Title: Deputy Director, Department of Resource Management
Employer: Forest Preserves of Cook County
Prior Positions: Conservation Ecologist at The Field Museum; Restoration Ecologist at The Wetlands Initiative

Iza joined the team at FPCC in 2022 where she now works to fulfill the mission of restoring 70,000 acres of habitat in the densely populated Cook County and works closely with ecology, fisheries and wildlife sections in the department. Along with colleagues, Iza concentrates on prioritizing projects and areas for restoration, finding funding, coordinating resources, and ensuring that her staff works in tandem. Her big goal is establishing a seed propagation program for the Forest Preserves.

Her degree in Integrative Biology gave her the groundwork and theory of ecology, as well as implanted some ideas that work on the ground is as important as research. After she graduated with a double major in Integrative Biology and German Iza got both an M.S. in Environmental Science and M.P.A. at the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs to get hands-on training in field of restoration on the policy side of conservation.

As a Conservation Ecologist she worked in the greater Chicago Wilderness area to conserve high quality remnant habitats and species that reside within them, as well as bring back the health and resilience to those areas that have heavily been affected by urban sprawl and industrial development.

What should you do if you are interested in conservation or restoration careers? Get as much hands-on experience as you can! Volunteer, visit restoration areas and nature conservatory sites, participate in conferences and other events (e.g. Wild Things Conference held every 2 years inChicago) and take field-based courses that put emphasis on natural history and identification skills. Take advantage of the resources around you, such as the INHS, collections, prairies and other natural habitats, and volunteering opportunities. If you want to get a job like hers at the Field Museum, some years of experience, volunteering or going through their internship programs will be key, since it’s a competitive area. This will also help to build the practical skills you will need such as identification and learning how to set up an assay or cut a transect.

Iza is a wealth of information and insight into conservation careers, so she would be a great contact if you are interested in conserving habitats and species in urban or other environments. Contact Christina Swanson at alumnimentor@sib.illinois.edu if you would like to connect with Iza.