Katie Hietala-Henschell re-joined Xerces as an endangered species conservation biologist in 2026. She works with the firefly team to lead the growth of the Firefly Atlas, expand the firefly sanctuary network, and support conservation efforts throughout the Central US. From 2016-2020, she was a conservation biologist at Xerces and was focused on species inventories, targeted surveys, and the development of conservation guidance.
Previously, Katie was a zoologist with the New York Natural Heritage Program where she focused on rare animal surveys across various taxa including bats, salamanders, snakes, moths, tiger beetles, dragonflies, and bumble bees. While there, she developed a special fondness for fireflies. She created and led a 3-year firefly inventory project called Dark Skies for Fireflies in New York.
She has a master's degree in Forest Ecology and Management from Michigan Technological University, where her research focused on the emerald ash borer. Through previous positions, she has worked on a variety of projects focused on invasive insects, pollinators, and other beneficial insects in agricultural, biofuel, and natural systems.