Denise Lopez

Restoration Project Manager

Having the opportunity to be a project manager for the STRAW program with Point Blue is a full circle moment for me. Growing up in the South Bay, I knew from a young age I would dedicate my life to animals and thought I would do so by being a veterinarian. I earned my BS in Animal Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo where I gained experience managing and monitoring breeding cattle and pigs. My undergraduate education also opened my eyes to the importance of paying it forward in the community. Being part of community service-based student organizations, I was regularly organizing food drives, conferences for high school students and cultural community events.

After graduation, I spent 10 years as a veterinary technician in small animal medicine specializing in general practice, ophthalmology and dermatology. During this time, I also carried out internships on the Animal Care team at the Oakland Zoo and Condor Recovery Crew at Pinnacles National Park before transitioning to a full-time position with Bureau of Land Management at Cosumnes River Preserve.

Now that I have found my forever home with Point Blue, there’s no turning back! These days I am balancing my work in the STRAW Program and finishing my Professional Science Master’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Administration with Oregon State University. In my free time I enjoy hiking, birding, visiting national parks and searching for the perfect biscuits and gravy.

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