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Jesi Hessong
Jesi is a scientist, conservationist, outdoor enthusiast and dedicated student. She is currently one of the lead field technicians for the USGS’s North-East Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative Team and has been with the team since April 2013. The team’s work focuses primarily on documenting population densities and disease presence in amphibian species throughout National and State Park land from Virginia to Pennsylvania. The crew works with various endangered species including the Shenandoah Salamander (Plethodon Shenandoah) documenting their current population level and health status.
Jesi also has a passion of being involved in the non-profit world. In 2014 she held a yearlong internship with the Jane Goodall Institute where she assisted the development department in grant research and writing. She has also served on the Outdoor Nation Collegiate Advisory Board. She is a scientist who believes change comes from a passionate and educated public, not just from a small group of “experts”. She hopes to spread her knowledge and passion to others to make real change for species in the future.