My Life, Wildlife

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pilot/Biologist Kara Hilwig tells us about her time flying for National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska and the great experiences she gets to live through in her day to day job. 

Listen as Deputy Assistant Regional Director for the Office of Subsistence Management, Amee Howard tells us about her family roots and how her journey has lead her across the lower 48, eventually leading back to Alaska. 

Erika Merced-Teofrio tells us about the continuation of her service, from helping provide air and missile defense to our nation's allies to now serving as the Marine Mammals Management, Administrative Assistant for the Alaska Region. 

Andrea Medeiros tells us about her path from cooking professionally on the East Coast to serving as the Alaska Region's Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  

From a wilderness ranger to a fire management officer to a refuge manager, Bob Rebarchik reflects on his career journey to the northwestern Alaska refuges he calls home.    

Listen to ecologist Karin Bodony speak about her love for rural Alaska, glacial sand dunes, yellow-cheeked voles, and sled dogs - and what she has learned from the people and places of Koyukuk, Nowitna, and Innoko National Wildlife Refuges.

Tim Lorenzini came to Alaska to teach school in Galena. Follow his career to becoming a supervisory Park Ranger at Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge and hear more about his favorite river (the Yukon) and why Tetlin is nicknamed the Land of Great Migrations.

Listen as Wildlife Biologist Benjamin Weitzman tells us about the journey to his position with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and learn a thing or two about Alaska's smallest marine mammal— the sea otter. 

Mimi Thomas grew up along the Yukon River and has spent her career with Fish and Wildlife Service as a park ranger and law enforcement officer at Kenai and Yukon Flats refuges. 

Randall Friendly grew up in the village of Tuntutuliak along the Kuskokwim River. He is a graduate student studying the threatened spectacled eider in Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge.

Listen to Paul Leonard share what he loves about living and working in Alaska as the supervisory ecologist at Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He grew up in the rolling hills of Kentucky, fascinated with the frogs and insects of nearby streams. Paul came to Alaska as a college student and the experience changed his life.

Bill Leacock knew even as a young child that he was interested in bears and being outside. Follow his career from southeast Asia to Siberia to Alaska, where he has worked as a bear biologist at Kodiak Refuge and is now the mammal biologist at Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

This week Christy Cincotta talks about her path to becoming a Coastal Program Biologist for the Alaska Region. Learn about the various factors that impact Alaska's coast and the ways the Coastal Program protects and restores them. 

Federal Wildlife Officer Kelly Modla shares what she loves about her job in Alaska, from bear sightings to teaching kids about safety and wildlife forensics.

Allyssa Morris, tells us about how her childhood curiosity for camping and backpacking has lead her to a career as an Environmental Education Specialist for Arctic, Kanuti, and Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuges. 

Dan Saxton tells us about what it takes to manage the public use cabins on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Learn about the two dozen cabins that are available for use by anyone looking for a cozy shelter to spend on the refuge. 

Born in a log cabin next to the woodstove in western Alaska, Jim Akaran grew up learning about respect for wildlife from his Yup'ik family and elders. He has worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service for 38 years, and served as one of the first Native Liaison Specialists. Listen to his story about working for Yukon Delta and Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuges as a biologist, armorer, and bridge to local communities.  

Listen as Invasive Species Outreach Coordinator Deborah Kornblut tells us about her experience with the Directorate Fellowship Program that started her career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Listen as Wildlife Biologist Robin Corcoran tells us how her passion for the outdoors has lead her from studying art in New York to a career studying the birds of Kodiak, Alaska.   

Scott Slavik came up to Kenai Refuge in 1990 for a summer internship working on trails. It turned into a life-changing experience he now shares with others.

Assistant Refuge Manager Will Wiese tells us about how his passion for hunting paved the way for his move to Alaska and starting a career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Listen as Fish Biologist Bill Carter tells us about his journey taking him across the country; from Florida, to Dutch Harbor, to running sled dogs, and finally studying fish and wildlife in Selawik National Wildlife Refuge.   

Listen as Lead Refuge Information Technician Chris Tulik talks about his path into a career with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. He covers the work he does building relationships and providing a two way flow of information and communication on subsistence and conservation efforts.  

Assistant Fire Management Officer Nathan Perrine talks about his path getting into "Fire" and some of the ways they manage it on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska. 

Listen as Regional Fire Ecologist Lisa Saperstein talks about the effects of fire and some factors for fire management in Alaska. 

Listen as Fire Management Specialist Dale Woitas talks about how he got started managing fire fighting in Alaska's Wildlife Refuges. 

Sarah Saalfeld, Ph.D. talks about her start into science as a child leading her to shorebird research in the north Alaskan Tundra. 

Wildlife Inspector Chad Hornbaker talks about his work with his rescue dog “Dock” to facilitate wildlife trade and interdict wildlife smuggling at one of the United States' busiest ports.

Listen as Ryan Wilson, PhD. speaks about his work with North America's largest bear.  

Listen as Joel teaches about walruses and his time as a wildlife biologist studying them for the past 25 years in Alaska. 

Richard Lanctot, Ph.D. talks about his 30 years of field work as a shorebird biologist in Alaska.   

Alaska born and raised Heather Renner talks about her pathway to be the supervisory wildlife biologist at Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. 

Maria Fosado talks about her journey and drive that lead her into the career and position she is in as the Refuge Manager at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.    

John Faris, the captain of the R/V Tiglax, talks about his time out at sea with his crew and scientist of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Biologist Tamara Zeller talks about her adventures conducting aerial surveys for migratory birds. 

Leticia Melendez talks about her experience that inspired her to change career fields eventually moving her from the Southwest desert to Cold Bay, Alaska. 

Join us as Greg Siekaniec tells the story of his career and how Alaska has drawn him back time and time again, ultimately finding himself as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Alaska Regional Director. 

Coming soon: My Life, Wildlife, the new podcast from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region! New episodes every Thursday beginning on Earth Day, April 22, 2021.