Rebecca Barboza

Rebecca Barboza has built a career at the intersection of science and advocacy, spending 25 years as a Wildlife Biologist and Environmental Scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Over the course of her tenure, from December 1999 through June 2025, she played a central role in managing and safeguarding the state's natural resources, conducting wildlife monitoring, and leading public engagement efforts to resolve conflicts between human communities and local wildlife. Among her most meaningful accomplishments was her sustained involvement in a decades-long initiative to shield a bighorn sheep population from encroaching development, a project that spanned nearly thirty years and reflected her long-term commitment to conservation outcomes.

Beyond her fieldwork, Barboza distinguished herself as a skilled fundraiser within government service, authoring grant proposals that brought in more than $1.6 million to support wildlife management initiatives. This experience, paired with her scientific background, gave her a firsthand understanding of the operational and financial hurdles that conservation-focused organizations face. In 2025, she channeled that expertise into a new chapter, launching Sierra Funding Solutions to help environmental and wildlife nonprofits move away from reactive grant-seeking and toward well-structured, sustainable funding strategies. Through this work, she partners with mission-driven groups to pinpoint suitable funding sources, sharpen their competitive edge, and map out actionable plans for growth over twelve-to-eighteen-month horizons.

A graduate of California State Polytechnic University–Pomona, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Biology and graduated Cum Laude, Barboza was also recognized on the Dean's List for four consecutive years and featured in a national publication honoring that achievement, alongside her membership in the Golden Key National Honor Society. She credits her achievements to an early-instilled work ethic, unwavering self-confidence, and the willingness to lean on others for support when needed. Guided by strong family values, authenticity, and a deep belief in teamwork, she continues to bring a collaborative, service-oriented spirit to her mission of helping conservation organizations focused on wildlife protection, habitat preservation, environmental education, and human-wildlife coexistence become truly fundable.