Spring/Summer 2019
Message from President Embere Hall
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” ‒ Shirley Chisholm
I borrow these words to talk about two things: inclusivity and contribution. WY-TWS is the primer organization of wildlife professionals in the State. Together we hold a staggering breadth of expertise. We speak from universities, businesses, non-profits and government agencies. And most of us contribute our voices not because we want to be recognized, but because we care deeply about the resource.
As we continue to move forward on science, policy, education and wildlife management, we need all of our ideas. We need a big tent. One way to achieve this is through diversity in Chapter leadership. You’ll remember that the Board voted in February to put forward a proposal to add two new Board member positions. We are finalizing the language, and will have it to you in the coming weeks. I urge you to review the proposal, and to vote.
Committees offer another path through which we can capture a diversity of ideas. As in my previous message, I encourage you to join a committee and lend your expertise. The Science Committee (chair: Dan Thompson) and Communications Committee (chair: Brian Zinke) made some particularly meaningful contributions to the Chapter over the past few months. I hope that you’ll take the time to read about their work in this newsletter. If you would like to participate on a committee, email me directly (presidentwytws@gmail.com) or reach out to a committee chair (https://wildlife.org/wyoming-chapter/about/committees/).
On a related note, please join me in thanking Gary Fralick for his tireless efforts to promote the great things that our members, and the public, do on behalf of wildlife conservation. After many years of dedicated service, Gary decided to step down as Chair of the Awards & Nominations Committee. The people that Gary helped to honor orchestrated tremendous gains in habitat protection, emerging science, advocacy, and more.
Indeed, we all have ideas to share. So, bring a camp stool, a tree in the woods, or a folding chair, and participate. Be a voice for wildlife, and for your colleagues.
Embere is a postdoctoral Research Scientist with the Wyoming Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Wyoming. She is interested in the ecological effects of climate change, how wildlife can adjust to new environments, and management strategies that promote species’ resilience. Prior to joining the Coop Unit, Embere served as the Research Director for the Conservation Research Center of Teton Science Schools in Jackson, Wyoming. She received her PhD in Ecology from the University of Wyoming, her MS from Iowa State University, and her BS from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Embere has been involved with WY-TWS for more than a decade, and looks forward to giving back to the society during her term on the Executive Board.