Sennai Habtes, PhD.
Sennai Habtes, PhD., Chief of Fisheries for the US Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife
For me, mentoring isn’t just a professional obligation — it’s something I care deeply about. As Chief of Fisheries for the US Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife, I see mentoring Navigating Home fellows as a chance to give Virgin Islands students a window into the real world of natural resource management, a side of the work that textbooks can’t capture.
Most students don’t really know what Fisheries Management entails. In school they learn about field methods — measuring fish, counting animals — but so much of what we do is bigger than that. We’re talking about funding structures, rules, partnerships, education, outreach. You only start to understand those things when you’re in the room, side by side with people doing the work every day.
That’s exactly the kind of experience I’ve been able to offer Navigating Home fellow Elisa Webb. In just a few short months, she has jumped into nearly every project the Fisheries Bureau has offered her: helping with underwater video surveys of grouper species, measuring fish at the docks, assisting with shell and coral sorting, and analyzing data that supports long-term management decisions. What’s been really rewarding for me is seeing how eager she is to try everything. She doesn’t hold back — every opportunity that comes her way, she takes it.
Beyond the hands-on work, I make time each week to sit down with Elisa for one-on-one mentoring. Together we talk through how to frame research questions, how to test ideas, and how to think about possible career paths. It’s important to me that she leaves here not only with skills but with confidence — confidence in her ability to do science, to make decisions, and to see herself in this line of work.
What matters most to me in mentoring is the personal connection. Many students leave the territory to pursue graduate school or careers, and I know it’s not always easy to return as jobs are limited, and the pay often doesn’t compare to opportunities elsewhere. Still, I want students to know there’s a place for them here, if they want it. If they decide to come home, I want them to know that the door is open and that they already have a community here waiting for them. I’m looking forward to mentoring more Navigating Home fellows in the future.
At its core, my approach to mentoring is simple: give students a chance to see the full picture, share the lessons that can’t be taught in a classroom, and make sure they know they’re supported. Mentoring is rewarding for me too. Every time I work with a fellow, I see the future of this work — and that makes it worth it.
Under Habtes’ guidance fellow Elisa Webb learns first hand what Fisheries Management entails.