The Truth about Black Bears 

The Truth about Black Bears

Janel began her career in wildlife as a seasonal technician for the USFS in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest from 2012-2015. Her duties focused on habitat management and wildlife surveys. She received a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. After which, she worked seasonally as a black bear specialist with Shenandoah National Park where she managed human- bear interactions from 2016-2019. She earned a M.S. in Natural Resources-Wildlife during her work with the National Park. Her thesis explored the characteristics of non-fatal attacks by black bears and agency strategies that respond to the risk of potentially lethal wildlife. In 2020 she became the State Airport Wildlife Biologist for APHIS-WS in Hawai’i. In this position, she coordinated the Wildlife Hazard Management program for Hawaii’s 16 airports. In 2021 she moved to the position of Maui District Supervisor where she managed a large and diverse district across 3 islands. Today, she is the Wildlife Program Manager for the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington state and serves on the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee for the North Cascades Ecosystem. Janel is passionate about effectively managing human-wildlife interactions, strategic decision making, stakeholder engagement, and wildlife science communication.