Conservation | ryanvaldez

CURRENT ROLE

National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA)

WORK EXPERIENCE

National Parks Conservation Association
- Senior Director, Conservation Science
George Mason University
- Course Instructor, Study Abroad Director (Kenya)
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
- Pre-Doctoral Research, Kenya
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park (NZP)
- Director, Amazon GIS Project (Co-PI: Dr. Thomas Lovejoy)
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park, Amazonia Science Gallery
- Exhibit and Research Fellow
The World Bank
- Consultant, Amazon conservation
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Graduate Student Researcher, Ocelot research program, TX
Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (FES)
- FES Department Research
National Biological Survey (USFWS)
- Seasonal Wildlife Biologist, Wolf research program, MN
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station; Texas A&M University
- Graduate Research Assistant, Attwater's Prairie Chicken research program. Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences
Gladys Porter Zoo, TX
- Biologist, Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle program, field based in Mexico
Texas A&M University, Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences
- Department Research Assistant; wildlife field techniques
Texas Southmost College, Biology Department
- Administrative departmental support staff; student society work and visitation to the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

LANDSCAPE & WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE

Professional experience in ecological biomes:

experienced many others through travel and small projects

Large Mammals, Laikipia, Kenya. African Wildlife Foundation, Smithsonian, Kenya Wildlife Service, GMU: Multi-year dissertation research in Laikipia County, Kenya. Vegetation line transect surveys, occupancy modeling and line transect surveys of large mammals, camera trapping across 5 habitat types, partnering with 5 cattle ranch conservancies. Based at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy with landscape connectivity north to the Mpala Research Centre. It was here I was able to witness and spend time with the last (male) northern white rhino in existence - before his passing. Sudan was always a destination for my students every year of the Kenya Study Abroad Program.

Ocelot. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Laguna Atascosa NWR, TX. Seasonal Researcher; summer (MS research via Yale University). Conducted field work involving trapping/collaring of ocelot (via staff biologist), manual triangulations and mapping of range distribution, and manage academic projects to analyze ocelot night -tracking data. Examine behavior, distribution, movement, and spatial patterns of ocelot during their active nocturnal hours. Manage special project of nocturnal photography using infrared remote-trip cameras. Other activities at the same time included breeding bird surveys, alligator surveys, and frequent visitor interpretation.

Wolves. National Biological Survey (USFWS); Kawishiwi Field Lab, Ely, MN. Seasonal Biologist. I was a member of the wolf trapping team (wolf tech) under Dr. David Mech that involved setting of traps for wolves: full sedation, measurements, collaring, body condition, blood sampling, den location, telemetry tracking, and scat sampling. Similar trapping efforts for deer/fawns. Other duties included lab blood processing, dermestid beetle work, aerial tracking of packs and kills in winter, canoeing, bone marrow sampling of deer, removal of deer parts for liver baiting, and analysis of triangulation tracking data. Government license was required.

Attwater's Prairie Chickens. Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, College Station, TX. Research Assistant, Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M. Graduate student research assistant (doctoral students aide) for Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Captive Breeding Program involving construction of holding pens, egg incubation and monitoring, behavioral observation analysis of mating/booming cycles.

Kemps Ridley Sea Turtles. Gladys Porter Zoo, TX / USFWS. Seasonal Biologist; Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Project, Rancho Nuevo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. In conjunction with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, conducted beach patrols, nest location, marking and tagging, measurement recording, full body check, nest replanting, egg development and incubation, hatchling release, analyzing turtle nesting and temperature data.

Could Forest Research Station. Gorgas Science Society, Rancho del Cielo Biology Station, Mexico. President, Gorgas Science Society (student society), Texas Southmost College. El Cielo Biological Reserve, Mexico (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Cloud forest field station: Lead birding tours, general reserve tour guide, driver. maintenance of vehicles and accommodations.

Wildlife Management Techniques. Leg-hold traps, Havahart traps, clover-leaf collapsible traps, mist netting, bow nets, transect surveys (wildlife, vegetation), various bird surveys, water quality testing, manual triangulation, remote satellite location, manual forestry surveys, etc.

PRESENTATIONS / REPORTING

2025 Empowering National Park Landscape Conservation by Connecting Science and Advocacy. Publication
2024 Dogs and National Parks: StoryMap, Podcast, Interview
2024 Keynote speaker: National Park Service Internship Career and Leadership Workshop, Washington, DC.
2023 Campus program: Duke Nicholas School of the Environment. The Science of Advocacy at NPCA.
2021, 2022 Program Address. World Strides, Global Workshops, Science and the Environment. Global Youth Leadership.
2019, Keynote Address: National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE), EnvironMentors National Science Fair.
2018, International Wolf Symposium, Minneapolis, MN
- Your Science: A Powerful Force for Advocacy
2018, University of Richmond. Richmond, VA
- NPCA: Conservation Science and National Parks
2018, Duke University. Nicholas School of the Environment. Durham, NC.
- Conservation Science Into Action, the role of NPCA
2018, Yale University. School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
- NPCA: Conservation Science and National Parks

BOARD MEMBERSHIPS

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

SCIENTIFIC and PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

OTHER

Though summarized, this site represents the majority of programs I have been involved with. Please contact me for a detailed CV.

RYAN VALDEZ