Dr. Leslie Hay has been a Wildlife Biologist for over 25 years, having received her Master’s degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Florida, and her PhD in Wildlife Ecology and Social Dimensions from the University of Idaho. In her previous federal career, she served as a Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Forest Service on the Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon. Leslie also served in the National Park Service, Pacific Islands Inventory & Monitoring Program in the Hawaiian Islands as Program Manager, Ecologist, and Science Communications program leader. Leslie left Federal Service for 8 years for a “bucket list” goal of working as a University Professor, due to her love of teaching and wildlife ecology research. During this tenure, she developed an international non-profit in Costa Rica that focuses on monitoring of jaguar and tropical forest wildlife in 3 national parks/biological preserves. The non-profit, Jaguar Bridges, also works extensively with conservation partnerships, and local communities with environmental education and outreach. This project is what Leslie does on her “spare time” in Costa Rica. However, after making a complete circle through working in other agencies, teaching as a university professor, and conducting wildlife research, Leslie has returned to work for the US Forest Service as the Regional Wildlife Program Leader in Albuquerque. She and her family have settled in Los Chaves and enjoy horses and the farm life on the weekends, as well as exploring the Southwest, and conducting ecological research and environmental education in Costa Rica.