Ford Bendell

Ford Bendell has a diverse background in environmental consulting and biology research. They started their career at UC Santa Barbara as a Laboratory Research Assistant, where they gained experience in population dynamics and data analysis. They then worked as a Trip Leader at Adventure Programs, leading adventure trips and honing their problem-solving and leadership skills. After that, Ford became a Field Project Manager at Hunter College, where they focused on monitoring the behavior and demographics of endangered lemurs in Madagascar. They then joined ICF as a Biologist, specializing in terrestrial wildlife biology and restoration ecology. At ICF, their responsibilities included conducting assessments for various types of wetlands. Currently, Ford is working as an Ecologist and Assistant Project Manager at SWCA Environmental Consultants, a nationwide environmental consulting firm. Their role involves helping clients navigate environmental compliance processes using their scientific expertise and industry knowledge.

Ford Bendell completed their education in a chronological order. Ford attended The Independent School in Wichita, KS from 2008 to 2012, where they obtained their high school degree. Ford then pursued a Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology (EEMB) from UC Santa Barbara from 2012 to 2016.

After their undergraduate studies, Ford enrolled in Columbia University and completed a Master's degree in Conservation Biology from 2020 to 2022. During this time, they also obtained several certifications, including "Stream Functions Pyramid and Quantification Tool" from Stream Mechanics in September 2022, "CPR Certification" from the American Red Cross in May 2022, "R Programming for Statistics and Geospatial Analysis" from Columbia University in December 2021, and the "Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialization Certification" from the University of California, Davis (Coursera) in December 2021.

Prior to their time at Columbia University, Ford obtained certifications such as "Cornell Tree Climbing Institute Canopy Researcher" from Cornell University in October 2019, "Wilderness/Remote Location First Aid" from the American Red Cross in February 2019, "California Rapid Assessment Method Vernal Pool Module Training" from the San Francisco Estuary Institute in May 2017, "Flat-tailed Horned Lizard Bio-monitor Certification" from the Southwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation in May 2017, "California Rapid Assessment Method Training" from the San Francisco Estuary Institute in January 2017, and "Wetland Delineation Training" from the Wetland Technology Institute in an unspecified year.