Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae

Karen M. Leavelle
Executive Director
Osa Birds: Research and Conservation Inc.


 Education  

2008     MSc. Avian Ecology & Natural Resources. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Natural Resources. Lincoln, NE.
1991     B.A. Language Studies, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California.


Career Objectives

My general interests are avian conservation and management of endangered and endemic species within Latin America and the Caribbean. I am specifically focused on the integration of science, and education as the most effective means of habitat protection and species conservation. Osa Birds: Research and Conservation works towards avian conservation on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica.


Additional Training & Skills

Spanish language fluency
Avian field research techniques
Design software


Professional Experience

2012-   Director at Osa Birds: Research and Conservation Inc. Working towards conserving birds and their habitats on the Osa Peninsula through science and education. Applied Research of endangered endemic migratory and resident bird species. Audubon CBC organizer and compiler for the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. IMBD project coordinator.

2010-2012   Resident Ornithologist. Osa Conservation. Avian Program Coordinator. Coordinate scientific investigations of the Yellow-billed Cotinga and Scarlet Macaw; created an avian monitoring program, started the first Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the Osa Peninsula, managed field technicians and volunteers, and collaborated with government and non-governmental agencies in habitat protection and species management.

2009-2010   Consultant. Amigos de Las Aves reintroduction program.

2005-2008   Graduate Student. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE. Thesis advisory committee: Felipe Chavez-Ramirez Ph.D., Larkin Powell Ph.D., Andrew Tyre Ph.D., and Xiomara Galvez-Aguilera Ph.D, Cuba. My research focused on the occupancy, habitat associations, fruit preferences and reproductive behaviors of the endangered Blue-headed Quail-dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) of Cuba.

2004-2008   Workshop Coordinator and Instructor. Empresa Nacional para la Protección de la Flora y la Fauna, and the Platte River Whooping Crane Trust. Conducted training workshops in avian science field techniques, data management and presentation skills. Helped inspire new science investigations and interest in conservation with local communities. Created the Sandhill Crane Art Exchange with Cuban/Nebraskan school children and organize the first Gran Humedal nature reserve festival in 2008.

2002-2005  Research Associate. Coweeta Ecological Research Station (LTER), and the University of Georgia. Climate change and reproductive success of the Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens).

2002      Research Associate. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Mississippi State University. Avian response to agricultural field borders.

2001-2002  Research Associate. Center for Environmental Sciences and Education, Northern Arizona University. Restoration effects on migratory songbird reproduction, Mt. Trumbull, AZ. USA.

1999-2002  Program Manager. Northern Arizona University International Studies, Flagstaff, AZ. USA. Study abroad overseas adviser: Latin America and Spain.

1999-2000  Interprogram Communications Coordinator. Peregrine Fund. Northern Arizona. Maintained program relations between reintroduction efforts of the California and Andean Condor in the US and Columbia.

1998-1999  California Condor Species Restoration Technician. The Peregrine Fund: California Condor restoration project. Grand Canyon, AZ. USA. Field technician for two recovery sites. Monitored 22 pre-release and released California Condors through radio-tracking.

1995-1999  Spanish Instructor. Modern Language Dept. Northern Arizona University.


Publications and Manuscripts

Leavelle, K. M., L. L. Powell, GVN Powell. (in prep) A First Look at the Home Range and Habitat Use of the Rare and Endangered Yellow-billed Cotinga (Carpodectes antoniae) in Costa Rica.

Jones, E., A. Gallo, D. J. Lebbin, C. Pott, K. M. Leavelle, & L. L. Powell. (in review). Notes on the distribution, natural history & conservation of the Yellow-billed Cotinga (Carpodectes antoniae).

Lebbin, Daniel J., Caroline Pott, Karen Leavelle, Elizabeth Jones, Abraham Gallo, and Luke Powell. 2013. Yellow-billed Cotinga (Carpodectes antoniae), Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; retrieved from the Neotropical Birds Online: http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=495596

Leavelle, K.M. 2013. Osa Birds Avian Monitoring Program: Sampling Methods and Protocols. Osa Birds Technical Document. P35. Puerto Jimenez, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica.

