Tara Nicolaysen

Since joining the Ecological Services (ES) Headquarters Team in 2010, I have used my expertise in Endangered Species Act implementation, agile software development and my leadership skills to create and develop influential, powerful applications like IPaC and EPM, to manage large teams of FWS staff to transform Ecological Services programs and processes, and to help modernize the FWS’ information platform, by helping to develop a new cloud-based system with a centralized data warehouse, an enterprise mapping solution and 19 new workflows that follow regulatory authorities.I have been able to effect real changes in the FWS that have been embraced by practitioners!

Since 2010 when I joined ES HQ, my position has been in a Branch that has morphed and changed over time; I am currently in the Branch of Outreach, Planning and Support in the Division of Data Integration (officially approved in 2023). In this resume, I describe the major job duties I had under each change in our Branch/Division organization.

As the ECOSphere Workflow Team Lead, I assist our Division Chief, Michaelle Shultz with managing operations and maintenance of the FWS' legacy system, ECOS, and with development and management of our new cloud-based system ECOSphere.

Major job duties include:

• Manage Ft Collins, CO office and DDI staff
• Prepare statements of work for ECOS and ECOSphere contracts
• Manage contractors implementing ECOS and ECOSphere contracts
• Assess performance of contractors in CPARS evaluations
• As a member of the ECOSphere data management team, review and set standards for data governance
• Review users requests for new data and adjudicate
• Develop training materials for ECOSphere, including user guides and recording training videos for workflows
• Post materials on ECOSphere Sharepoint and notify users about changes; Responsible for assisting ECOSphere users trouble shoot issues
• Answer ECOSphere help desk tickets and resolve issues quickly for positive customer support; Act as liaison between ECOSphere contractors and DDI
• Review and approve all change requests, bug fixes and improvements for ECOSphere
• Lead JADs
• Lead numerous subject matter expert (SME) teams to gather business requirements for new ECOSphere workflows
• Facilitate development of workflow processes and provide clear directions to developers on what is needed
• To date, we have developed 18 ES workflows and one Fisheries and Aquatic Conservation workflow currently on production in ECOSphere
• Worked with SME teams to gather requirements for another seven workflows, waiting in the wings for the Joint Application Development sessions
• Work with the ECOSphere Project Management team to develop work breakdown structures and project plans, schedule timelines and manage the technical development for the various ECOSphere Projects, including the work of the DDI technical teams needed to provide the essential functionality needed, including our enterprise data warehouse team, mapper team, data modeling team and DDI management; Ensure consistency of all workflows with the enterprise ECOSphere system
• This involves decision making and enforcement of ECOSphere business requirements, education of SMEs, conflict resolution and user education; Assess ECOSphere projects for risks and present risks and mitigation to management; As a member of the ECOSphere change management board, review and approve changes to ECOSphere Infrastructure and Architecture; For the FAC workflow, organized a data entry team, created an SOP to enter and QA/QC new species data needed for the workflow
• This involved managing a team of five data entry specialists and ensuring the SOP was following so that the data would be accurate; Lead training sessions on ECOSphere, teaching practitioners how to use our new enterprise system; Facilitate ECOSphere Open House and Office hours sessions, answering users questions and helping them to understand how to better use the system; Prepare ECOSphere communication plan to ensure management and practitioners are aware of development and what is planned/upcoming
• Write quarterly ECOSphere newsletter articles to inform users about new developments in ECOSphere; Assist in the development of the species workflow, a transformational new process that will be built in ECOSphere to capture robust, authoritative species data for the public and FWS staff
• Organized hundreds of FWS staff and placed on sub teams
• Led subteam requirements gathering
• Participate as one of the ES representatives on the One Species IRTM initiative;

As part of its ongoing efforts to improve its organization, Ecological Services morphed the Branch of Conservation Integration into the Branch of Data Integration (BDI) in 2015, managed under Division Chief Martha Balis-Larsen. the Branch was focused on implementing the SSA initiative and integrating how Ecological Services accomplishes its ESA work, removing stove-pipes within ES and working more collaboratively across listing, consultation and recovery. In addition, we were responsible for managing applications in ECOS, the FWS’ primary platform for collecting and distributing data about the species in our care

Major job duties included:

