About the Staff

Federal Staff

Dr. Craig R. Allen
Unit Leader

Craig Allen received his Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida in 1997, a MS in Wildlife Science in 1993, from Texas Tech University and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay in 1989. He held a post-doc position in Zoology at the University of Florida working with C.S. Holling on investigations of the relationships between diversity and resilience, and variability and scale breaks in biological and other systems. Earlier in life, he was raised mostly in Madison, Wisconsin, but was born in Berkeley, California and has also lived in South Hampton and Oxford, England, and Katwijk Aan Zee, the Netherlands.

Dr. Allen was the Unit Leader for the South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources and the Department of Biological Sciences at Clemson University. He became leader of the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in 2004.

Dr. Kevin L. Pope
Assistant Unit Leader

Kevin Pope received his Ph.D. from South Dakota State University in 1996, his M.S. from Auburn University in 1993, and his B.S. in Fisheries Science from Texas A&M University in 1991.  Kevin grew up in Denver, Colorado, but was born in Abilene, Texas.

Before joining the Nebraska Coop Unit in 2005, Kevin was an Associate Professor of Fishery Science at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

TJ Fontaine conducting field work in Tanzania

Valerie Egger has been a member the University of Nebraska-Lincoln community for nearly twenty years. Before joining the Coop Unit in 2004, her university experience included the University Bookstore, the Center for Biotechnology, Nebraska Network 21, and the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication. In 2001, she received her B.S. in Business Administration. She completed the Grantsmanship Center Training Program in 2002.

A Nebraska native, she grew up in Lincoln but for over thirty years has lived in rural Nebraska on a small farm.

Caryl provides half-time assistance with a broad range of business activities to help with the daily work flow of the Unit.

Chris Chizinski
Post- Doc Research Associate and Coordinator: Creel Survey Project

Chris Chizinski

Karie Decker
Project Coordinator

Karie is the project coordinator for the Nebraska Invasive Species Project. She works with agencies and Nebraska state senators to establish a state-wide Nebraska Invasive Species Council and will also engage in outreach programs promoting awareness of invasive species issues.

Karie Decker

Caroline Jezierski
Project Coordinator

Caroline is the Wind and Wildlife Coordinator. Her project goal is to facilitate wind power site selection and operation that balances the ecological, sociological, and increased energy development needs of Nebraska. Caroline collaborates with wind developers, land owners, state and federal management agencies, and other stakeholders and encourages communication between these groups. She also helps coordinate the Nebraska Wind and Wildlife Working Group and provides information and educational materials for everyone via a website.

Caroline received her B.A. in Biology from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1997 and her M.S. in Marine Biology from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks in 2009. Prior to joining the Coop Unit in 2011, Caroline worked throughout the west, from Baja to Alaska, as a field technician, a biologist, and a naturalist. Her recent work has focused on human dimensions in resource management and has included studying the impact of sea kayak tourism on harbor seal behavior and the effectiveness of education in reducing impact, minimizing human-bear encounters through outreach and education, permitting development projects, and sharing the wonders of the natural world uncovered by researchers with vacationers and anyone who will listen.

Caroline Jezierski

(back to top)