Seabird Conservation Technician
Allene was born and raised in Chile and in 2014 she moved to Virginia to earn her B.S in Biology. After graduating she discovered her passion for conservation by working with the Department of Conservation in New Zealand. She then moved to Kauai to further her career by joining Kauai Endangered Seabird Recovery Project and then working with Hawaiian Gallinules at the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge. In her free time Allene enjoys scuba diving, running, yoga and hiking.
Molly is from New Hampshire and graduated from the University of Oregon in 2018 with BS in Marine Biology. Her interest in seabirds began at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology while studying and working as a teaching assistant for "Marine Birds and Mammals" class. In 2019 Molly started with Pacific Rim Conservation as a seabird restoration intern, and joined our team as an avian care specialist in 2020.
Christen is an attorney licensed in the states of Hawaii and Georgia whose current consulting work focuses on environmental policy and compliance for various state and federal entities. She received her undergraduate (BA)and law (JD) degrees from the University of Georgia and a masters degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Christen has served as a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge David Alan Ezra, staffed a successful community-based effort to oppose a Hawaiian Electric proposal to place a high-voltage transmission line within the State Conservation District, worked two legislative sessions in the office of State Senator Les Ihara, Jr., taught Wildlife and Natural Resources law as an adjunct professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law (UH), and worked as a planner for the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Among other things, she coordinated the development of the initial Hawaii Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, prepared numerous environmental assessments for conservation projects throughout Hawaii, and drafted administrative rules and policies that support management of conservation areas.
Job Titles:
- Seabird Conservation Technician
Cody grew up in Wisconsin and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2015. Since then he has worked on wildlife research and management projects with various songbird species, spotted owls, California condors, emperor geese, guppies, porcupine, snowshoe hare, island foxes, tundra voles, and bison in Jamaica, Trinidad, Alaska, and Arizona. In the last few years he has focused more on seabird management and invasive species control in the Channel Islands of California, Gulf of Maine, and Kaua'i.
Daniela earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Management from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2019 where her research focused on the effects of social attraction on translocated Black-footed Albatross chicks. Daniela worked with NOAA as an Ocean Count Intern where she led groups in humpback whale surveys, and was a past intern at PRC.
Job Titles:
- Seabird Conservation Technician
Dave has worked all over the United States with shorebirds and colonial seabirds, including more than 10 years on Maui. He recently moved back to the Hawaiian Islands from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore monitoring Piping Plovers, and enjoying their most successful nesting season yet! Dave enjoys being outside and spending time with Krooz, his pet turtle.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Registered Professional Engineer
David Johnson is a Registered Professional Engineer and an intellectual property attorney licensed to practice in California, Hawaii and Minnesota. Over the last twenty years he has been involved in projects that have taken him to the Wildlife Refuges on Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll and Palmyra.
Adrien Pesqué earned bachelor's degrees in evolutionary biology and psychology at the University of Arizona. In 2016, he earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree with a zoological focus at the University of California, Davis. After graduation, he completed an avian internship at The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Pesqué has worked on Oahu in emergency and general practice for dogs, cats, and exotic animals since 2018. On his time off, he enjoys surfing, snorkeling, hiking, and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Director of Science for the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii 's Palmyra Program
Alex is the Director of Science for The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii's Palmyra Program. Previously, Alex worked for Island Conservation as the program manager for their US Pacific Islands and Micronesia Program. Alex received a BA in Anthropology from Linfield College, and his PhD in Botany from the University of Hawaii. His graduate research at Palmyra Atoll focused on terrestrial ecosystem response to invasive rats. He has over 20 years of experience with conservation projects on Pacific islands, including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Line Islands, and Micronesia. His experience with Pacific island ecosystems has made Alex a valuable consultant to many government and non-government conservation organizations - the US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, New Zealand Department of Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, and Coastal Conservation. Alex is presently directing a conservation science strategy applied to Palmyra Atoll yet focused on global conservation challenges, including coral reef restoration, conservation of island ecosystems, and sustainable marine fisheries.
