Title: Assistant Project Leader
Company: Private John Allen National Fish Hatchery
Location: Pontotoc, Mississippi, United States
Education: MA, Project Management & Science, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, 2020;
BA, Wildlife & Fishery Sciences, Eastern New Mexico University, 2017;
AA, General Science, Luna Community College, Las Vegas, NM, 2015
Career History: Assistant Project Leader, Private John Allen National Fish Hatchery, 2020-present;
Wildlife Firefighter;
Dexter Fish Hatchery, Southern New Mexico; other fisheries: Oklahoma, Idaho, South Dakota, Arizona, Wyoming, Tribal fish hatchery;
US Fish & Wildlife Service, Mora National Fish Hatchery, NM, 2012
Type of Business: Conservation
Daniel Paul Gallegos, Assistant Project Leader at the Private John Allen National Fish Hatchery, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of conservation.
Mr. Gallegos became involved in his profession because of his first boss, Jeff Powell, who hired him right out of college at the Mora National Fish Hatchery. He was the project leader and inspired him to examine his course in life. Mr. Gallegos originally intended to teach special education but upon working at the hatchery with Mr. Powel, he was inspired to pursue a new dream. After earning an Associate of Arts in general science from Luna Community College in 2015, he continued his academic pursuits at Eastern New Mexico University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in wildlife and fishery sciences in 2017. In 2020, he received a Master of Arts in project management and science from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. These degrees, alongside the skills and expertise he has garnered from his mentor and work experience, have aided him in his current role as the Assistant Project Leader at the Private John Allen National Fish Hatchery. Prior to starting this role in 2020, Mr. Gallegos has worked as a wildlife firefighter, at the Dexter Fish Hatchery, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Mora National Fish Hatchery and many other fisheries in the states of Oklahoma, Idaho, South Dakota, Arizona, Wyoming and tribal territories.
Looking toward the future, his goal is to become a project leader preferably in his hometown at Mora National Fish Hatchery or at Private John Allen Fish Hatchery. His appointment as assistant project leader recognizes him as one of the youngest in the country to hold this position. He has received such accolades as the Earliest Conservationist of the Year in the Southwest Region from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Survive in 2015 and the Outstanding Senior in Wildlife & Fishery Science from Eastern New Mexico University in 2016.
