Michelle Stantial, PhD

Michelle Stantial is a quantitative ecologist with 12 years of experience evaluating the effectiveness of management actions on threatened and endangered species. The focus of Michelle’s career lies at the intersection of quantitative ecology and decision science, aiding managers in navigating problems with multiple, often competing values and uncertainties. Her expertise includes developing spatial capture-recapture models, hierarchical models of animal abundance and occurrence, and decision analysis, and she has collaborated extensively with state and federal agencies, NGOs, and tribal partners to use data-driven decision-making to achieve desirable management outcomes.

Michelle earned her Ph.D. in Wildlife Biology and Management from SUNY-ESF, holds an M.S. in Wildlife Biology and Management from SUNY-ESF, and earned her B.S. in Biology from Marietta College, establishing a strong foundation for her career as an ecologist. Outside of work, Michelle is an avid birder and naturalist. You’ll also catch her embracing adventure with mountain biking and ski mountaineering, adding a bit of excitement to her life outside the office.