Platooning into a Rewarding Conservation Career

This piece comes to us from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). To honor Women’s History Month, WCS and Nature are sharing stories of nature and conservation.

Jessica holding an African penguin for the first time at the New York Aquarium. Photo credit: Paige Lacey ©️WCS.

If anyone told me when I was young that I would be working for a wildlife conservation organization in the future, I would have said, “Yeah, right.” Especially coming from the small town of Laredo, Texas.

Growing up in a family of 10 was chaotic and fun. I am the seventh of eight children. My mom was my inspiration. Watching her work six days a week, come home to cook dinner and take care of us after a long day, and never complain, I knew I had the strength I needed to do anything I wanted.

Two of my brothers joined the United States Marine Corps. When I saw how happy and proud my parents were, I went to a recruiter’s office to enlist. I joined the Marine Corps in 2006 and became a field wireman. I signed a contract for four years, and let me tell you, those four years were the best!

Jessica with her Marine platoon after digging trenches in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, 2009. Photo courtesy Jessica Hernandez.

I made so many friends that became my second family. My son Anthony was born in April of 2008. The following year in March 2009, I got orders to deploy for 10 months to Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The hardest part of being deployed was leaving my son with my family in Texas when he was 11 months old.

Going to Afghanistan not knowing if I was coming back home to my son and family was a very stressful experience. A “field wireman” is just a fancy expression for an electrician. They play a critical role in maintaining communication on the battlefield. We were responsible for installing, operating, and repairing wired communication systems—including phone lines and computers— that allow units to stay connected in challenging and often hostile environments.

Being the only female in my platoon while deployed was intimidating at first. I had to prove to myself that I could do every job I was tasked with as well as everyone else. Sometimes I did the jobs even better. This eventually gave me the confidence that I needed for my future after the military.

After my deployment, I returned to North Carolina and finished my contract strong and honorably in 2010. I then moved to New York for a fresh start as a civilian. But even with my military background, it was tough to find a job. I eventually applied to work with the restaurant department at the New York Aquarium in 2018. Thus began my career with WCS.

Jessica promoting new menu options at the New York Aquarium, 2018. Photo credit: Julie Larsen ©️WCS.

It was a special year with the opening of the new Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibit, the most mesmerizing building I have ever seen. Guests were amazed and thrilled, as were the staff. To see such beautiful marine species up close was something I had never experienced. As a restaurant employee, I wanted to make sure our guests and employees were just as amazed and thrilled with our menu as they were with the exhibit.

Our OceanSide Grill and Roof Top Bar served a variety of delicious food and drinks. As a supervisor, I made sure my team had the tools and knowledge they needed to provide first rate service. Business was amazing. The RoofTop Bar provided guests a beautiful view as they enjoyed their meals and a nice cold drink on a hot summer day. But with the arrival of the pandemic in 2020, we closed down and my job with the restaurant came to a halt.

I applied with the Buildings and Grounds Department and was hired to oversee the cleaning of the Aquarium grounds. I made a special point of ensuring that our exhibit glass was spotless so our guests would have a clear view of our beautiful animals. After six months, I was approached by our Facilities and Operations Manager. They needed another electrician and he’d heard about my background with the military.

So I now work full-time for the Aquarium’s Facilities & Operations Department. I started off wiring light fixtures much bigger and more interesting than those I’d previously worked with in the military. I also had the opportunity to learn and work on other systems, but in time that just wasn’t enough for me. I’m the type of person who is always ready and eager to learn more.

Jessica wiring ballasts for ultraviolet lights. Photo credit: Meghan DeSouza ©️WCS.

I eventually applied for a Supervising Maintainer position, and I am now the only female supervisor for the Facilities and Operations Department in all five of the New York City parks managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society, which in addition to the aquarium include the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and Prospect Park Zoo.

Our Life Support Systems replicate and maintain the natural conditions of both freshwater and saltwater habitats by carefully controlling factors such as temperature, water quality, salinity, oxygen levels, and waste removal. Regular maintenance and monitoring ensure that the aquarium life support systems maintain a delicate balance that mimics nature. Without them, it would be nearly impossible to sustain aquatic ecosystems in the aquarium.

I personally feel beyond blessed to work in such a beautiful organization filled with talented and
courageous women. I hope that my success will inspire more young women from all walks of life to follow in my footsteps.

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