Volunteer Spotlight: Peggy O’Connell

Peggy O’Connell, Professor and former Chair of the Biology Department at Eastern Washington University, has published extensively on mammals and their habitats. She has been involved with INLC virtually since its inception, and particularly remembers a day nearly twenty years ago when she and other wildlife biologists joined Chris DeForest in identifying wildlife corridors to prioritize for easements. Peggy joined the INLC board in 2005 and served as its secretary and member of the Land Protection Committee. She also provided workshops to the board on priority habitats and advocated for the protection of open shrub-steppe and grassland habitats in addition to forested lands. After her two terms on the board, she has remained a member of the Land Protection Committee. Most recently, she has been a lead researcher on the Deep Creek Bioassessment. INLC is forever grateful to Dr. O’Connell for her passion, expertise, and selfless commitment.