Hey y’all! My name is Dainee Gibson, and I am overjoyed to join the Idaho Conservation League as a Conservation Analyst. I have dreamed of doing conservation work for as long as I can remember, and I feel so lucky to use my passion and skills to investigate climate change issues in Idaho.
I grew up on a family farm in rural Virginia, which established my appreciation for the natural world. From looking for white-tailed deer in the soybean fields to bird watching in the cow pastures, my childhood was marked by a desire to understand and preserve the environment around me.
A family road trip in the Rocky Mountains made me fall in love with this region, and I knew I would end up moving here from the southeast. After completing my bachelor’s degree in biology and sustainability science at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, I packed up my bags and finally moved out west to Pocatello, Idaho, where I obtained my master’s degree from Idaho State University.
My research at ISU consisted of using a social-ecological approach to identify conservation opportunities within the Portneuf River watershed. This experience immersed me in the state of Idaho, which I couldn’t bear to leave after graduate school.
At ICL, I will use my analytical skills to support our conservation programs. Working from the Boise office, I will be working with ICL’s climate team to help mitigate climate change in Idaho. I plan to combine my education in sustainability science and conservation biology with my background in agriculture to ensure conservation success in the state.
While I’ve spent the past few years living in both the eastern and western corners of southern Idaho, I am ready to explore more of the state! I’m always on the lookout for new animal species, and I never turn down an opportunity to see a moose.