Leeanna Pletcher

817 Orchard Road

Richmond VA 23226

thebuttons at hotmail dt com

804-355-5750 (home)

804-307-8757 (cell)

 

Leeanna Pletcher

Education:

Masters of Science in Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Richmond VA. May 2008. GPA 3.75

Bachelors of Science in Biology, VCU. Richmond VA. December 2002. Cum Laude. GPA 3.429

 

Experience:

Wildlife Diversity Technician, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Charles City, VA                        6/08 - 9/08

• Planned and surveyed structures for the state-endangered Rafinesque’s Big-eared bat
• Assisted with herpetological survey and trapping
• Maintained freshwater mussels and fish in an aquatic facility
• Prepared and published a field note and wrote a survey report

 

Lab and Research Specialist I, Dr. Vonesh Lab, VCU, Richmond, VA                                                                             5/07 - 9/07

• Performed fieldwork on predator effects of oviposition and colonization of aquatic organisms
• Processed amphibian egg and aquatic invertebrate samples and maintained database of results
• Set-up and maintained large scale experiment at Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery and Rice Center
• Coordinated research activities with state and government biologist
• Took care of live animals including fish and amphibians

 

Volunteer Contributions:

Herpetological Field Assistant, Dr. Joy Ware, Richmond VA                                                                               2005 - present

• Examine snake and frog health as Snake Force One member
• Capture and identify species and collect skin and blood samples
• Survey Rappahanock, Presquile, and James River National Wildlife Refuges
• Trapped, photographed and examined spotted salamanders in vernal pools at the Rice Center

 

Avian Field Assistant, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA                                                              6/05 - 12/08

• Recorded banding data for over 200 Prothonotary Warblers, 100 hours of service
• Caught and handled fledgling and adults from bird boxes
• Assisted Cathy Viverette at Presquile National Wildlife Refuge
• Assisted Terry Smith with thesis project at Dutch Gap Conservation Area
• Taught bird identification skills to two of Dr. Crawford’s Environmental Outreach students
• Counted birds on a field trip of the Maymont-VCU Discovery Institute April 2007
• Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count participant at Rice Center 2006, 2007, 2008

 

Outreach Educator, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA                                                                  6/05 - 5/08

• Assisted Anne Wright at the Walter and Inger Rice Center for Environmental Life Sciences
• Taught salamander life cycle and vernal pool biology to Varina High School’s AP Environmental class
• Installed salamander coverboards with Varina high-school group
• Assisted with workshop on Aquatic invertebrates
• Helped kids build bird boxes at Prothonotary warbler box-building workshops
• Participated in GOBS Rice Center clean-ups and Restoration Day lake plantings

 

Publications:

Pletcher, Leeanna. 2009. Postage Takes a Day at the Beach. The Thrasher 36(3): 3.

Kleopfer John (J.D.), Leeanna Pletcher and Susan Watson. 2008. Amphiuma means (Two-toed Amphiuma). Catesbeiana

28(2): 72 - 74.

Pletcher, Leeanna T. James R. Vonesh and Johanna M. Kraus. 2008. The Ecology of Fear: Colonization and

              Oviposition in Aquatic Systems. Virginia Journal of Science 59(2): 89-90.

Ware, Joy, Cathy Viverette, John D. Klopfer, Leeanna Pletcher, Davis Massey and Anne Wright. 2008. Infection of Spotted

Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) with  Ichthyophonus-like Organisms in Virginia. Journal of Wildlife Diseases

44(1): 174-176.

Pletcher, Leeanna. November 2006. Southern Florida Wetland Birds Fly into Your Mailbox. The Thrasher 33(7): 5.

Pletcher, Leeanna T. 2005. Rat Basketball: A Slam Dunk for Education at the Science Museum of Virginia. Virginia Journal

of Science 56(3): 156.

Pletcher, Leeanna. March 2005. 2nd Wednesday Walk Turns into a History Lesson. The Thrasher 32(3): 6.

 

Presentations:

Three Chopt Elementary School Summer Camp. July 2009. Knowing Animals by their Bones Feathers and Shells.

Virginia Academy of Science. May 2009. A survey of structures used by Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bat in Virginia.

Friends of Rappahannock National Wildlife Refuge, Warsaw VA. May 2008. Box Turtle Biology and Conservation.

Virginia Academy of Science. May 2008. The Ecology of Fear: Colonization and Oviposition in Aquatic Systems.

VCU Graduate Research Symposium & Exhibit, poster presentation. April 2008. The Ecology of Fear: Colonization and

              Oviposition in Aquatic Systems.

Rice Center Cooperators Group, VCU. April 2008. The Ecology of Fear: Colonization and Oviposition in Aquatic Systems.

Lunch Break Science, Science Museum of VA. January 2008. Box Turtle Biology and Conservation.

Guest Lecturer: Vertebrate Natural History Class, VCU. January 2008. Amphibian Breeding Systems.

Virginia Herpetological Society Symposium, Student Presentation. October 2007. The Ecology of Fear: Colonization and

              Oviposition in Aquatic Systems.

Flint Hill Upper School, High School Biology Class. October 2007. Salamander Sampling Methods.

North East Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation meeting, poster presentation. August 2007. Survey of Spotted

              Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) in Vernal Pools at the Walter and Inger Rice Center for Environmental

              Sciences.

VCU Graduate Research Symposium & Exhibit, poster presentation. April 2007. Survey of Spotted Salamanders

              (Ambystoma maculatum) in Vernal Pools at the Walter and Inger Rice Center for Environmental Sciences.

Virginia Academy of Science. May 2005. Rat Basketball: A Slam Dunk for Education at the Science Museum of Virginia.

 

Scholarships, Awards, and Grants:

• Franklin J. Tobey Award, Virginia Herpetological Society, 10/2008
• Graduate School Thesis/Dissertation Assistantship, VCU 1/2008 - 5/2008
• Franklin J. Tobey Award - 3rd place, Virginia Herpetological Society, 10/2007
• Student Travel Grant, North East Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, 8/2007
• Sigma Xi Grants-In-Aid of Research, 4/2007
• Rice Center Research Award, VCU 5/2007
• Graduate Teaching Assistantship, VCU, 8/2006 - 12/2007
• Graduate Teaching Assistantship, VCU, 1/2006 - 5/2006

 

Professional Memberships:

Virginia Academy of Science Biodiversity and Natural History Chair

• Judged student presentations 2006 - 2008

Virginia Herpetological Society

• Participated in annual herpetological surveys and education events
• Presented Student Posters and Student Presentation 2007, 2008

The Wildlife Society Virginia Chapter

Virginia Natural History Society

Virginia Society of Ornithology

Richmond Audubon Society