Valerie Stein Foster began her career as wildlife biologist in 1996, working on wildlife and applied research for various state and federal agencies, largely focused on birds and habitat use. In the early 2000s she studied an endangered honeycreeper in Hawaii for her graduate work, with an emphasis on plant-animal interactions; the dynamic relationship birds have with forest structure, composition and function continues to be an area of interest. She started her career with the U.S Forest Service in 2008 as a wildlife planning biologist and has held numerous positions at different levels of the agency since that time. In her current role as a wildlife biologist/ecologist with the USFS national office, she provides subject matter expertise and guidance to help balance avian species management with other agency priorities (e.g., active forest management and fuels reduction). Much of this work includes collaborations with numerous partners and interdisciplinary teams to develop and manage information for project planning, analyses, and decision making. Valerie is passionate about developing innovative, science-based solutions to solve complex land management issues. Her areas of expertise include land management planning, ecological restoration, monitoring and adaptive management, pacific island and western ecosystems, and at-risk species management.
