Geoff Haskett Oral History Transcript

Geoff grew up in San Mateo, CA where he was initially inspired by Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring in young adulthood and the first Earth Day. He attended school at San Francisco State University and received his undergraduate degree in sociology and his master’s degree from Portland State University in public administration. In 1979, he started up with the Fish and Wildlife Service as a career conditional employee in the regional office in Portland, Oregon. Because of a Reduction in Force, Geoff moved to the Bureau of Land Management and then the National Park Service, working on land exchanges and native allotments in his early career. Geoff describes his return to the FWS’ Realty Office where he served as the Secretary to the Migratory Bird Commission.  Geoff describes how his career advanced through the FWS with increasing management responsibility and authority serving in three regional offices and back in Washington. He was the lead delegate from the US on the Polar Bear Commission, the first one appointed under President Bush (but mostly under President Obama) working with the Russians. After retiring from the FWS in 2016, Geoff moved back to Washington, DC and became the President of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, where at the time of this interview, he lived with his wife, Nikki. His work - advocating for and trying to protect national wildlife refuges - allowed him to continue networking and maintaining relationships with people he had worked with over the years.