August 2009 - Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

4
“Director,” continued
the division along
with managing the
phone systems for
the Department.
Sorry about your
luck, Fisheries!
Seth Stewart
started July 16 as
the new supervisor
in the Information
Center. Seth served
as a sergeant in the
U.S. Marine Corps,
where his duties
included providing
security at
American embassies overseas. His stations
included Moscow and Helsinki.
He also served as an assistant at the
drill sergeant’s school at Fort Knox. Since
leaving the military, Seth has managed
restaurants for a major company. He also
earned undergrad and master’s degrees in
history from the University of Louisville.
Did we also mention he has a working
knowledge of the Russian and Mandarin
Chinese languages?
Josh Lillpop has been hired as the
new Habitat Improvement Team Biologist
for the Wildlife Diversity section. He
will be working along with several technicians
to improve wildlife habitat for our
species of greatest conservation need
throughout the state. The team is funded
through the State Wildlife Grant and
will be working exclusively on non-PR
funded public lands.
The team will be focusing the beginning
efforts in the Bluegrass Region and
later moving into other regions of the
state. They will assist public land managers
in getting on-the-ground habitat change
that will benefit those species listed in the
state wildlife action plan.
This is a great opportunity for the
department to improve habitat for those
species that have not received attention
due to lack of funding. These projects may
include timber stand improvement, exotic
K E N T U C K Y F I S H & W I L D L I F E C O M M I S S I O N E R ’ S N E W S L E T T E R
Information Center Supervisor
Seth Stewart. Dave Baker photo
species removal, water holes for amphibian
breeding, warm season grass establishment,
edge feathering and many more.
Josh completed three years
of school at EKU before taking
2 internships with TNC in 2004
and 2005. In 2006, he came to the
department as a technician with
the Landowner Incentive Program
and later became a Tech III in
charge of running the LIP crew
for about a year. He then returned
to Eastern Kentucky University to
finish his bachelor’s degree in the
fall of 2008.
Josh sees the potential for
great things to happen through
this program and is excited about
being a part of such a great team. An avid
angler and hunter, he loves the outdoors
and believes it is his calling to help protect,
preserve, and ensure the natural beauty
and diversity of our great state.
Jeremy Shiflet has been hired as
a Fisheries Biologist II in the Division
of Fisheries. He will be working in the
Northwestern Fishery District in Calhoun.
Jeremy will be the assistant fisheries
biologist in the district and will help manage
fish populations in a 14-county area.
Jeremy received his master’s degree in biology
from James Madison University and
was previously employed by the Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
as a Natural Resources Specialist. Jeremy
also worked in the Department’s Age and
Growth lab.
Doug Dawson was recently hired as
the new Environmental Section Chief. He
is vacating a Wildlife Biologist position
within the Environmental Section. Doug
brings with him over 15 years of experience
in state government, having worked
in three separate cabinets and an equal
number of agencies conducting environmental
assessments, NEPA compliance,
404 mitigation, habitat assessment, and
restoration projects.
Among his accomplishments are
negotiating mitigation guidelines with the
Corps of Engineers, establishment and fa-
cilitation of several large mitigation banks
across Kentucky, successfully negotiating
agreements for the transfer of mitigation
lands to KDFWR, and currently overseeing
KDFWR’s habitat conservation planning
grant for the Nisource Multi-State
Habitat Conservation Plan (the largest
HCP ever undertaken).
Please welcome Doug in his new role
and feel free to send him your questions
and/or requests.
Rob Lewis was recently hired as an
Engineer II in the FILO section. He is
an alumni of Centre College and UK and
is a licensed engineer. Rob is a Frankfort
native and has extensive training and experience
in natural channel design stream
restoration.
He will be working in the FILO section
helping with project delivery including
the development, design, cost estimation,
and construction oversight of stream
restoration projects. Please welcome Rob
to KDFWR.
Congratulations go out to Clifford
Scott on his recent promotion to Internal
Policy Analyst II in the Administrative
Services Division.
Clifford brings with him an extensive
background in grant management, business
management and a previous teaching career.
Clifford began as an accountant in the
accounting branch paying invoices, travel
documents and department contracts.
He has since moved into the Grants
Branch and began managing the State
Wildlife Grant program. He has transitioned
into managing Wildlife Restoration,
Endangered Species, Chronic Wasting
Disease and Farm Bill grant programs.
He has also completed the Basic
Grants Management Course through the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Please join
us in wishing Clifford good luck in his
new position.
On August 1, Megan Stout began her
duties with Law Enforcement Dispatch.
Megan has three years experience in 911
dispatch and is a welcome addition to our
team. Megan resides in Spencer County.