David is a Professor of Botany, Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology (EECB) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the Unit Leader for the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PCSU). David has his undergraduate degree (BS) from Harvard University and his Ph.D. (1980) from Princeton University.
His main areas of research are in how ecosystems respond to perturbations, both natural and human-caused. His work has included the effect of El Nino on seabirds in Peru, fishery interactions with seabirds in Peru and South Africa, the effects of Exxon Valdez oil spill and climate shifts on seabirds in Prince William Sound, the role of landscape in fostering Lyme Disease, the effect of forest harvesting in the Appalachians on spring herbaceous ground cover, and determining just how much of Alaska's biodiversity is actually protected. Most recently he has become interested in how to shape management and science to respond to the problem of invasive alien species in Hawaii. How much science do you need to respond and how can management measure whether it is being effective? David now directs the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, which manages over 400 employees and over $19 million in projects to conserve the resources of Hawaii and other Pacific Islands.
Job Titles:
- Senior Conservation Scientist
Dena earned her bachelor's degrees in Environmental Studies and Anthropology in 2006 and her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in 2016 from UC Santa Cruz. Her dissertation examined the biogeography of globally threatened birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians from islands and their conservation opportunities. As a Conservation Biologist at Island Conservation, Dena managed conservation databases and disseminated results to inform invasive species management decisions, monitored ecosystem recovery before and after invasive species removal, and wrote scientific and popular media articles about biodiversity benefits through invasive species management. Dena's other relevant field experiences and interests include teaching, guiding naturalist cruises on Monterey Bay, conducting field studies on seabird foraging ecology and ecotoxicology, and monitoring and evaluating seagrass ecosystem services in the Philippines and Mexico.
Eric VanderWerf earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in 1988 and Master of Science degree from the University of Florida in 1992. In 1999, he completed a Ph.D. at the University of Hawaii, where his research focused on plumage variation and effects of habitat disturbance and diseases on population biology of the Hawaii Elepaio.He has worked on a variety of conservation and ornithological projects in Hawaii and throughout the Pacific since 1991 during stints with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife. He has continued and expanded upon that work since founding Pacific Rim Conservation in 2007.
Eric has authored over 100 scientific papers, book chapters, government documents, and technical reports, serves as the leader of the Hawaiian Forest Bird Recovery Team for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a former member of the Endangered Species Recovery Committee for State of Hawaii, as an associate editor for the Condor, and as an associate editor of the Birds of North America. He was one of the 2011 recipients of the US Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Recovery Champion Awards for his work on the Nihoa Millerbird Translocation.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Vice President
Lindsay Young earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Science from the University of Hawai`i. In 2009, she completed her Ph.D. at the University of Hawai`i where her research focused on the population genetics, at sea foraging ecology, and conservation needs of Laysan Albatross.
Lindsay has worked on numerous conservation projects in Hawai`i and the Pacific region since 2003 with a variety of state, federal, and private partners.
Lindsay has authored several dozen scientific papers, is the current chair of the World Seabird Union, served as the treasurer for the Pacific Seabird Group, the chair of the North Pacific Albatross Working Group, is the former North Pacific correspondent for ACAP (Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels), and as a reviewer for multiple refereed journals. Lindsay was one of the 2011 recipients of the US Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Recovery Champion Awards for her work on the Nihoa Millerbird Translocation, and in 2016 she was awarded a special achievement award from the Pacific Seabird Group for her work with Hawaiian seabirds. She currently serves as an affiliate graduate faculty member at the University of Hawai`i Natural Resources and Environmental Management Department and was a faculty member on the Fall 2018 voyage of Semester at Sea through Colorado State University
Suzanne Pluskat graduated with a biology degree from Long Beach State University in 2002. She went on to attend UC Davis for veterinary medicine from 2007-2011. While in veterinary school she worked with the Companion Avian and Pet Exotics department working with turkey vultures, wildlife and birds of prey. She worked at the International Bird Rescue from 2004- 2010 and volunteered during numerous oil spills caring for oiled birds. She is excited to come back to wildlife care after working as small animal veterinarian for the past few years. Suzanne enjoys birdwatching and hanging out with her 3 house rabbits. Suzanne is based on Midway Atoll where she is charged with overseeing avian care associated with the Midway Seabird Protection Project.
