This application is only a supplement for my full resume. Thank you!

oscalhern Official: Instagram | Linktree

ABOUT ME

My name Is Oscar Hernandez Ledesma, a first-generation Mexican American. Born and raised in Minnesota, I am a highly motivated individual who doesn't take himself too seriously. 

My main drive is the hard work ethic displayed by my parents and the need to be dependable and reliable to those around me. The best example of this work ethic is transferring schools during my Junior and Senior years of high school to a community college in order to get a head start on my Bachelor's degree.

During my time away in North Dakota for university, I realized that what I miss most is being home - home being where family is. I am determined to work hard to take care of my family the same way they had done for me and to begin to repay the sacrifices they've made for me. 

Despite being a Park Ranger, I am not the most outdoorsy. Instead, I spend my free time at the gym and budgeting. If I wasn't in this field, I likely would've been an accountant. 

Introduction

I graduated from North Dakota State University at just 19 with a Bachelor's of Science. My education is comparable to most biologists in the field, covering courses such as herpetology, ichthyology, and chemistry.

However, doing land surveys, writing scientific reports, and analyzing field data is not my interest - connecting people and nature is. 

Education

My first language is Spanish, but I am fluent in English as well, being able to write, read, and speak both languages. This has proven invaluable in my ability to connect the station I currently work for with new audiences.

This ability has also allowed to become a leader in my community - an outcome I had not expected. People recognize me in the streets and know me as Ranger Oscar. It feels good to know that my community stands behind me and supports me. I hope to be a positive role model for other first-generation kids.

Language Proficiency

WORK EXPERIENCE

Currently, I am the Community Assets Manager for Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and have been in this position for just over sixteen months.

In this role, I am tasked with envisioning how we can transform our visitor centers and trailheads to make them more welcoming, inclusive, and exciting for visitors. This includes revitalizing our visitor centers, coordinating high-level partnerships and projects, and transforming our approach to community engagement. I am taking this opportunity to take everything I learned from working on the ground and in the community to implement changes on-site.

My crowning achievement in this role is developing a partnership with Master Naturalists to have our entire second visitor center ran and supported almost entirely by volunteers. This strategic approach allows us to finally reopen our Rapids Lake Visitor Center after years of closure despite low staff capacity and resources to serve the rapidly growing Carver County community.

USFWS Park Ranger (Series 0025-GS11) - 2023- Present

I temporarily served as the Community Assets Manager in 2023 for four months at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. This opportunity allowed to me to learn about Visitor Services.

During this time, I filled in as the Visitor Center Manager during a lapse in hiring. I retained elements of my duties from Community Outreach while ensuring visitors could still access our facilities and trailheads during a time of low staff capacity.

I managed volunteers, maintained building needs and AV equipment, scheduled public programs, and participated in building a new station-specific Visitor Services program plan for the refuge. 

USFWS Park Ranger Temporary Promotion (Series 0025-GS9) - 2023

My first permanent position with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I worked as a Community Outreach Park Ranger for just under three years. 

During my time in this role, I became more independent and began to forge my own partnerships - partnerships that I still hold today. I was the go-to for off-site programming, partner events, and connecting with Latino communities. 

My crowning achievement during this time was the first ever Latino Conservation Week Festival in 2023. This collaborative festival aimed to celebrate the Latino community and the nature that connects us all. The goal for the event was to serve as an introduction for audiences to the refuge. Over 500 people attended to first iteration of the event, the majority of which Latino - a huge triumph for exploring non-traditional ways to connect with underserved communities. A shining example for implementing the Standards of Excellence and a resounding success for the station, it is now an annual event.

USFWS Park Ranger (Series 0025-GS7) - 2020-2023

I have had three separate Community Outreach internships at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge when I was first exploring careers during university.

These experiences were pivotal in learning how to authentically craft relationships, navigate the workings of a federal agency, and to plan, lead, and execute programs and events with guidance. 

USFWS Internships - 2018-2020

EXAMPLES OF MY WORK

Video: Appearance on WCCO and CBS

Article: Latino Conservation Week Festival: A Journey

VOLUNTEER AND LEADERSHIP ROLES

An organization with a new non-profit status, Huellas Latinas offered me the volunteer position of Vice President of Volunteer Management.

In this role, I volunteer my time to recruit, onboard, and train new volunteers for the organization. To continue connecting with volunteers, I coordinate seasonal in-person trainings, bi-monthly optional virtual trainings, and volunteer recognition events. I also support volunteers in their varying work plans, from programming and tabling to administration and promotion.

This role is bilingual as the majority of the participants and volunteers primarily speak Spanish.

Huellas Latinas \\ Vice President of Volunteer Management

REFERENCES

Suzanne Trapp

Eric Mruz

Faye Healy

Christopher Dunham

Logan Sauer

@oscalhern

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