John Schaust Email & Phone Number

Carmel, Indiana

Serve as a Director and Chief Naturalist for Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc., a retail business specializing in nature and backyard bird feeding products with over 350 franchise stores throughout North America. Responsible for influencing and empowering Wild Birds Unlimited store-owners to be local hobby experts and to operate a nature-knowledgeable, nature nurturing store. Duties include conducting and reviewing scientific research on the natural history of birds, bird feeding, and bird population trends, along with the development of nature and hobby education materials for franchise stores located throughout the U.S. and Canada. Managed all conservation partnerships and programs for WBU, Inc., including the Pathways To Nature® Conservation Fund. This fund provided scholarships for over 3,000 kids to attend National Audubon Society summer camps and created over $2 million in support for education, conservation and wildlife-viewing projects at 26 parks, nature centers and wildlife refuges throughout North America.

Indy Parks And Recreation

Served as park manager and Nature Center director in charge of establishing and maintaining quality standards for all services, maintenance and programs. Responsible for managing contracts, budgets, personnel, participant capacities, customer service and public safety. Additional duties include: volunteer program development and coordination; interpretive program development, scheduling and presentations; special events coordinator; community relations and partnership coordinator.Served as liaison with the Friends of Holliday Park non-profit organiztion. Liaison duties include: board management, fund raising; park master planning and providing the leadership role in the design, development, construction and opening of the $4.8 million Holliday Park Nature Center in April, 2000.

Garfield Park Nature Center

Senior naturalist and member of the Division of Outdoor Education supervisory management staff. Supervisor in charge of Garfield Park Nature Center administration and operation. Responsibilities include: staff supervision, scheduling, training and hiring; volunteer program coordination; natural and historic interpretive program development, interpretive program scheduling and presentations; development and management of capital and operating budgets; payroll and personnel record maintenance; exhibit design and construction; interpretive brochure writing. Other duties include: member of Garfield Park master plan team; develop and implement management strategies for natural and interpretive resources; provide articles for agency publications; curator of cultural and natural history artifact collection; conduct inventory of park flora; conduct research in conjunction with federal bird banding license.

Potato Creek State Park

Park Interpreter and member of property management team in charge of nature center administration and interpretive programs. Responsibilities included: staff hiring, supervision and scheduling; nature center maintenance and remodeling; equipment purchasing and maintenance; interpretive program development, scheduling and presentations; exhibit design and construction; interpretive brochure writing and layout; multi-image AV program preparation and presentations. Additional duties included: public relations contact for local media; develop scripts for regular appearances on "Indiana Outdoors" TV program; provide articles for professional newsletters and IDNR magazine; coordinate gifts and donations program; park photographer; festival and major events coordinator; history research grant writer and coordinator.

Wesselman Park Nature Center

Duties included: development of new educational programs; presentation of environmental and natural history programs to visiting school, scout and civic groups; development and presentation of public interpretive programs; appearances on local TV and radio shows; write newspaper column; plan and implement major nature center events; develop and prepare exhibits; coordinate Junior Nature Club; maintain raptor rehabilitation and bird banding program; perform building and trail maintenance; assist with budget planning and master plan development.