The Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board has appointed John A. O’Leary, A.S (SSA) ’74, B.S. ’77, M. S. ’84 Assistant Director for Wildlife Research in the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. John has spent his entire professional career in Massachusetts and is known nationally for his work to incorporate into computer models the ability of plants and animals to adapt to climate change.

After completing his graduate studies at UMass John started his career as the Leader of a federal research project on Connecticut River fish passage facilities, then subsequently served as a research biologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Anadromous Fish Research Lab at Turner’s Falls, state Connecticut Valley District Fish Manager, Leader of the state Anadromous Fish Restoration Project, Team Leader for the Connecticut, Westfield, and Farmington Rivers, and most recently State Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator for the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

He lives on his family’s farm in Southampton, Mass.