Leavelle, K.M. 2013. Avian Inventory and Monitoring Report, Lomas de Sierpe, Área de Conservación Osa, Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica. Technical Report prepared for Osa Conservation. p23. Washington, DC. (pdf)

Leavelle, K.M. 2013. Avian Inventory and Monitoring Report on Osa Conservation Lands at Cerro Osa and Piro Research Stations. Technical Document for Osa Conservation. P 36. Washington, DC. (pdf)

Leavelle, K.M. 2011. Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Yellow-billed Cotinga (Carpodectes antoniae). Technical Document for the American Bird Conservancy. pp 44. Washington, DC. (pdf)

Leavelle, K. M. Blue-headed Quail-dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala), Neotropical Birds Online. Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Leavelle, K. M. 2008. Occupancy and Associated Habitat Characteristics, Fruit Preferences and Nesting Behaviors of the Blue-headed Quail-dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) of Cuba. M.S. Thesis, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Lincoln, NE. USA. (pdf)

Leavelle, K. M. 2008. El Estatus de Conservación de la Paloma Perdiz en Ciego de Ávila: La joya endémica de Cuba en peligro de extinción. Flora y Fauna 2(24). pp 16-18.

Leavelle, K. M. 2007. Informe preliminar del estatus de conservación de la Paloma Perdiz (Starnoenas cyanocephala) del Refugio de Fauna de la Loma de Cunagua, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. Publicación Técnica, Empresa Nacional para la Protección de la Flora y la Fauna.


Presentations

Leavelle, K.M. 2010. The Spatial Biology of the Yellow-billed Cotinga (Carpodectes antoniae) of Costa Rica. ACOSA-MINAET, Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica (paper).

Leavelle, K.M. and D. Lebbin.   2010.The Spatial Biology of the Yellow-billed Cotinga (Carpodectes antoniae) of Costa Rica. Costa Rican Ornithological Congress, San Jose, Costa Rica (poster).

Leavelle, K. M. and F. Chávez-Ramírez. 2009. Occupancy and habitat associations of the Blue-headed Quail-dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) and recent conservation activities in the Gran Humedal of Cuba. Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds, Antigua. (paper).

Leavelle, K. M. and F. Chávez-Ramírez. 2008. Occupancy and Habitat Associations of the Blue-headed Quail-dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) of Cuba. North American Ornithological Conference, Portland, OR. USA. (Paper)

Leavelle, K. M. and F. Chávez-Ramírez. 2008. Preferencia de fruta de la Paloma Perdiz en cautiverio. 2o Taller Gran Humedal del Norte de Ciego de Ávila, Cuba (papel)

Leavelle, K. M., X. Gálvez-Aguilera, and F. Chávez-Ramírez. 2007. El estatus del proyecto Perdiz dos anos después: Éxitos y resolución de problema. 1 taller Gran Humedal del Norte de Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. (Papel)

Leavelle, K. M. and F. Chávez-Ramírez. 2007. Notas sobre la reproducción de la Paloma Perdiz en un bosque semi-deciduo en Cuba. Congreso Nacional de Zoología, Cuba (papel).

Leavelle, K. M. and F. Chávez-Ramírez. 2007. La ocupancia y asociaciones de hábitat de la Paloma Perdiz (Starnoenas cyanocephala) en El Refugio de Fauna de la Loma de Cunagua, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. VII Simposio Internacional de Zoología, Topes de Collantes, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba (poster).

Leavelle, K., X. Gálvez-Aguilera, and F. Chávez-Ramírez. 2006. Occupancy and Habitat Associations of the Blue-headed Quail-dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. North American Ornithological Conference, Veracruz, Mexico (poster).

Leavelle, K. M. 2005. Conservation concerns for three endangered species in Cuba, Blue-headed Quail-dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala), Cuban parrot (Amazonia Leucocephala) and the Cuban parakeet (Aratinga Euops). School of Natural Resources Seminar Series, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska (invited seminar).


Professional Memberships

American Ornithologists’ Union (since 2004), Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean birds (since 2006), Society for Conservation Biology (since 2005), Cooper Ornithological Society (since 2004), Neotropical Ornithological Society (since 2007), Bird Conservation International (since 2005), Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation (since 2007), Wilson Ornithological Society (2005-2007).