Stephen Brown, Ph.D.

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

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.

Arne J. Lesterhuis

A clear understanding that conservation needs the engagement of people, the diverse and geographically widespread group of colleagues and the broad focus of work is what makes Manomet a great place to work. Manomet is a perfect example of where the internet turns an office into the size of a continent, yet maintains the feel of working at desks close to each other. Conservation and working for a sustainable world can’t be done without engaging people, nor can it be done while stuck in one place. Manomet understands and embraces that, which makes it a perfect work environment for me.

Manomet is all about working towards a sustainable world through engaging with people and effecting a meaningful change in key natural systems that those people depend on. The identification of important sites for shorebirds, a key part of my job, and working with local people to protect these is a clear example of reaching that goal. Data analysis of gathered shorebird data by volunteers that I recruit for the International Shorebird Survey in Latin America and the Caribbean, help to evaluate our success in shorebird habitat conservation, but also provides a necessary basis for monitoring shorebird population trends.

I am Dutch by origin, born and raised in Holland. I studied Wildlife Management at the Van Hall-Larenstein University of Applied Sciences in Holland and have been working as a professional in the field of bird conservation since 2000. I worked for Guyra Paraguay on national level in Paraguay and on international level for Wetlands International and the BirdLife Americas Secretariat. Most of my work has been focused on migratory birds and waterbirds.

I am an enthusiastic birder ever since I was born, and always take the opportunity to go out birding whilst traveling to other countries for work. Basically, I turned my hobby into my work which works out great for me!