The PLJV Management Board is pleased to announce that Rich Schultheis has accepted the position as JV Coordinator starting August 5.
“Rich has a strong background working with partners including federal, state and non-governmental organizations, which is a great fit for leading the PLJV partnership. He also has direct experience leading a dynamic and high-level staff which will be good as PLJV continues to grow,” said Board Chair Elise Goldstein. “I also personally appreciate his strong biological background which provides a critical foundation for decision-making.”
Rich developed an appreciation for the natural landscape from an early age, having been born and raised in rural western Pennsylvania. His passion for migratory birds, especially those that rely on wetlands, drew him to working at PLJV, especially the ability to positively impact migratory bird habitats on a landscape scale.
Prior to joining PLJV, Rich spent 12 years working for Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, initially as the Webless Migratory Game Bird Coordinator and later as the Wildlife Research Section Supervisor, and then an Assistant Director in the Wildlife Division.
As the PLJV Coordinator, Rich represents the interests of the joint venture and its partners in a variety of professional forums, and plays a key role in developing, maintaining and advancing a strategic, landscape oriented, partnership-driven approach to integrated migratory bird conservation. He enjoys working with the dynamic and productive PLJV team, who share his passion for birds and the habitats they rely on, as well as the partners that make our success possible.
Mike Carter, mid-career at PLJV
Succession Planning and Transition
Earlier this year, after 23 years as the PLJV Coordinator, Mike Carter decided he was ready for a new adventure. In March, the PLJV Management Chair announced that Mike Carter would be stepping down as the JV Coordinator and that the board was in the midst of succession planning and recruiting.
“It is impossible to relate all Mike has done for the JV, from starting as Coordinator on a shoestring budget to building a strong team of 12 staff and an annual budget of over $4 million,” said Matt Hough, PLJV Management Board Chair. “Mike joined in 2001, 12 years after the JV’s beginning in 1989, and guided the organization through its incorporation as a non-profit and the expansion of its programs.”
Learn more about the new coordinator selection at the summer Management Board meeting in late June, as well as a surprise celebration for Mike in the July issue of the Playa Post.
Mike is currently serving as a part-time advisor through Oct 30, 2024.