Celebrating Kristen Klaphake
My time at WEST has been filled with memorable experiences and significant personal growth. One of my favorite memories at WEST revolves around the camaraderie and teamwork that characterized our small office in Laramie, Wyoming. Working closely with colleagues like Grant Gardner, whose desk was just a few feet away from mine, fostered a strong […]
Celebrating Carmen Boyd
In 2013, Carmen began her WEST career at the headquarters in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She started in the Project Tracking and Data Team which supported WEST’s research on the interactions of wind energy and wildlife populations. Carmen is proud of her time managing the Team and she appreciated the Team’s cohesiveness, dedication, reliability and efficiency that […]
Celebrating Shay Howlin
Twenty-five years ago, Shay joined WEST as a statistician at the same time we opened the second ever brick-and-mortar office in Laramie, Wyoming. Joining the WEST team of four statisticians and six biologists was the perfect fit, combining her two chosen disciplines of statistics and wildlife ecology. Today WEST employs more than 40 statisticians, analysts […]
Welcoming Melinda Conners
WEST is thrilled to welcome Melinda Connors, Ph.D. to our team as a Senior Biologist! Melinda will support WEST’s offshore wind team and works remotely from Morro Bay, on the central California coast. She is a marine ecologist with more than 15 years of experience on offshore research projects. Her research focuses mainly on issues […]
Welcoming Brenda Bhatti
WEST is excited to welcome Brenda Bhatti to our team as a Senior Wildlife Biologist/Ecologist! Brenda has been in wildlife and environmental consulting, land use, conservation, and project/business management for more than 25 years and has worked in a broad range of sectors that include transportation/infrastructure (e.g., bridges, airports), on/offshore wind and solar, energy/transmission, commercial/industrial […]
Celebrating Juneteenth
Happy Juneteenth from WEST! Juneteenth has become a time to honor African American heritage, culture, and achievements. This day marks a significant milestone in history, symbolizing freedom and the ongoing struggle for equality. Juneteenth is now a federal holiday celebrated by many at WEST. Our attendance at various local events including parades, cultural festivals, and […]
Congratulations Hall Sawyer
WEST is excited to announce Hall Sawyer’s promotion to Principal Biologist. Hall joined WEST in 2002 and has since led several long-term studies focused on migration ecology and energy impacts to big game. Hall works with agencies and industry to conduct and communicate research in ways that improve management, mitigation, and planning efforts related to […]
Congratulations Amanda Hale
Join us in congratulating Amanda Hale on her promotion to Principal Biologist. Amanda joined WEST in 2022 as a Senior Research Biologist and Science Lead for the Bat Practice Group. Prior to joining WEST, Amanda was a Professor of Biology at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth (Go Frogs!), where she taught undergraduate and graduate […]
Congratulations Rhett Good
We are excited to announce Rhett Good’s recent promotion to Principal Biologist! Rhett joined WEST 26 years ago as a field biologist on a study that examined the impacts of wind energy on birds and bats at Foote Creek Rim, Wyoming; one of the first wind energy facilities constructed outside of California. Since that time […]
Celebrating Pride Month
Happy Pride Month! At WEST we celebrate and support our LGBTQIA+ team members, clients, communities, and allies. WEST is committed to fostering a workplace where everyone feels affirmed, respected, and included. We value an atmosphere of respect that honors diversity, integrity, and equity and those values are the heart of WEST’s work environment. We are […]