Dare to Imagine: Shauna Ertolacci

Women Lifting Other Women

I worked with her at Padre Island National Seashore many years ago when she was a Biological Technician there and I did Law Enforcement. She was so dedicated and good in her craft. She has continued to grow within her career and branched off to now be the Environmental Specialist at Zion National Park.
-Grisel Madera, Visitor Protection Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park

Shauna, what project would you like to highlight?

My current work focuses on applying the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and developing a systematic approach to coordinate conservation efforts. Park infrastructure projects are a primary focus, but I also coordinate scientific research permitting, collaborate with partner groups, and engage in external reviews of evolving land uses. My daily responsibilities require utilizing scientific data, technical reports, and specialized expertise to determine how to best mitigate human impacts and thereby protect cultural and natural resources. One of the more challenging circumstances for park management is developing a proactive process that coordinates an interdisciplinary team of experts with sufficient time to complete the mandated environmental impact documentation. To enhance internal coordination, I recently organized strategic changes to internal processes that emphasize “Pre-NEPA” planning and project management. Integrating new procedures and management tools, such as an Environmental Compliance Cost Estimate worksheet, provide a proactive framework for park managers to understand anticipated environmental impacts as a proposal is being conceptualized. In turn, this provides park managers with the ability prioritize projects, identify staffing needs, and allocate adequate funding to properly protect resources in accordance with best management practice as well as the best scientific information available.

Will you tell us a little about that project?

The culmination of my career thus far has taught me that no matter the resource you are trying to protect, effective communication and coordination is essential. In my current position, this naturally led me to ask how internal processes could be enhanced to increase communications, facilitate resource protection, and streamline park project planning? This very behind-the-scenes, applied approach ensures that the policies in place are upheld and environmental protection has a voice. My work informs decision-makers and engages the public but, even more importantly, it produces a legacy of protection for future managers to work from. Understanding how both human and environmental pressures manifest in our national parks overtime is imperative to conservation and it all starts with ensuring detailed site-specific aspects of a project are extrapolated in quantifiable environmental impacts.

Shauna in Ecuador holding a stick bug.

What was your path like? How did you get to where you are now?

My undergraduate research, studying the social and reproductive behaviors of neo-tropical primates in Ecuador, was an experience that opened my eyes to the absolute wonder of nature. Even still, witnessing the sharp contrast of homogeneous grazing pastures replacing native, tropical dry forests ignited a passion within me that has slowly burned and fueled a lifelong career in natural and cultural resource management. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology with a Sustainable Development Concentration, I shifted my focus and accepted a Student Conservation Association internship at Cape Hatteras National Seashore managing breeding shorebirds and sea turtles with off-highway vehicle use. I instantly fell in love with the NPS mission and began traveling the country as a seasonal NPS Biological Science Technician working to monitor and track the reproductive success of an assortment of species threatened by human activities. My interests gradually morphed into learning how the NPS utilizes various policies and authorities to make decisions and develop projects to balance both preservation and visitor use. I later returned to academia to purse a Master’s in Environmental Policy and Management to focus on integrating targeted management procedures into the decision-making process to maximize environmental protections.

What was the hardest part about getting where you are? How did you overcome it?

An epiphany that changed the course of my career was realizing that what may appear to be the obvious for one may not actually be the obvious for all. If allowed, this could be frustrating but, in the end, it has taught me patience. I make it a point to actively listen, engage with lots of questions, and take the time to clarify my perspective or understanding of an issue. It was also important to be comfortable with not having all the answers right away. Exploring topics through research constantly leads to long forgotten factoids and innovative revelations.

What are you most proud of?

Forsaking the fear of the unknown brought me to far off places which allowed me to cultivate a strong sense of cultural humility and unrelenting curiosity. Pursuing my passion and finding a career where I am able to focus my efforts on preserving the environment was by no means easy but entirely worth the dedication. Along the journey, I was also fortunate to meet an amazingly supportive partner. Together we created a tiny little human who is keenly aware of her surroundings and our new best friend.

Favorite Quote?

The Dare to Imagine Project is funded by an Innovation and Impact Grant provided by the National Park Foundation. This grant supports projects and programs that help the National Park Service share a more comprehensive American narrative that includes the voices of women whose vision, tenacity, and resilience moved them to climb mountains, take down barriers, shape history, protect the environment, and lead social movements. Read more of these women's stories on the Dare to Imagine page.