Who We Are?

Melanie Steinkamp is currently the Species Management Research Program Coordinator for the Ecosystems Mission Area in the US Geological Survey. Melanie’s background and experience is in wildlife ecology and conservation, in both research and leadership roles. Prior to USGS, Melanie worked as a Special Assistant to the Science Advisor at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Washington, D.C., where she employed her expertise from 2012 to 2016 to shape climate science policy and foster diverse partnership-led conservation efforts under an adaptive management framework. In her earlier roles she coordinated regional bird conservation initiatives, directed international programs focused on waterbirds and wetlands, developed waterbird monitoring protocols and databases, and worked with threatened and endangered species. Melanie’s academic foundation includes a Master’s in Public Health from Imperial College London, an M.S. in Wildlife Ecology from Utah State University, and a B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder.