Meet the Great Plains Science Team
We are a team of experts from diverse backgrounds who are dedicated to our program’s mission of conserving grassland ecosystems.
Dr. Hila Shamon, Program Director, Great Plains Science
Dr. Andy Boyce, Avian Ecologist
Dr. Ellen Welti, Community Ecologist
Olivia Cosby, Place-based Conservation Expert
Jesse Boulerice, Species Reintroduction Specialist
Jessica Alexander, Wildlife Biologist
Research Fellows
Calla Sopko, Montana State University
Area of focus: Insect and plant responses to grasshopper suppression programs
Ashley Skartved, Montana State University
Area of focus: Effects of bison grazing a wallowing on prairie plant communities
Emma Greenlee, Kansas State University
Area of focus: Investigating ground-nesting bee habitat in prairies under varied grazing and burning management
Andrew Dreelin, University of Northern Illinois
Area of focus: Demographic effects of prairie-dogs on nesting grassland birds
Nancy Raginski, University of Georgia
Area of focus: Understanding the migratory ecology and demography of grassland songbirds with the Motus animal tracking system
Anna Kurtin, University of Montana
Area of focus: Evaluating ARUs as a tool for rare and cryptic species monitoring
Ashlyn Herron, University of North Dakota
Area of focus: Using ARUs to evaluate the impacts of voluntary restoration on grassland songbirds
Maya Rayle
Area of focus: Evaluating how diverse riparian restoration strategies impact biodiversity, productivity and climate resilience in temperate grasslands
Claire Bresnan, Montana State University
Area of focus: Investigating the mechanisms of collective movement in Plains bison
Itai Namir, Montana State University
Area of focus: The Impacts of plague mitigation on the black-tailed prairie dogs in north-central Montana
Dana Nelson, Clemson University
Area of focus: Factors influencing swift fox reintroduction success to Fort Belknap Reservation, Mont.
Johnny Stutzman, University of Wyoming
Area of focus: The functionality of riparian corridors in prairie ecosystems
Kimberly Todd, George Mason University
Area of focus: Translocating swift foxes: Insights on personality, stress, and success