• Conducted listening sessions with FWS practitioners from offices all over the country to gather insight from practitioners about what they liked and didn’t like about our existing information platform, ECOS
• Prepared a white paper and large power point presentation summarizing our findings and recommending solutions, which were eventually approved by management, and led to the formation of ECOSphere; Continued support and participation on the IPaC Business Team, refinement of the IPaC and Effects Pathway Manager (EPM) data models, and building new functionality in IPaC, including the Consultation Package Builder (CPB), which leveraged data collected in EPM; Advised developers on consultation process and SSA process; Continued to advise on EPM development; As part of SSA Leadership Team, worked to clarify SSA issues, worked on several SSA teams to prepare SSAs and provide guidance to SSA Teams; Collaborated with several SSA teams to develop SSAs for ESA listed species; Coordinated the annual SSA Retreats, developed agendas, organized facility and discussions, developed participant lists, arranged logistics, worked to prepare topics for discussions
• These retreats served to ingrain the SSA process in Ecological Services, and transform the ES listing and recovery processes; Prepared Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for practitioners to upload SSAs in ServCat; Taught “Just in Time” Trainings for Regions 3 and 6
• These “Just in Time” Trainings jump-started SSA projects by having instructors work directly with practitioner teams to collect and analyze data and prepare the SSA; At the Request of R3, participated the Monarch SSA team, for this highly contentious listing issue; Assisted with collection and analysis of data, set up and scoped the SSA, structure of the SSA and with cause and effect analyses; Drafted the SSA; Reviewed and Incorporated comments into the SSA; Received award from R3 for Monarch SSA; As requested by ES leadership, analyzed and re-vamped the ES Recovery Program
• Recognizing that development of FWS Recovery plans was taking too long (years!), ES leadership tasked me with undertaking a detailed analysis of the FWS’ Recovery Program and to find solutions to streamline and modernize the program, and make recovery plan development more efficient so that more on-the-ground conservation would be realized sooner; Initiated a structured decision making (SDM) process involving a large team of Field, Regional and Headquarters practitioners to collect data about the FWS’ current recovery program and identify the problem areas in the overall process; Developed four alternatives to revamp the program and analyzed pros and cons of each one; Developed recommendations for ES leadership to overhaul the recovery program; this transformation effort was known as Recovery Planning and Implementation (RPI); Presented recommendations and SDM analysis to management for approval
• RPI, approved by management, utilizes the SSA to jumpstart recovery planning, and streamlined recovery plans in order to focus conservation efforts on the strategic implementation of recovery actions
• It also identified opportunities for streamlining administrative steps, and provides additional work aids and technical support for recovery practitioners; Wrote a detailed Operational Plan for the Recovery Program to follow as it implemented the recommendations; As an expert in Expert Elicitation, taught NCTC Expert Elicitation course;

Branch of Conservation Integration

In 2012, Ecological Services created a new Branch, the Branch of Conservation Integration, as a way to start removing the “stove pipes” of how ES carried out its Endangered Species Act work. The IPaC Business Team and a few other ES biologists, including myself, were included in this new branch, managed under Marjorie Nelson.

Major job duties included:

As part of the IPaC Business Team, continued development of the IPaC and Effects Pathway Manager (EPM) data models;

• Advised developers on needed functionality for IPaC;
• As an expert on ESA implementation and on IPaC, advised on refinement of EPM data model, and worked with developers to develop this innovative, complex, graphic-based software;
• Provided expert advice on the development of the IPaC Consultation Package Builder software, which developed a workflow process for the public to build a Biological Assessment, a document needed to initiate formal consultation under the ESA;
• Assisted with the management of ECOS and its 35 applications;
• Using my expertise with TESS, assisted ECOS users to resolve issues with species data, species range data, Field Office Jurisdiction data, TESS documents and data upload, ECOS species profile pages, and more;
• Assist users with SSA uploads to ServCat, a NWR-owned application in ECOS;
• Prepare statements of work for contracts such as Operations and Maintenance of ECOS;
• Manage yearly contracts for ECOS by tracking deliverable implementation;
• Assisted with the development and management of the Species Action Management (SAMS) application, a new application in ECOS to track ESA listing packages (and which involved decommissioning of 4 legacy applications);
• Assisted with development of the Internal Species Profile application for ES, which integrated data from various ECOS applications and presented integrated data to FWS users.
• Worked to develop the species status assessment (SSA) data model and business rules. Species status assessments provide the foundational data and analyses needed to inform all aspects of the ESA life cycle, from listing, consultation with other federal agencies, to recovery planning. Acceptance and approval of management of the SSA process unified ES endangered species program processes and transformed Ecological Services;
• Development of the SSA process was a landmark process, changing the way the Fish and Wildlife Service assessed species for listing under the ESA and unifing the previously disparate ES processes of listing a species, consultation under the ESA with other Federal Agencies and recovery planning;
• Reviewed and analyzed all FWS processes under the ESA (listing, consultation and recovery);
• Defined and clarified terminology used by each program so that all programs working on ESA implementation used the same terminology;
• Drafted the SSA Framework Guidance.

