Hannah Holbert
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Biology Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)
West Liberty University
West Liberty, WV
08.2024 - 05.2026
- Attributed to survey efforts throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and Georgia for state and federal level projects.
- Propagated about 2,000 juvenile Lacunicambarus thomai for husbandry and life history studies as part of a thesis project to provide propagation information for future burrowing crayfish species of conservation concern.
- Taught and prepared multiple laboratory-based classes for the Biology program.
- Assisted in the training of graduate and undergraduate students in and outside of the field, including instances such as in house water quality, water changes, system building, aquatic organism life checks, and curation.
Appalachian Aquatic Conservation Center Build Coordinator
West Liberty University
West Liberty, WV
07.2025 - 02.2026
- Designed, plumbed, and orchestrated large conservation-based aquaculture systems for the AACC.
- Systems designed included 400 gallon crayfish propagation and breeding racks for Endangered Species Act protected organisms (such as Big Sandy Crayfish) that hold over 88 individuals per rack with continuous flowing water.
- Oversaw all aquatic invertebrate animal care including water quality, water changes, diet preparation, and quality of life checks.
- Managed multiple groups of graduate and undergraduate students for system construction and animal care.
- Provided timelines and approaches to problem solving or fixing structural issues within builds.
- Assisted AACC Curator in long-term planning, budgeting, and providing all necessary resources for the housed animals.
Crayfish Conservation Lab Manager
West Liberty University
West Liberty, WV
01.2025 - 02.2026
- Functioned as crayfish conservation lab manager, supervising all undergraduate and graduate students within the lab. Duties included contacting corresponding federal and state agencies for each field survey or project, managing data, organizing curated specimens, specimen identification, and mentorship of other students on proper field techniques and survey methods.
- Acted as crew lead and point of contact for West Liberty alongside the Georgia DNR, North Carolina State Museum, and South Carolina on a Southeastern Crayfish Collaborative effort (CSWG).
- Worked as a primary contact with WV Fish and Wildlife Service and VA Department of Wildlife Resources members to collect, head-start, and release federally protected species (under the Endangered Species Act of 1973) such as the Big Sandy Crayfish (Cambarus callainus).
- Wrote reports for ESA protected crayfish, analyzed data from surveying and propagation efforts to fulfill state and ESA guidelines.
- Organized all animal care in the WLU Crayfish Lab, including maintaining aquatic tanks, feeding, and diet preparation.
- Utilized multiple field collection techniques such as dip netting, hand collection, burrow digging, siene netting, as well as metal and soft trapping.
- Completed surveys utilizing BEHI, QHEI, and Survey 123.
- Worked closely with upper management to bring lab cleanups, trips, and building to fruition.
- Ran the social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) and coordinated to bring knowledge to the public.
National Fish Hatchery Intern
White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery
White Sulphur Springs, WV
07.2024 - 08.2024
- Worked under an agreement with West Liberty University, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, and West Virginia Fish and Wildlife Service to assist in the rearing of ESA protected crayfish.
- Plumbed large-scale sump-based aquatic holding systems for federally listed crayfish.
- Assisted in the care and collection of federally threatened crayfish Cambarus callainus eggs.
- Cared for axolotls, mussels, crayfish, darters, bass, and rainbow trout.
- Spawned rainbow trout by assisting in counting the number of males utilized for fertilization, fertilizing eggs, and transporting eggs into appropriate holding.
- Conducted water quality assessments, water changes on large systems, animal health checks, and system repair.
- 240 hours of work experience acquired.
Crayfish Conservation Lab Intern
West Liberty University
West Liberty, WV
05.2023 - 08.2023
- Experience digging burrows, dip netting, and using seine nets for the collection of crayfish in Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
- Completed a conservation-related project on the shelter preference of individual captive crayfish.
- Identified crayfish species in the field as well as within the lab space.
- Provided animal care for crayfish and crab species within the lab space by creating individualized enclosures (ranging from 10-40 gallons), as well as maintaining 50+ larger scale individualized, aerated holding tanks.
