Austin Pearson

Vice President | Senior Staff Ecologist

As Vice President, Austin balances day-to-day management of the Oakhurst office with his role in company leadership.

He works closely with other members of the leadership team to cultivate the company’s brand and workplace culture, develop strategies for marketing and growth, and establish company policy. He negotiates and manages contracts, facilitates staff development, and addresses human resource needs. He oversees all Oakhurst-based projects and proposals, providing technical guidance and quality control as needed. At the same time, he manages his own project load, and since joining in 2003, he has applied his biological consulting experience to a wide range of resource and regulatory scenarios.

When providing project oversight, Austin’s central priority is maintaining Live Oak Associates’ high standard of care. This commitment encompasses all aspects of a project – from ensuring, at the outset, that the client’s needs are understood and Live Oak Associates’ scope is clearly defined, to basing all work on the best available science and current regulatory environment, preparing high-quality deliverables, confirming that contract obligations are met, and ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.

As a biologist, Austin has in-depth experience with a wide range of California species and habitats. He holds a Section 10(a)(1)(A) Recovery Permit and CDFW Scientific Collecting Permit for vernal pool branchiopods. He has extensive experience in securing state and federal approvals and permits under the California and Federal Endangered Species Acts, Clean Water Act, and California Fish and Game Code, and in facilitating CEQA and NEPA compliance with respect to biological resource issues. Austin upholds Live Oak Associates’ favorable reputation with the regulatory agencies, maintaining strong working relationships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, and local jurisdictions.

  • • B.S. Biology with an emphasis in ecology, California State University, Fresno, CA 2002

  • Wildlife/habitat relationships, fairy shrimp and tadpole shrimp surveys, survey techniques, threatened and endangered species, and environmental regulations/permitting (CEQA, NEPA, FESA, CESA, CWA)

  • • Live Oak Associates, Inc., Oakhurst, CA. Staff Ecologist, 2003 to Present

    • California Department of Fish and Game, Scientific Aide, 2001 to 2003

    • Sierra Research Laboratories, Laboratory Technician III, 1997 to 1999

  • • Federal 10(a)(1)(A) Vernal Pool Branchiopod Recovery Permit TE108683-2

    • NEPA Overview and Refresher, UC. Davis Extension, May 2013

    • Blunt-Nosed Leopard Lizard Workshop and Training, May 2009

    • Arid West Supplement Workshop, Wetland Training Institute, April 2007

    • Advanced CEQA Course, UC. Davis Extension, November 2006

    • 38-Hour Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation & Management Training, October. 2005

    • Bat Ecology and Field Techniques, September 2005

    • Introduction to the Fairy Shrimp, Tadpole Shrimp and Clam Shrimp, Christopher Rogers, May 2005

    • Morphology and Identification of Flowering Plants, Jepson Herbarium, March 2005

    • Trimble GPS Training, John Daphan, California Drafting and Supply, January 2005

    • California Anostraca and Notostraca Identification Class, Mary Schug Belk, August 2004

    • Endangered Species Regulation and Policy, UC Davis Extension, February 2004

    • CEQA: A Step-by-Step Approach, UC Davis Extension, October 2003

    • Identification of Fresh Water Fish, California Department of Fish and Game Training, August 2001

    • Identification and Ecology of Sensitive Amphibians and Reptiles of the Central and Southern Sierra Nevada, The Wildlife Society, June 2001

  • Austin enjoys fly fishing, mountain biking, snowboarding, and backpacking.

“I enjoy working with our team to develop practical, sustainable solutions that conserve our natural resources while meeting our clients’ needs. I also enjoy our relaxed, flexible work environment that facilitates a pleasant quality of life at work and home.”
— Austin