Fish and Wildlife Service

Refuge Planning Staff

Tom Baca - Chief, Division of Planning (505-248-6631) tom_baca@fws.gov: Tom has been with the Service since 1990 and has a Master of Public Administration degree from New Mexico State University. Since completing his formal education, Tom has had a variety of government experience including serving as staff to former U.S. Senator Harrison Schmitt. At different times, Tom served the City of Las Cruces as Director of Aviation, Director of Real Property, Liaison for Economic Development, and Grants Administrator. Following his tenure in local government, Tom also has had the unique experience of serving as New Mexico Secretary of Regulation and Licensing, and as one of the youngest members of the governor's cabinet under former New Mexico Governor Garry Carruthers. Tom was responsible for a modest sized state department with a budget of more than $20 million and multi-divisional operations of more than 300 employees. Since joining the Service, Tom has coordinated the completion of comprehensive plans covering 24 refuge stations in Region 2. Besides authoring countless numbers of environmental assessments and facilitating innumerable public meetings and workshops, Tom has also assisted the field in the development of high profile multi-agency agreements between various refuges, other federal agencies and various refuge stakeholders and partners. Tom has served on numerous national and regional policy revision committees and continues to serve as the refuges NEPA and military issues contact.

Patrick Donnelly - Remote Sensing Scientist/Lead, HAPET Office (505-248-6432) patrick_donnelly@fws.gov: Patrick joined the Planning team in early 2001 and has a MS in Geography and Remote Sensing/GIS from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. He currently works in the Division as the Lead Remote Sensing Scientist in the Southwest Region HAPET Office (Habitat and Population Evaluation Team, a part of the Division of Planning formerly known as the Region 2 National Wildlife Refuge System Remote Sensing Lab) supporting Comprehensive Conservation Plan efforts around the Region and is responsible for developing and implementing methods for collecting and monitoring baseline vegetation data and other spatial analyzes on National Wildlife Refuges. He brings to the Division, not only experience, but an understanding of a broad range of natural resource issues and remote sensing applications, having worked for the USDA Forest Service, Regional Office in Albuquerque, NM, from 1994 until 1998, and for the USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Regional Office, Boulder City, NV, from 1998 until coming to the USFWS/NWRS/Division of Planning in 2001.

David R. Lindsey - Botanist (505-248-7460/505-239-9780 cell) david_lindsey@fws.gov: David joined the Planning team January 6, 2006 and has a BS in Botany from the University of South Florida in Saint Petersburg. He currently works in the Southwest Region of HAPET supporting Comprehensive Conservation Plan efforts around the Region and is responsible for developing and implementing methods for collecting and monitoring baseline vegetation data and other spatial analyzes on National Wildlife Refuges. Having worked for various environmental consulting firms for 12 years and for the National Wetlands Inventory for 13 years, he brings a varied ecological skill set and broad wetlands experience to the Division.

Kari McGuire -- Biologist/Natural Resource Planner (505-248-7463) kari_mcguire@fws.gov: Kari joined the Planning Division in 2004 as a Biologist/Natural Resource Planner under a Student Career Experience Program internship. She has a B.S. in horticulture from New Mexico State University and an M.L.A. in Landscape Architecture with an emphasis on Natural Resources from the University of New Mexico. Kari has a diversified work background in horticulture as well as design and has worked as a cultural assistant for a wholesale greenhouse, a vendor for a national grower and an irrigation consultant for an irrigation design and consulting firm. She assists with land acquisition and the development of Comprehensive Conservation Plans for the Southwest Region.

Chris Perez - Biologist/Natural Resources Planner (956-784-7553) chris_perez@fws.gov: Chris began working for the Service in 1991. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Corpus Christi State University and an M.S. in Wildlife Science from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Chris' experiences include wildlife videography, Rio Grande studies, and aplomado falcon conservation. Within the Service, he has worked in several program areas such as endangered species and federal projects within the Ecological Services Division, and in refuge operations. He currently works in the Division of Planning as a Biologist/Natural Resource Planner. His duties include writing and reviewing Comprehensive Conservation Plans for refuges in the Southwest Region. In his multiple-years of experience in the fish and wildlife arena, Chris has adopted a practical but committed approach to addressing important fish and wildlife management issues of interest to the Service. Note: Chris has been reassigned to office space at the South Texas National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Route 2, Box 202A, Alamo, Texas 78516. Chris will focus on plans for refuges in Texas.

Doug St. Pierre - Natural Resource Planner (505-248-6636) doug_stpierre@fws.gov: In addition to varied experience in government and the private sector, Doug has a Business Degree (Finance) and a Law Degree from Baylor University. Doug had worked in the Interior Solicitor's Office before coming to work with the Service in the Division of Realty in 1990. In a couple of stints with the Service, he has handled the acquisition of many major tracts for the refuges in the Southwest Region; and has been instrumental in writing a number of important policies and procedures for the Region. In the private sector, Doug had a private law practice, provided contract services for government agencies, and worked in the oil and gas business.

Carol Torrez - Biologist/Natural Resource Planner (505-248-6821) carol_torrez@fws.gov: Carol joined the Planning team in May of 2001. She started work with the Service in 1983, while a student at New Mexico State University. As a participant in the Cooperative Education program, Carol worked on several refuges in Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. After graduating with a BS in Wildlife Science in 1986, she worked as an Assistant Refuge Manager on the Washita NWR. From 1990 through 1994, she worked for the Forest Service as a District Wildlife Biologist. She returned to the Service at the end of 1994, to work for the New Mexico Ecological Services Field Office as an endangered species biologist. In November 2000, she transferred to the Regional Office to work in the Division of Migratory Birds, before joining the planning team. She is responsible for writing and reviewing Comprehensive Conservation Plans for Southwest Region refuges. Her broad program experience brings to the division knowledge and expertise in dealing with a wide variety of resource management issues and partners.

Yvette Truitt Ortiz - Biologist/Natural Resource Planner (505-248-6452) yvette_truittortiz@fws.gov: Yvette has been with the Service since 1990. She has a BS in wildlife biology from Sul Ross State University, in Alpine, Texas. She has worked in a variety of areas including Refuge Operations, Migratory Birds, Ecological Services, and currently works in the Division of Planning as a Biologist/Natural Resource Planner. She is responsible for writing and reviewing Comprehensive Conservation Plans for Southwest Region refuges. She brings to the division field experience, knowledge and expertise in addressing a variety of resource management concerns.

Last updated: January 22, 2008