Meredith Dennis
Las Vegas,NV
Summary
Responsible Environmental Specialist possessing strong knowledge of federal environmental regulatory requirements. Offering 8 years of hands-on experience in biological and physical science field techniques. Focused and self-motivated professional with outstanding organizational and critical thinking abilities.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Environmental Protection Specialist
Yosemite National Park
04.2022 - Current
- Coordinate and prepare compliance related to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), Wilderness Act, Clean Water Act (e.g., 401/404 permitting), NPS Director's Orders and other related laws and policies.
- Manage compliance on a wide range of programs including CERCLA (Superfund), fire, biomass removal, Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) and scientific research permits.
- Provide leadership in the development of public involvement strategies (including the planning and preparation for public meetings) for complex or controversial NEPA planning efforts including the Grey Barn Project and El Portal AT&T Cell Tower Project.
- Communicate compliance requirements to appropriate park staff and partners including advising on the timing of required NEPA, NHPA, and other compliance actions to meet program/project scope, schedule, and budget.
- Maintain a legally defensible, organized, administrative record for environmental compliance documents.
- Write environmental documents such as categorical exclusions (CEs), memos to file (MTF) and programmatic categorical exclusions (PCEs); review and prepare comments on environmental documents received.
- Serve as a key member of a multidisciplinary team on projects that involved cooperation among team members to resolve complex resource and visitor use management issues, including environmental analyses (EAs).
Biological Science Technician (Bears)
Yosemite National Park
05.2020 - 10.2021
- Educate public on bear safety; haze bears away from public spaces.
- Assist with trapping bears for the purposes of fitting tracking devices.
Physical Science Technician
Big Bend National Park
04.2019 - 05.2020
- Install and troubleshoot remote desert back-county air and water quality monitoring equipment.
- Collect water quality samples per state of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality standards.
Biological Science Technician (Wildlife)
Rocky Mountain National Park
04.2018 - 04.2019
- Lead for all bear management activities; including educating the public on bear safety, tracking and hazing bears in public areas (04/18-10/18)
- Elk and moose management assistant (10/18-04/19).
- Supervise volunteers conducting winter elk surveys.
- Assist tracking, trapping and collaring adult moose.
Biological Science Technician (Plants)
Zion National Park, Devils Tower National Monument
04.2015 - 04.2018
- Lead invasive plant management technician in Zion Canyon (01/16-06/17, 09/17-04/18) and Devils Tower National Monument (04/15-10/15).
- Plan, supervise and lead crews to meet exotic plan management goals.
- Plan, monitor and report on management success using standard vegetation monitoring techniques.
Cave Specialist
Craters Of The Moon National Monument
07.2017 - 09.2017
- Survey lava tube caves to detect wildlife activity and illegal human use.
- Capture and handle bats for White Nose Syndrome testing.
Biological Science Technician (Plants)
Rocky Mountain National Park
06.2014 - 10.2014
- Native plant revegetation crew member.
- Propagated native plants in the RMNP nursery and planted, watered, monitored plant health in the field.
Museum Curation Intern
Dinosaur National Monument
10.2013 - 03.2014
- Catalogue and provide quality assurance for all previously catalogued fossil resources at Dinosaur National Monument.
Education
Wildlife Biology
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR12.2020
Master of Science - Geology, Paleoclimate
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI04.2012
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Science
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI04.2012
Skills
Environmental Compliance
NEPA
Biological field methodologies
Excellent written and oral communication
Scientific literature review
Websites
Accomplishments
- 2022 Performance-based time-off award (Yosemite National Park)
- 2020 Albright-Wirth Grant Recipient
- 2019 Star Award Recipient (Big Bend National Park)
- 2015 Star Award Recipient (Devils Tower National Monument)
- Featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (Start at 3:28) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=url_ZlSJxVo
Hobbies
My interests include experimenting with gluten-free baking, furniture restoration, sprint triathalons, reading fantasy books, and reassuring my cat he won't die from not eating immediately.
Timeline
Environmental Protection Specialist
Yosemite National Park
04.2022 - Current
Biological Science Technician (Bears)
Yosemite National Park
05.2020 - 10.2021
Physical Science Technician
Big Bend National Park
04.2019 - 05.2020
Biological Science Technician (Wildlife)
Rocky Mountain National Park
04.2018 - 04.2019
Cave Specialist
Craters Of The Moon National Monument
07.2017 - 09.2017
Biological Science Technician (Plants)
Zion National Park, Devils Tower National Monument
04.2015 - 04.2018
Biological Science Technician (Plants)
Rocky Mountain National Park
06.2014 - 10.2014
Museum Curation Intern
Dinosaur National Monument
10.2013 - 03.2014
Wildlife Biology
Oregon State University
Master of Science - Geology, Paleoclimate
University of Michigan
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Science
University of Michigan
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