Rob Domenech, RVRI President
Rob Domenech graduated from the University of Montana in 2002 with a Wildlife Biology degree after eight years of attending classes in the spring and working on raptor migration studies in the fall. He worked throughout Western Montana for over ten years on various studies while scouting for suitable sites for the first fall migration ridgeline banding study in Montana. He founded Raptor View Research Institute (R.V.R.I.) in 2004 to continue his Raptor migration studies and its mission continues to evolve. Rob's enduring passion for raptors and his desire to work with at risk youth, has led R.V.R.I. to concentrate its outreach programs on educating the community by bringing small groups into the field for hands-on experience with raptors. Rob's future plans for R.V.R.I. are to expand on its early success with programs that include an Osprey monitoring project geared specifically toward at-risk youth and a Swainson's hawk nesting study, both of which are spring/summer projects.
Noel Nies-Nesmith
Noel Nies-Nesmith is a Montana transplant from somewhere below the Mason-Dixon. She moved to Missoula in 1997 and quickly realized she had finally found her home. She graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in Wildlife Biology and worked with RVRI for several fall trapping seasons. She also worked with other non-profit and state agencies conducting avian field research. After finding her love for educating those around her, she returned to graduate school to earn a Master of Education. She currently teaches Special Education and support classes at Seeley-Swan High School and lives in Seeley Lake, MT with her husband and two furry friends (dogs not people). Noel has been a board member since the inception of RVRI and continues to find her way to the trapping blind when the birds are calling. Her favorite raptor is an American Kestrel. “You may find them everywhere, but if I had half the sense and a third of the guts as a kestrel, I would be superhuman.”
Kathy Gray PhD
Kathy migrated west from New Jersey as fast as she could after high school graduation. She spent many years in Missoula, MT studying both Wildlife Biology and Statistics. She spent her summers working for the Forest Service as a biological technician. After completing her Bachelor's in Wildlife Biology she moved to the dark side and studied statistics. She earned a PhD in Statistics from the University of Montana in 2007. She accepted a tenure-track position at California State University in Chico. Her professional interests are environmental modeling. Kathy is directly involved in several of RVRI’s Golden Eagle studies. When not working, she enjoys kayaking and snowboarding. She is happily married and recently adopted a rescued dog named Rummy.