• As a member of the Headquarters’ Information, Planning and Conservation System (IPaC) Business Team, I worked on all aspects of development and implementation of this innovative, custom application in ECOS (in its infancy at this time)
• I worked with a team of HQ, Regional and Field Office biologists to design the data model for IPaC, develop prototypes and conduct beta testing with hundreds of users
• Our goal was to develop s7 streamlining tools for our partners and project proponents, as well as FWS biologists, to help them identify threats to ESA-listed species and provide conservation measures to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts on the ground
• One of the tools that we developed for IPaC to deliver conservation measures was an excel-based program to develop conservation frameworks
• Conservation frameworks (CFs) were internal FWS documents that summarized the cause and effect chain of logic that FWS uses, identifying the conservation needs of species, stressors that threatened the species, and conservation measures that could offset these impacts
• These documents were based on best available scientific documents and USFWS data, including listing documents, recovery plans, species spotlight information etc
• I refined the desktop Excel-based program and worked with FWS biologists to teach them how to use the program to collect data and create conservation frameworks for 60 species (and thus populate IPaC)
• I was in charge of implementing pilot projects for IPaC, designed to inform the IPaC data model and to populate IPaC with species data
• Pilot IPaC projects included: Customs and Border Protection; Las Vegas; Colorado Department of Transportation (CDoT); and Federal Highways
• I prepared and presented numerous presentations on IPaC to interested agencies, and prepared proposals for pilot projects that could use IPaC functionality
• Once the proposals were accepted, I led Field Office biologists to implement the pilot projects; I used what we learned to inform changes to the IPaC data model
• For the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill effort, we immediately pivoted to making modifications to IPaC so that conservation measures for emergency Oil Spill Response activities could be automatically delivered to partner agencies and project proponents, as well as official species lists, and then automatically creating TAILS records, saving the field offices time
• I worked with the R4 Field Offices to ensure their species list reflected accurate assessments of species affected by the spill, and developed a comprehensive set of conservation measures that could be delivered to project proponents via IPaC for all Field Offices working emergency oil spill projects
• Though this was an awful tragedy that consumed FWS staff and resources (and still does to this day!), this tragedy allowed the IPaC team to implement planned integrations within ECOS and TAILS and develop functionality ahead of schedule and that ended up being very valuable to our staff in the field.

• Assisted Region 6 Ecological Services Section 7 Coordinator and the Washington Office in the development of the USFWS's Information Planning and Consultation (IPaC) system, a web-based database designed to facilitate consultation with the USFWS on endangered species
• Assisted FWS Business Team and consultant development team in breaking down the endangered species consultation process, including informal and formal consultation, into data elements and a logical work process flow so that FWS-recommended best management practices could be delivered to project proponents via IPaC, and incorporated into their project design, and included in biological assessments to be submitted to the USFWS
• Assisted in the development of the conservation framework process ( a pre-cursor of the SSA process) which provided the rationale for and supported FWS-recommended conservation measures to be delivered by IPaC
• Worked with program developers and USFWS IPaC Business Team to develop and refine conservation frameworks in line with current policy
• Prepared conservation frameworks for species listed under the Endangered Species Act, including, but not limited to Grizzly bear, Bull trout and Canada lynx
• The conservation framework process involved preparing a species overview, writing a summary of the status of the species, identifying resources needed by the species for feeding, breeding and sheltering, identifying anthropogenic stressors and the species' response to these stressors, and identifying conservation goals and objectives needed by the species to survive and recover
• Coordinated preparation of conservation frameworks with USFWS Regional Office and Field Office biologists for the species within 50 miles of the US-Canada border
• Assisted Region 6 and the IPaC Business Team to develop a process to facilitate consultation with Customs and Border Protection along the northern US - Canada Border
• Participate on the northern border task force as one of Region 6's representatives.

