Sylvia Pelizza

Sylvia Pelizza is the Project Leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.

Ms. Pelizza is responsible for managing the 145,800 acres of Refuge land consisting of northern Everglade habitat as well as the 1,035 acre Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge which includes some of the most productive sea turtle habitat on the East coast.

“Sylvia’s 27-year career in wildlife resources management has taken her all over the country,” said Sam D. Hamilton, the Service’s Southeast Regional Director. “Her extensive experience in managing public lands and wildlife is invaluable to us. We look forward to benefiting from Sylvia’s expertise as the Service works to conserve America’s lands and wildlife on our national wildlife refuges.”

Since 2003, Pelizza has managed the Oahu National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Hawaii, where she has worked well with Congressional staff; local federal, state, and county agencies; non profit organizations; advisory groups; scientists; developers; the media; and other interested publics. Prior to working in Hawaii, she was the Project Leader for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge complex in California.

Sylvia started her career with the Service in 1980 as a Cooperative Education Student . Since then she has worked in 5 different regions of the Service at 11 National Wildlife Refuges. Through her professional career she has had the opportunity to work in many different environments including coastal wetlands, freshwater wetlands, native prairie, desert regimes, and tropical forests.

Geographically, she has worked on the East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, Southwest, and in the Pacific Islands. She has spent seventeen years as the Project Leader at 4 stations and served as a collateral duty law enforcement officer for 19 years, beginning in 1984. Her tenure with the Service has been within the Division of Refuges, where she has developed a wide range of skills including those involved in principles, concepts and practices of wildlife refuge management; budget development and management; diplomacy and negotiation; resolution to endangered species management; and prescribed burning and wildfire suppression.

Pelizza received a Bachelor's degree from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico in 1983.

She enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and ocean sports. She also enjoys quilting, crocheting, cross-stitching, and making crafts.