I currently serve as President and Events and Education Coordinator for the Wisconsin Herpetological Association (formerly Madison Area Herpetological Society), a 501c(3) nonprofit. We are one of the most active and influential reptile and amphibian education organizations in the U.S. on herptile education, captive care, and conservation. I personally have a strong educational and career background in science, biology, herpetology, environmental education, natural history, ecology, and museum methods, and have worked through the UW Wisconsin Stevens Point, and the Aldo Leopold Foundation.

A note on subspecies: Subspecies are quite possibly the most maligned taxonomic ranking, with little to no good reasoning. Although characterized as arbitrary and superficial, so is our entire Linnean system of classification. Subspecies can have significant conservation utility value in shaping public policy and education in terms of defining what actually occurs state to state, and even locally. In some instances, there is also no merit in altering a species which is not presently up for taxonomic revision, and also when there has never been historical precedence. Subspecies in long-standing usage must therefore be honored. It is for these reasons why using subspecies is generally a better practice whenever possible.