GCJV - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member of the Texas Mid - Coast Initiative Team
Job Titles:
- Environmental Planner, Institute for Water Resources Group Manager, US Army Corps of Engineers
Bio
Barry is a biologist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Migratory Bird Program who has served as the Coordinator for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture since 2004. Prior to that he worked as the GCJV Biological Team Leader (a Ducks Unlimited position), a refuge waterfowl biologist for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and as a research associate for Delta Waterfowl Foundation. His academic background includes an M.S. in Wildlife Science from Louisiana State University and a B.S. in Biology from Midwestern State University.
His professional interests include bird habitat-population relationships, waterfowl population dynamics, human dimensions of natural resource management, and wetland habitat management. When not working, he enjoys harvesting and consuming wetland products including birds, crustaceans, fish, mammals, and amphibians.
Job Titles:
- GIS Lab Supervisor, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member of the Texas Mid - Coast Initiative Team
Job Titles:
- Regional GIS Coordinator ( Acting ) / Supv. I & M Data Manager, USFWS
Job Titles:
- Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, USGS
Job Titles:
- Director of Conservation Programs, TX / OK / NM, Ducks Unlimited
Job Titles:
- Landscape Ecology Team Leader, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Job Titles:
- President, South East Region, American Bird Conservatory
Job Titles:
- Waterfowl Program Coordinator, Mississippi Dept. of Wildlife Fisheries & Parks ( Interim )
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member of the Texas Mid - Coast Initiative Team
Job Titles:
- Conservation Partnership Program Leader, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Chairman
Job Titles:
- Regional Program Manager, LA Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority / LA Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
Job Titles:
- Director, Coastal Wetlands, Gulf Coast Business Unit, ConocoPhillips
Job Titles:
- Research Scientist With Ducks Unlimited
Bio
Joe is a research scientist with Ducks Unlimited serving as Biological Team Leader for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture. Prior to joining the Joint Venture in 2019, he worked as a post-doctoral research assistant with the University of Illinois, Illinois Natural History Survey at the Forbes Biological Station, Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center and gained considerable field experience in research technician positions with Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited, and Mississippi State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Forest Resources and a M.S. in Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture from Mississippi State University and a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Lake Superior State University.
His professional interests include resource use by waterfowl in relation to anthropogenic disturbance, the role of waterfowl sanctuary, bioenergetics, and survival demographics. Outside of work, he enjoys waterfowl hunting, boating, fishing, woodworking, and spending time with family in the outdoors.
Job Titles:
- Regional Chief, Division of Migratory Birds, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque
Job Titles:
- Regional Chief of Staff, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta
Job Titles:
- Member of the Texas Mid - Coast Initiative Team
Job Titles:
- Remote Sensing Coordinator, Chair
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
Job Titles:
- RS Analyst, Ducks Unlimited
Job Titles:
- Member of the Texas Mid - Coast Initiative Team
Bio
Nicholas is a geographer with the U.S. Geological Survey who has assisted with the Gulf Coast Joint Venture remote sensing and geospatial analyses since 2010. Prior to that he worked as a research assistant and teaching assistant at the University of North Texas and a geographic information systems intern for Collin County, Texas. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Geography and Anthropology from Louisiana State University, an M.S. in Applied Geography from the University of North Texas, and a B.S. in Geography from the University of North Texas.
His professional interests include GIS and remote sensing applications to natural resource assessments and restoration monitoring with an emphasis on barrier islands and coastal wetlands. When not working, he enjoys spending time with family, watching sports, cooking, running, and reading fantasy novels.
Job Titles:
- Biologist Director - Wildlife Division, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Job Titles:
- Coastal & Marine Conservation Director, Louisiana, the Nature Conservancy
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member of the Texas Mid - Coast Initiative Team
Bio
Steve is a biologist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Migratory Bird Program who serves as the Monitoring Coordinator for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture since 2010 and Coastal Grasslands Restoration Incentive Program Coordinator since 2017. Prior to moving to Louisiana, he worked as a Research Scientist for the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Upland Game Bird Program Leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Wildlife Science from Texas A&M University in College Station and Texas A&M University-Kingsville, an M.S. in Range and Wildlife Management from Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University.
His professional interests include population ecology, applied research, simulation modeling, and upland game bird population dynamics, and rangeland/grassland habitat management. Away from work, Steve enjoys hunting upland game birds, whitetail deer, and training bird dogs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Texas Mid - Coast Initiative Team
Job Titles:
- Director of Conservation Delivery - South Region, Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever
Bio
Tyler is a GIS Specialist I who started working for the GCJV as a contract worker in 2023. Before working for GCJV Tyler worked as a GIS & Remote Sensing Research Participant with the NASA DEVELOP National Program, where he served two terms. He did this while also pursuing an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in Conservation & GIS. However, Tyler first received his A.S. degree in the winter of 2021 from South Louisiana Community College. After graduating Tyler then enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University as an undergrad.
His professional interest included GIS and remote sensing applications, habitat conservation & restoration, astronomy, as well as planetary science. When out of the office he enjoys traveling, hiking, camping, backpacking, and of course stopping at local breweries.
Job Titles:
- Bird Conservation Specialist
Bio
William (Bill) Vermillion is Bird Conservation Specialist for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture (GCJV). He graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology-Wildlife Management. Upon graduation, Bill worked approximately five years as an interpretive naturalist for the City of Lafayette, Louisiana, before taking a position with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Natural Heritage Program. In 2001, he joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Fish and Wildlife Biologist in the Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office. In 2005, he accepted his current position with the GCJV. His major duties include developing population and habitat objectives for priority landbird, shorebird, and waterbird species in the GCJV region, reviewing and ranking bird conservation grant proposals, assisting partner agencies with bird habitat project planning and implementation, and collaborating with researchers and biologists to address information needs relative to bird conservation planning.
In his spare time, Bill enjoys birding, fishing, hiking, running, cooking, and growing vegetables.