Thomas Funk

I was born and grew up in Marietta, Georgia, where I developed a fascination with fish and aquatic life from an early age. I lived and went to school there until I was 19, when I moved to Athens, Georgia to work toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. After earning my degree, I worked as a biologist for an ecological consulting firm for a brief period before moving to Myrtle Beach, SC to pursue a master’s degree in Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies at Coastal Carolina University. I presented and successfully defended my thesis, then begin looking for jobs within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

I got my first position as a temporary biological science technician at the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office in Whiteriver, Arizona doing invasive trout removal. The long physically demanding days at high elevation were a challenge at first, but I loved spending time in the beautiful White Mountains, which featured landscapes unlike anything I had encountered in my time on the East Coast. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the culture of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and to put a bow on my time in Arizona, I got engaged to the woman who is now my wife at Grand Canyon National Park.

I first moved to Texas in 2020 after accepting a biological science technician position working with refuge populations of the endangered species of the Edwards Aquifer at the San Marcos Aquatic Resources Center. Then, in 2022, I accepted a position as a biological science technician at Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery, where I currently work to propagate four species of freshwater mussels as part of ongoing ecological restoration efforts in the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River.

My wife and I have grown fond of the quiet hatchery lifestyle, where we are currently settled and awaiting the birth of our son in November. When I’m not working, I like to spend my time hiking with my 2 dogs at the local trails and as many of the Texas state parks as I can find time to visit. I also watch football on Saturdays and Sundays, game online to keep in touch with my college friends back on the East Coast, and on my most ambitious days, play, write, and record music.