Vanessa Schroeder
ORTWS Board Member (2023 – 2025)
Current position: Senior Faculty Research Assistant I, Oregon State University Extension Service
Biographical Sketch: I hold an MS in Wildlife Science from OSU and I have had the privilege of working in Oregon in sagebrush country since 2013, starting with the Extension service in 2016 as Faculty Research Assistant, where I specialize in rangeland ecology to support wildlife habitat. I spend about half of my time on stakeholder-driven applied research projects and the other half advancing education and outreach programs around sagebrush ecosystem management and education and developing management solutions for degraded or threatened sagebrush ecosystems. I became engaged with ORTWS as a member shortly after joining OSU. Prior to working in Oregon’s outback, I worked in southern Utah for the UDWR primarily focusing on desert fish and amphibian species. My wildlife work in Oregon has primarily focused on sagebrush birds, including sagebrush-obligate songbirds and habitat threats to sage-grouse but has expanded to include ungulates and avian species found throughout the Steens Mountains across all habitat types. In my free time I love exploring Oregon’s public lands through hiking, snowshoeing, backpacking, and exploring with my mini-Aussie.
ORTWS is a wonderful resource for researchers and managers alike which provides a wealth of opportunities to network, share knowledge, science and expertise and an opportunity to learn about all wildlife across the state. As a board member I hope to ensure rangelands and wildlife found on the eastern side of the state remain represented at ORTWS. The board has always provided a supportive and friendly community for both established and up and coming wildlife biologists. I hope to help to continue to foster an inclusive space that supports students and young professionals in their careers.