• As a State Office representative, assisted our state partner, the California Department of Fish and Game to develop a multi-species habitat conservation planning program - the Natural Communities Conservation Planning (NCCP) Program
• This was an innovative planning effort, designed to assist developers, landowners and others comply with the Endangered Species Act, while conserving endangered species habitat on an ecosystem basis
• Developed conservation guidelines, which were an ecosystem planning blueprint of how to develop these multi-species planning efforts to be consistent with the Endangered Species Act
• Coordinated the preparation of the Orange County Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)/Natural Communities Conservation Plan (NCCP), one of the largest and most complex HCPs in the nation
• Received an On The Spot Award from the USFWS for outstanding performance on this project
• Managed the consultant team preparing the Orange County HCP/NCCP and the accompanying Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
• Responsibilities included assisting the consultant in gathering input from concerned entities, including state and federal agencies, environmental groups, municipalities, utilities and others, providing regulatory guidance and assistance in writing the HCP/NCCP and EIS
• Prepared the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the special rule for the coastal California gnat catcher, pursuant to section 4(d) of the ESA
• This was a large project, involving close coordination with the USFWS and CDFG team
• Managed all aspects of this project, including coordination of the joint USFWS/CDFG team, drafting the EA, publishing it in the Federal Register, circulating it for public review and soliciting public comment, holding public meetings, responding to public comment, and finalizing the EA
• Prepared biological opinions, pursuant to section 7 of the ESA
• This required a detailed analysis of the effects of the proposed project, analysis of the species response to the anticipated effects and a determination of jeopardy or no jeopardy to the species
• Managed the preparation of several Habitat Conservation Plans in southern and northern California and wrote the corresponding NEPA documents (EA or EIS)
• This work often involved working with landowners, developers, utilities, State Department of Fish and Game and other interested parties to develop innovative conservation strategies for the listed species included in the plans
• Assisted in the development of the Multi-species HCP for San Diego County
• Prepared briefing papers and gave oral briefings on the status of the NCCP Orange County biodiversity planning effort for my supervisor, the California State Supervisor, and Regional Office.

• Responsible for the preparation of various environmental documents, including EIRs pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), HCPs, EAs and EISs pursuant to federal regulations
• Scoped out projects, tracked project budgets, participated in bidding for projects, managed schedules and drafted reports
• Performed environmental analysis, developed and evaluated mitigation measures, developed and analyzed alternatives to the projects and analyzed the cumulative effects of projects
• Main project planner for the Stephen's Kangaroo Rat HCP and EIS
• This comprehensive project required field work, holding public meetings, and coordination with all affected entities, including environmental groups, municipalities, utilities, water resource managers, land owners, developers and others
• Prepared the EIS for the Stephen's Kangaroo Rat HCP
• Assisted in public meetings on the HCP and EIS
• Responded to all public comments received
• Finalized the EIS in coordination with the USFWS
• Principal planner on the Desert Tortoise HCP and EIS
• This was a comprehensive project that required coordination and consultation with all affected entities, including municipalities, utilities, land owners, developers, environmental groups, state agencies and others
• Participated in all aspects of this project, including bidding, scoping, managing the project budget and schedule, field work, and document preparation
• Prepared the draft HCP and wrote the draft EIS
• Assisted in holding public meetings and was responsible for responding to public comment received
• Finalized the Desert Tortoise HCP and EIS.

• Analyzed various alternatives to pesticides for weed control around PG&E's substations and solar sites
• Wrote a comprehensive report on utility industry use of alternative methods of weed control and tree trimming.

• Coordinated the preparation of the environmental portion of the relicensing documents for Pacific Gas and Electric's hydroelectric power plants, under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulations
• Performed technical analysis of all environmental impacts and proposed mitigation measures for each FERC hydroelectric relicensing project.