Heidi joined Conservation Biology Institute in December of 2017. Heidi has a Masters of Environmental Management with a certificate in GIS from Duke University and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Brown University. She worked for 7 years at the InterAmerican Development Bank in the Environmental and Social Safeguard Unit as their GIS analyst screening bank projects for environmental and social issues. She is also experienced in remote sensing and spent two years working as a quality control analyst on a global land cover change project. Her interest in international development and the environment started at  a very early age. She grew up the child of two USAID officers and spent much of her youth in Niger and Morocco. Travel has always been a passion and she even spent two seasons working as science support in Antarctica.
Heidi recently moved to Corvallis with her husband, Bob, and their family. In her free time she likes to explore the outdoors, garden, bake and knit.

Kathleen Pollett is a Biologist with more than 20 years of experience specializing in endangered species, landscape ecology, and restoration. She has designed, permitted and carried out scientifically credible wildlife improvement projects throughout Central and Southern California. She has worked implementing large scale Habitat Conservation Programs in Southern California and designed research projects for stream breeding amphibians in Oregon. She has prepared trainings for Federally and State listed species to assist in project design and assessment. She has conducting extensive fieldwork throughout her career.

Bill is proud to have grown up in Oak Park, IL but has lived on the West Coast for most of his adult life. Bill studied philosophy at Occidental College and received his Masters in Mathematics Education from DePaul University. After teaching math at the high school and community college level in his twenties, Bill decided to learn how to program and defend wildlife with computers. He loves working with geospatial data because of its connection to mathematics and the beautiful visual displays that can be created. When Bill is not at CBI, he is usually watching David Attenborough documentaries, snowboarding, playing guitar, or expanding his collection of tropical house plants.

Phoebe is a biodiversity and climate change strategic planner, researcher (conservation biology and global change ecology), policy analyst and teacher. She was thrilled to join CBI in October 2018 as Chief Science and Policy Officer. Phoebe hopes to use her combined background in science research, policy, implementation, communication and collaboration to help CBI increase its impact and rigor even further. She is also an affiliate full professor at the University of Washington, Bothell and honorary research associate at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT’s) African Climate and Development Initiative since 2011 and Center of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology since 2005.    

Phoebe has previously been a senior science-policy consultant for the Center for Large Landscape Conservation, where she worked on global connectivity policy in both the terrestrial and marine environments through support to the IUCN Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group. Before that, she was executive director of the Pacific Biodiversity Institute (2017-2018), principle and lead scientist for climate change bioadaptation and head of biodiversity futures at the South African National Biodiversity Institute (2005-2016), founding national coordinator of Namibia’s national biodiversity (1994-2003) and climate change programs (1999), board and executive committee member of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2002-05) and scientific and technological coordinator of the Global Invasive Species Program (2003-05).

A behavioral and evolutionary ecologist by background, she now works to build coalitions between academia, government, nonprofits and with citizen science groups at different scales on ecological connectivity, climate adaptation, economics for the future, and sustainability tipping points. Phoebe and her filmmaker husband John Bowey also work through film, immersive media, and prose to tell compelling and powerful stories about ecosystem health and biodiversity, among other big issues.

Research Gate

Academia

University of Washington

https://www.phoebebarnard.com/

Declan Pizzino is a Geospatial Analyst with the Conservation Biology Institute and has more than 5 years experience applying science and geospatial technology to support the conservation of natural resources. With a B.S. in Environmental Science and a certificate in Geographic Information Science from Oregon State University, Declan is excited to be part of a team that is focused on a science-based approach to improving the world. His areas of expertise and interest include geographic information systems, remote sensing, machine learning, modeling, and sustainability planning.

Declan’s love for the natural world has informed and enhanced his passion for conservation. Prior to joining CBI, he worked with the Nature Collective in San Diego, CA, on water quality monitoring and with Yamhill County Public Works in McMinnville, OR, to help develop a spatial roadside vegetation inventory. In Eugene, OR, he worked for Lane Council of Governments leveraging his GIS and interpersonal skills in the local government arena. Declan participates in a number of professional organizations and communities, including the Spatial Community Slack, AI for Conservation, Machine Learning for Remote Sensing, the Data Visualization Society, and the Society for Conservation GIS, where he serves on the Communications Committee.

