Erin Kavanagh

Erin Kavanagh recently graduated from RWFM’s wildlife conservation and policy program. This five-year joint-degree program with The Bush School of Government and Public Service enables students to earn a Bachelor of Science in rangeland, wildlife and fisheries management and a Master of Public Service and Administration.

Kavanagh said that although her initial career goals centered around wildlife biology, she became fascinated by the complexity of natural resource policy and politics following a course focused on fish and wildlife laws.

“I found I liked the challenge of working with different groups of people to form a consensus on issues I'm passionate about,” she said. “I also have a particular interest in the area of communication as it relates to science and policy formation.”

For her capstone project, Kavanagh conducted an on-campus survey to identify and explore how U.S. wildlife value orientations influence voters’ approaches to public policy.

“Future programs aimed at delisting species or preventing additional listings under the Endangered Species Act must relate successfully to the variety of values held by new generations of private landowners in conservation programs,” Kavanagh said.

Kavanagh said the program’s flexibility allowed her to tailor her courses to meet educational goals and gain industry-specific skills such as the National Environmental Policy Act, NEPA, processes and procedures.

“The opportunity to be a Boone and Crockett Club Fellow provided me the chance to meet industry professionals in both science and policy and share my ideas on a broader scale,” she said. “All of these experiences have put me in a place where I can approach my job with confidence, knowing that I have the knowledge and skills to tackle most issues that I run into and the ability to find solutions for those I need more experience with.”   

Currently, Kavanagh is a rangeland management specialist for the Ashley National Forest in Vernal, Utah.