Matthew Hodges

Matthew has served as a Partners for Fish and Wildlife Biologist stationed in the Alabama Ecological Serviced Field Office since 2021. In his current role, Matthew works collaboratively with private landowners and partners to improve, connect, and protect habitat for listed species, candidate species, and migratory birds. In his work area in south Alabama priorities include the restoration of fire-maintained longleaf pine, the improvement of river crossings on unpaved roads, and the removal of barriers to fish passage fish passage
Fish passage is the ability of fish or other aquatic species to move freely throughout their life to find food, reproduce, and complete their natural migration cycles. Millions of barriers to fish passage across the country are fragmenting habitat and leading to species declines. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Fish Passage Program is working to reconnect watersheds to benefit both wildlife and people.

Learn more about fish passage . Prior to joining the Service, he studied at East Carolina University where his research focused on plant ecology. Matthew lives in Daphne, Alabama with his wife, Alisha, and two dogs, Rocket and Cooper.

OTHER POSITIONS:

• 2020 – USFWS Directorate Fellow, Northeast Region Science Applications 
• 2020-2021 – Test Preparation and Subject Tutor, Huntington Learning Center 
• 2018-2020 – Graduate Teaching Assistant, East Carolina University 
• 2016-2018 – College Algebra Tutor, East Carolina University

WORK TEAMS, TASK FORCES, COMMITTEES, etc

• 2025 – Instructor, Southeast Regional Leadership Academy 
• 2024 – Member, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Growing our Legacy – Tribal Capacity Team 
• 2022 – Member, Partners for Fish and Wildlife 35th Anniversary Evaluation – Mentoring Team

CERTIFICATIONS and TRAININGS and EDUCATION

• 2023 – Leadership Development Program, U.S. Army Crops of Engineers, Mobile District 
• 2020 – Master of Science in Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 
• 2020 – Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science and Technology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 
• 2018 – Bachelor of Science in Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC

PUBLICATIONS, OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS and COMMUNITY/VOLUNTEER

• 2024-Current – Vice-President Education, Eastern Shore Toastmasters Club, Toastmasters International 
• 2023-Current – Member, Toastmasters International, Eastern Shore Toastmasters Club 
• 2023 – Hodges, Matthew S., and Carol Goodwillie. "Investigating the Role of Soil Legacy Effects in the Management of Lespedeza cuneata, an Invasive Legume." Natural Areas Journal 43.2 (2023): 124-134. 
• 2014 – Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America