CWA STAFF BIOLOGISTS

Jake Messerli, Director, Waterfowl and Wetland Programs
Duties: Coordinating conservation and waterfowl funding programs, contract management, and project implementation. 
Skills: Development and management of interagency partnerships, grant-writing, restoration design and cost estimation, construction management, and habitat management. 
Accomplishments: Since joining CWA in 2001, he’s completed over 30 individual habitat projects on federal, state, and private land, ranging in size from a few acres to a few thousand acres.  In all, he has helped administer the spending of over $10,000,000 covering more than 20,000 acres of wetland, riparian, and upland habitat in California. 
Education: B.S. Wildlife Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of California at Davis.

Daniel L. Loughman, Waterfowl Projects Supervisor
Duties: Coordinating evaluation of CWA waterfowl and wetland field projects using scientifically rigorous methodology with an adaptive management approach. 
Skills: Managing large-scale banding programs, assisting DFG with annual spring waterfowl breeding population surveys,and helping both public and private land managers on habitat management. 
Accomplishments: Over sees analysis of all research findings, summarization of results, and writing of technical reports and peer reviewed scientific manuscripts for CWA. 
Education: Bachelor of Science Degree, Wildlife Management, Humboldt State University.

Chadd Santerre, Wetlands Project Supervisor
Duties: Coordinating conservation and waterfowl funding programs project and grant development and implementation and supervising staff through project implementation. 
Skills: Development and management of interagency partnerships, grant-writing, restoration design and cost estimation, construction management, and habitat management. 
Accomplishments: Since joining CWA in 1999, Santerre has developed and administered 15 North American Wetlands Conservation Act grants and proposals which have provided CWA biologists with nearly $12 million in federal funding to conduct wetland enhancement and restoration efforts throughout the state.  He has completed over 170 individual habitat projects on federal, state, and private land which have restored 9,656 acres and enhanced a total of 33,321 acres of waterfowl habitat representing $9.5 million in habitat improvements within the California.  
Education: M.S. biological conservation from California State University, Sacramento; B.S. in biological conservation from California State University, Sacramento.

Rob Capriola, Senior Biologist- Sacramento Valley
Duties: Provides habitat project development and delivery through grant writing and inter-agency collaboration.  Provides technical assistance for wetland management issues.
Skills: Collaborative partnership development, grant-writing and project management, extensive knowledge of permitting requirements, and public speaking
Accomplishments: Since joining CWA as a Waterfowl Habitat Biologist in 1996 Capriola has Supervised the survey, design, and construction of over 35 wetland restoration and enhancement projects in the Central Valley, North Coast, Suisun Marsh, and Klamath Basin. Other accomplisments include construction management of the $2,000,000 fish ladder and control structure at the Butte Creek/Sanborn Slough Bifurcation (Partners: USFWS, CALFED, DWR) and $1.65 million awarded to CWA for the Rice-Cover Crop Rotation Pilot Project from CALFED
Education: B.A. Cultural Anthropology Humboldt State University Arcata, California, 1985 and M.S. Natural Resources, Humboldt State University Arcata, California, 1996

Robert Eddings, Suisun Marsh Regional Biologist
Duties: Coordinate and supervise projects in Suisun Marsh area.  Provides GIS support and data management to CWA's staff.
Skills: Grant-writing, restoration design and cost estimation, construction management, habitat management, database design, GIS mapping and analysis.
Accomplishments: Since joining CWA in 2003, he’s assisted and supervised more than 40 individual enhancement and restoration projects throughout the state.  He has assisted the delivery of over $1,500,000 in grant money affecting over 15,000 acres.
Education: B.S. Wildlife Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of California at Davis

Jeremy Kwolek, Wood Duck Program Coordinator
Duties: Coordinating statewide Wood Duck monitoring initiative and efforts of more than 500 volunteers, waterfowl population evaluations, and landowner/community outreach.
Skills: Waterfowl trapping and banding, volunteer coordination, data management and analysis, scientific report preparation, GIS analysis.
Accomplishments: Since joining CWA in 2000 he has been responsible for coordinating the efforts of over 200 wood duck projects statewide.  During his tenure over 250,000 ducklings have hatched from nest boxes enrolled in the California Wood Duck Program (CWDP) and more than 3,000 Wood Duck hens have been banded from nest boxes. 
Education: B.S. Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of California at Davis
M.S. in progress Avian Sciences, University of California at Davis

Rick Maher, Northeastern CA Regional Biologist
Duties: Coordinating conservation and waterfowl funding programs, contract management, and project implementation.
Skills: Development and management of interagency partnerships, grant-writing, restoration design and cost estimation, construction management, and habitat management. 
Accomplishments: Since joining CWA in 2001, Maher has completed over 30 individual habitat projects on federal, state, and private land, ranging in size from a few acres to a few thousand acres.  In all, he has helped administered $5,000,000 in funds, covering more than 10,000 acres of wetland, riparian, and upland habitat in California.
Education: B.S. in Agriculture and Wildlife Management from the California State University, Chico.

Paul Phillips, Wetland Projects Coordinator
Duties: Construction supervision, project management, and GPS survey and design.
Skills: GPS elevation surveys, construction supervision, grant-writing,wetland design, habitat management, agency and landowner project development, banding and nest searching.
Accomplishments: Since joining CWA in 2003, he’s managed to survey thousands of acres of land for construction; he’s completed 5 individual projects on private lands and supervised construction on 16 other projects totaling several thousand acres on state and private land.
Education: A.S. Biology De Anza Community College. B.S. Wildlife Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of California at Davis.

Rich Wright, San Joaquin Valley Regional Biologist
Duties: Assists with habitat and policy issues directly affecting wetlands in the San Joaquin Valley for both CWA and Grassland Water District.
Skills:  State and federal grant writing, wetland design, project and wetland management plans, and land policies.
Accomplishments:  Accomplished and proposed projects thru 2009 comprise 44 federal NAWCA habitat projects, 7 Wildlife Conservation Board Projects, and 5 CDFG Duck Stamp projects.  Projects performed on private, CDFG, and GWD lands.
Education:  B.S. Environmental Science, UC Santa Barbara & B.S. Wildlife Management, Humboldt State University

Greg Heydeman, Biologist
Duties: GIS/GPS elevation surveying, construction design and supervision.
Skills: GIS/GPS elevation surveying, waterfowl capture and banding, wetland construction and supervision.
Accomplishments:  Greg started with CWA in 2006 trapping and banding thousands of waterfowl across the state.  He has recently up taken wetland design, construction and management.  Currently Greg is undergoing training for the new Southern California Biologist position. 
Education: B.S. Wildlife Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of California at Davis