Declan lives in Corvallis with his houseful of pets and plants. In his spare time, he loves to play Dungeons and Dragons, get outdoors and hike, play his mandolin, or explore local waterways in his handmade canoe.

Mindy Boyd joined CBI as an Administrative Assistant in 2012. She is new to the conservation community, but has spent the last 12 years providing technical support and managing releases for software used internally by Credit Unions.  During her free time  she enjoys running, being outdoors and spending time with her family.

Mike Gough is a GIS analyst with 12+ years professional experience in the geospatial sciences. Prior to joining CBI in 2012, Mike served as a GIS lecturer in the Environmental Science & Management Department at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA.  During his tenure with HSU’s Institute for Spatial Analysis, he served as the lead GIS Analyst and Systems Administrator on several multidisciplinary projects spanning oceanographic research and education, water quality monitoring, infrastructure development, natural hazards, renewable energy, and land use planning. Between 2004 and 2012, he made significant contributions to the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (HSU CeNCOOS).  Among these, was the development of several automated real-time data acquisition & monitoring systems.

Mike draws upon his background in the geospatial sciences, natural resource planning, and computer information systems to guide the development of tools which help promote healthy and sustainable interactions among human and natural systems. His direct research interests comprise dynamic spatiotemporal modeling, web-mapping and database application development, scripting & automation, 3D geographic visualization, and the development of decision-support tools.

Mike earned his B.S. in Natural Resources Planning & Interpretation with an option in Geographic Information Systems & Remote Sensing and a minor in Computer Information Systems from Humboldt State University in 2005. He lives with his wife Rebecca and their entourage of furry companions.

Rebecca is a Senior Geospatial Scientist with 15+ years professional experience in the geospatial sciences and conservation planning. She leads a team performing advanced spatial analysis & modeling, remote sensing, and data visualization to further conservation of species, habitats, and biodiversity around the globe. Current projects focus on using geospatial technology to support agencies and organizations in data-driven approaches for environmentally-sustainable planning & decision-making.

Prior to joining CBI, Rebecca taught at the College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University, where she worked on numerous projects spanning natural resources, socio-economic, and community mapping and analysis. Rebecca earned a B.S. in Ecology & Visual Arts from Juniata College (PA) in 2003 and worked as a field biologist for several years. She completed a M.S. in GIS & Remote Sensing at Humboldt State University (CA) in 2007, mapping tropical forests in South America using remote sensing techniques.

Rebecca is involved in numerous professional organizations, including the Conservation Remote Sensing Network, Women in Geospatial, and the Society for Conservation GIS, where she’s currently on the Board and Chair of the Communications Committee.

Dr. John Gallo is a geographer, land-use planner and landscape ecologist supporting decision-makers, scientists, and stakeholders. He also develops, evaluates, and shares innovative methods for addressing challenges to conservation science and practice. Dr. Gallo blends interdisciplinary areas of expertise, including:

For more information please see Dr. Gallo’s curriculum vitae linked to the right.

Ann joined the CBI team in September of 2013. She has her M.S. in Community Development and Natural Resource Management and a B.A. in Business and Communications with a minor in Spanish. Her background is in marketing, publications and education and she has extensive research, writing, editing and production experience. Prior to joining CBI she worked as a Research Associate at the Alliance for Water Efficiency in Chicago. At CBI, Ann is a member of the communications team pursuing collaborative relationships for CBI and assisting with science support and education initiatives. A native Southern Californian, she has lived in the urban jungles of Chicago, Oakland and Los Angeles and amongst the monkeys in the foothills of the Himalayas in Northern India.  She now lives in Corvallis with her husband Kevin and their monkey like children Jane and Charlie.