People Type: Staff

As the coordinator for the American Oystercatcher Recovery Program, Shiloh is responsible for working with diverse partner organizations along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts to identify and foster research and management programs that will aid the recovery of American Oystercatchers and other beach-nesting birds. This work contributes to Manomet’s larger mission to use science-based collaborative solutions to recover shorebird populations.

Shiloh earned his doctorate at North Carolina State University, where he studied the ecology and population biology of American Oystercatchers on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. During his time in North Carolina, he helped coordinate a coast-wide banding and resighting effort with multiple research partners. Shiloh holds a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Vermont and has worked on a variety of landbird, seabird, and shorebird projects throughout North America.

As well as an avid birder, Shiloh is a competitive distance runner and holds a 2nd-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Why Manomet?

At Manomet, I am privileged to work with an outstanding team of biologists dedicated to the conservation of shorebirds.  We have the freedom and flexibility to conduct applied research and conservation projects throughout the Americas.

From a very young age I have known that we human beings have a soul-deep need to be connected to nature, and that when this connection is broken, our spirit suffers.

Growing up in a rural town in Illinois, I spent hour-upon-hours playing in the country-side. Adventure-filled days were followed by magical summer evenings listening to the whippoorwill’s ethereal call as fireflies lit up the night.

Just before my 8^th birthday our family moved to Massachusetts. Our new home was an apartment in a tenement in the city. Gone were the golden fields and the call of the whippoorwills. They were replaced by broken slabs of asphalt and the nightly sounds of sirens. Gone were the fireflies – replaced by neon lights that lit up the night. I was overwhelmed with homesickness for the natural world.

But Nature will always find a way to restore the spirit. Beside the stoop of our apartment building, courageously busting its way through the asphalt, grew a hearty Catalpa tree. That tree was my sanctuary; it kept me connected to the natural world that my waning spirit so missed. The Catalpa grew mighty out of that sterile ground, reaching its way to the second floor of the tenement. The leaves, as big as dinner plates, provided perfect shelter on a hot summer day when I escaped upward into the arms of the Catalpa. There amongst all that earthy smelling green, my spirit was restored.

It is this same soul-deep need for a connection to nature that brought me to Manomet 33 years ago. It is a need to smell the scent of flowers and to see their delicious color splashed across a thirsty earth and to feel the warmth of soil in my hands. And it is a deep desire to nurture and protect this natural world, and to share it with others, however I can, that inspired me to become certified as a Master Gardener.

In addition to my Master Gardener role, it is my greatest privilege to be the Operations Manager at Manomet and have the opportunity to provide support to all the amazing staff that are the heart and soul of Manomet and who make it such a unique organization.

When not at work at Manomet, well, I’m still doing the same things – listening to birds, digging in the dirt, and hanging out with amazing people who love the earth. And even, occasionally, climbing a tree.

As Vice President of Science, Stephen helps support Manomet’s scientific work across all of the programs.  He works to improve the scientific rigor of our research, increase its application to real-world problem solving, and make it as widely accessible and inclusive as possible.  His own research focuses on determining what limits populations of shorebirds and developing methods for tracking their populations at a hemispheric scale.  He has led annual field work expeditions in the arctic for the past 20 years.

Stephen has worked in applied science and conservation throughout his career and has spent the last 20 years at Manomet. He has a Ph.D. in Natural Resources from Cornell, an M.S. in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan, and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Hampshire College. He lives in Vermont in a homestead he has made carbon neutral (heated with sustainably harvested wood and powered from solar energy). In the rare moments when he is not working on shorebird conservation, he enjoys skiing and hikes in the mountains.

Why Manomet?

I work at Manomet because I believe applied science should form the basis for our efforts to address the conservation problems facing us. Manomet is one of only a few organizations that has maintained a commitment to doing cutting-edge scientific work on conservation issues, and applying that science through our networks of partnerships. We have built a program that depends on the best available science and is successful because we use scientific results to guide our way. I strongly believe in Manomet’s mission to apply science and engage people to sustain our world.

ResearchGate

Justin Barrett joined Manomet in April 2016. As Deputy Director of Development, he oversees Manomet’s data operations and analytics and leads restricted giving planning, prospecting, and forecasting.

Before Manomet, Justin worked in various roles at HopeHealth, most recently as the Marketing and Philanthropy Coordinator. He brings years of database experience, data and metric tracking, and extensive event planning. Justin holds a B.A. in Sociology and Comparative Religion from Western Michigan University and a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL.

In his personal life, Justin enjoys birding, hiking, reading, and spending time with his beautiful wife and two children. As an avid birder, Justin serves as the president of the Nasketucket Bird Club. In this role, he enjoys leading birding field trips and educating adults and kids alike about birds.

Why Manomet?

I work at Manomet because it is making amazing progress in the areas that matter most to my family. And to be even a small part of that energy everyday is rewarding. From using science to take care of birds, to creating networks that influence some of the largest life-supporting systems, Manomet takes its small name and creates tremendous change for the betterment of the world.