Job Titles:
- Seabird Conservation Technician
Dylan spent a healthy portion of his childhood outdoors and enjoyed birdwatching in the prairies and marshes of the Midwest. After earning a BSc from Georgetown University, he worked with a consulting firm in New York City before changing lanes to live and work with the endangered, endemic birds of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean for nearly a year. His experience there involved extensive predator control, habitat restoration, and hands-on conservation work with species ranging from seabirds to Pink Pigeons to Echo Parakeets. Upon returning to the US, Dylan worked with a PhD student at Mississippi State University on a successful field season studying Osprey and human-wildlife conflict mitigation. He joined PRC in 2021 and is thrilled to be a part of the team.
Erika Dittmar earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Ferris State University in 2008 and a Master of Science degree from University of Illinois in 2012. She has extensive experience in avian ecology with a focus on endangered species management. Erika has worked on various projects across the US assisting with management of endangered songbirds, woodpeckers, hawks, sea lions, salmon, trout, turtles, butterflies, and grasshoppers. She also has extensive experience with restoration of numerous native plant species and research focused on migratory bird habitat conservation. She joined Pacific Rim Conservation in 2018. Erika assists with several projects, but her primary responsibilities are monitoring O`ahu 'Elepaio, Laysan Albatross, and surveying for Hawaiian Petrel and Newell's Shearwater.
Laura earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from Oregon State University in 2016. She has since focused on providing care to a wide variety of species in a zoo setting and was part of the Sea Otter Research and Conservation team at Monterey Bay Aquarium. In 2020, Laura started with Pacific Rim Conservation as a research intern. In her free time, she enjoys birdwatching, traveling, bouldering, and taking classes in geographic information systems.
Leilani earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Marine Biology from Brigham Young University - Hawai`i in 2016. With a focus in animal care and rehabilitation, Leilani has worked at the Monterey Bay Aquarium with their Sea Otter Research and Conservation team, at the Alaska SeaLife Center assisting in researching and rehabilitating marine mammals and as a Research Assistant with One Ocean Diving studying shark communication and behavior. In her free time, Leilani runs Kaikoa Conservation, non-profit research, and conservation organization but you will also find her freediving, SCUBA diving, running, or designing art for various conservation organizations.
Lynx Gallagher hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. After a number of years working as a backcountry professional in wilderness therapy and experiential education, Lynx received his Master's degree in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science at the University of Hawaii Hilo. He has been operating as a biologist for the past decade focusing on seabird conservation, restoration ecology, predator/ungulate control, and mycology. His work has taken him to most of the major Hawaiian Islands, San Clemente Island, Midway Atoll, Alaska, Bolivia, and Pembroke, Virginia (set location of the film Dirty Dancing).
Molly is from New Hampshire and graduated from the University of Oregon in 2018 with BS in Marine Biology. Her interest in seabirds began at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology while studying and working as a teaching assistant for "Marine Birds and Mammals" class. In 2019 Molly started with Pacific Rim Conservation as a seabird restoration intern, and joined our team as an avian care specialist in 2020.
Robby Kohley earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Walla Walla College in 2000. He has extensive experience in avian ecology and aviculture in particular. Robby was the Research Coordinator and Facility Manager for the San Diego Zoo's Hawai'i Endangered Bird Conservation Program at the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center from 2007-2009, and also has worked for State of Hawai`i on the Maui and Kaua`i Forest Bird Recovery Projects, for the American Bird Conservancy on translocation of the Millerbird from Nihoa to Laysan, for the Institute for Wildlife Studies, and for the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge as a seabird monitoring crew leader on Buldir Island. He joined Pacific Rim Conservation in 2015 to oversee all aspects of PRC's aviculture and captive rearing program.