Growing up on a lake in Eastern Canada, Shivonne's passion for ecosystems began at an early age. Shivonne moved west to pursue a degree in Natural Resource Science at Thompson River University in Kamloops, BC. This multidisciplinary degree led Shivonne to work for a diversity of agencies while in BC including: BC Forest Service, Agriculture Canada and BC Conservation Foundation. Shivonne's last employer while in BC was the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Shivonne's primary role with DFO was developing a stream restoration assessment protocol to guide field assessments of stream restoration projects.
In 2003, Shivonne migrated south for a position with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and spent 12 years working for ODFW as a fisheries biologist. Shivonne took a leave from work in 2007 to pursue a Master's degree in Fisheries Science at Oregon State University. The focus of the Shivonne's thesis was movement patterns and population dynamics of redband trout and mountain whitefish in the Crooked River, OR. Shivonne returned to work in 2010 in a joint role for the ODFW and the USFWS focusing on ESA related matters. Serving as ODFW's Endangered Species Act (ESA) coordinator enhanced Shivonne's interest in the connections between policy and science, so in the fall of 2014, Shivonne decided to take advantage of a new employment opportunity working for NOAA on ESA policy and Section 7 consultations. Shivonne has a diverse ecological background and a deep love for the natural world.