Aquatic Animal Care Assistant
West Liberty University
West Liberty, WV
08.2020 - 05.2023
- Lab Assistant for the Crayfish, Turtle, Saltwater Fish, and Amphibian labs.
- Cared for multiple Endangered/Threatened aquatic species, such as the Big Sandy Crayfish, Eastern Hellbender, and Kaiser Newts.
- Built and maintained Tiger Salamander enclosure incorporating natural history. Enclosure was created after observing natural behaviors in order to create a naturalistic system that could improve the animal's welfare. Created and implemented successful training plans for Tiger Salamanders such as tap training for feeding.
- Created, cycled, and provided care for the saltwater and freshwater tanks which included maintaining canister filtration, HOB filtration, biological filtration media, sump water changes, UVB bulb changes, and large-scale pleated water filters.
- 470+ hours in animal care acquired.
Living Seashores Intern
The National Aquarium
Baltimore, Maryland
05.2022 - 08.2022
- Preparing and feeding out animal diets, daily plumbing maintenance and repairs, logging system numbers in TRACKS, behavior training, providing enrichment, and assisting in enclosure preparation or cleaning.
- Experience maintaining large saltwater systems by conducting water changes, DO checks, backwashes, protein skimmer cleaning, water quality, filtration, and UVB bulb changes.
- Overall training with elasmobranchs, crustaceans, bony saltwater fish, and American eels.
- Assisted in Atlantic horseshoe crab and American eel necropsies, medical procedures, and welfare checks.
Education
Master of Science - Biology
West Liberty University
West Liberty, WV05-2026
Bachelor of Science - Zoo Science And Applied Conservation - Aquatic Science Track
West Liberty University
West Liberty, WV05-2024
Skills
- SSI Open Water Dive Certified
- Federal WV Endangered Crayfish Surveyor Certified 2026
- Aquatic System Plumbing & Maintenance
- Data Analysis & Input - R Script, TRACKS, AnimalCare Software
- Long-term Project Management
- Aquatic Field Survey Planning & Execution
Accomplishments
- Freshwater Crayfish Volume 29 - December 2024
Holbert H, Loughman Z., and Graham, Z. – Shelter Use in Cambarus robustus, a Surrogate Species for the Federally Listed Cambarus callainus and Cambarus veteranus. https://doi.org/10.5869/fc.2024.v29-1.1 - Proceedings of the West Virginia Academy of Science, 98(1) - 2026
Holbert, H., Graham, Z., & Loughman, Z. - Life History and Corresponding Maternal Behavior of the Little Brown Mudbug (Lacunicambarus thomai). https://doi.org/10.55632/pwvas.v98i1.1251
Additional Information
- Accumulative supervisory experience from leading positions (Crayfish Lab Manager, Graduate Teaching Assistant, and AACC Build Coordinator).
- Experience writing Endangered Species Act Recovery and Propagation Plans for the Fish and Wildlife Service, such as the updated Big Sandy Crayfish Plan from 2025.
- 5 Years of experience working with endangered and threatened species such as Big Sandy Crayfish and Guyandotte River Crayfish. Work includes conducting population surveys, reintroductions, and habitat quality surveys.
- Experience working in house with Eastern Hellbenders such as daily husbandry, system maintenance, water chemistry, and the training of other students on proper care.
Timeline
Appalachian Aquatic Conservation Center Build Coordinator
West Liberty University
07.2025 - 02.2026
Crayfish Conservation Lab Manager
West Liberty University
01.2025 - 02.2026
Biology Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)
West Liberty University
08.2024 - 05.2026
National Fish Hatchery Intern
White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery
07.2024 - 08.2024
Crayfish Conservation Lab Intern
West Liberty University
05.2023 - 08.2023
Living Seashores Intern
The National Aquarium
05.2022 - 08.2022
Aquatic Animal Care Assistant
West Liberty University
08.2020 - 05.2023
Master of Science - Biology
West Liberty University
Bachelor of Science - Zoo Science And Applied Conservation - Aquatic Science Track
West Liberty University