Biologist
Val has served as the wolf biologist for the Turner Endangered Species Fund (TESF) since May 2000. Working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, she was a wolf specialist for southwest Montana from 2000-2009. It was a notable achievement for TESF, as a private organization, to assist state and federal agencies with on-the-ground wolf recovery efforts. In 2010, her focus shifted to the Flying D Ranch in Montana, which has been occupied by wolves since ~ 2002. Here she investigates how wolves affect ranched bison and native elk populations. In addition, Val was the field team leader for Arizona Game and Fish Department on the Mexican wolf recovery project from 1998 to 2000. From 1994 to 1997 she served as wolf field biologist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Idaho and was part of the team sent to Canada to retrieve wolves for the reintroduction to Yellowstone and Central Idaho. Val received her B.A. in Environmental Studies from Warren Wilson College in 1992. She has been involved in wolf, ungulate, sage grouse and peregrine falcon research throughout the U.S. Her professional interests include canid behavior, restoration ecology, and working with private landowners to promote wildlife conservation.