Meet Our Council and Staff

Fidel Hernandez received his Ph.D. in Wildlife Science from Texas A&M University-College Station and Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He was appointed to the faculty at Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 1999. He currently holds the rank of Professor in the Department of Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences and the Alfred C. Glassell, Jr. Endowed Professor in Quail Research with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. Fidel teaches courses in Rangeland Plants, Wildlife Habitat Management, and Population Ecology. His research interests include upland game birds, rangeland ecology and management, and wildlife population dynamics.

Dr. Hernandez also was named Fulbright Scholar in 2014, where he investigated rangeland and wildlife conservation issues in Patagonia, Chile.

Evie made a right-hand turn into the wildlife profession in the mid 1970s and never looked back. She has been a member of 4 US and 3 Canadian TWS chapters including being president of the Alberta Chapter and the Canadian Section. She was first elected to Council as the Canadian Representative in 2019. She is a Certified Wildlife Biologist®, a TWS Fellow, and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Wildlife Management. She was honored by the Alberta Chapter with the William Rowan Distinguished Service and by TWS with the Special Recognition Service Award.

Evie got degrees from the University of Idaho and the University of Washington tracking elk in remote areas. She spent her early career working in management agencies, but then stepped into the world of academia at the Universities of Wyoming, Wisconsin and now Alberta. She delights in doing field research with her students on the trophic dynamics of ungulate populations, but turned to the dark side of chronic wasting disease in recent years.

Evie and her husband split their time between exploring the biodiversity-rich Beaver Hills east of Edmonton, Alberta, trapping the Canadian Rockies, and fishing the BC coastal shores. Her life is filled with the adventures of 3 grown boys, 2 grandkids, and a duck-enthusiast yellow lab. In her off hours, she is horseback riding or gardening.

Mike grew up hunting, fishing, and trapping in western Tennessee. His interest in wildlife ultimately led him to the University of Tennessee at Martin, where he completed his BS degree in wildlife biology. While at UTM, he helped start the UTM Chapter of TWS. He went on to complete his MS and PhD at Mississippi State University, where he studied bobcat ecology in managed forests. He held a faculty position at Arkansas Tech University, where he helped start the ATU Student Chapter of TWS before accepting his current position as a Wildlife Scientist at The Jones Center at Ichauway in 1997.

At the Jones Center, Mike is actively engaged in research, education, and outreach. His research interests include the direct and indirect effects of predators on prey populations and communities, anti-predator behaviors, and how forest management—particularly prescribed fire—affects predation and predation risk. He currently holds or has held adjunct or courtesy faculty appointments at nine universities.

Mike has been active in TWS for over 30 years and has held leadership positions at all organizational levels. Dr. Conner was recognized as a TWS Fellow in 2014. He, his wife Greta, and their bloodhound Jed live in Bainbridge, Georgia. Their son, Eric, also lives in Bainbridge, where he teaches high school biology and coaches.

Art Rodgers grew up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He attended the University of Toronto and York University where he obtained his Ph.D. in Biology. Over the years, his research has taken him from small to large mammals. He began by comparing food and habitat use, as well as population biology, of two species of Arctic lemmings in Igloolik, Nunavut, during his Ph.D. research. Not only did he learn a great deal about the biology of the two species, he learned a great deal about Inuit culture and the challenges faced by Indigenous peoples in Canada—an experience he wishes all non-Indigenous people could have. He then moved on to a postdoctoral position in the Institute for Animal Resource Ecology at the University of British Columbia, where he worked with Dr. Charles Krebs and Dr. Tony Sinclair on the snowshoe hare project at Kluane Lake in the southwest Yukon. He remained at UBC as a sessional lecturer in the Department of Zoology for several years. Art moved back to Ontario where he is currently a Senior Research Scientist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. His research in Ontario began with an assessment of the effects and effectiveness of forest management guidelines on moose populations. In more recent times, his research has centered on the effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbance, coupled with climate change, on boreal caribou populations.

Art has served at all levels of The Wildlife Society. He was the fourth President of the Canadian Section and represented the Section for two terms on TWS Council, where he served on numerous Council committees. He was then a member of the Canadian Section Board of Directors following incorporation of the Section as a not-for-profit organization in 2019. Art is a Charter member and a Past-President of the Ontario Chapter.

Throughout his professional career, Art has sought to get his science into policy and legislation. He is a strong believer in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the wildlife profession and is motivated by people from all walks of life who are inspired by the beauty of the natural landscapes that surround us, curiosity about the wonders of the natural world, and a desire to conserve our wildlife heritage.

Al entered the wildlife profession in the early 1980s, receiving a BSc in 1983, Post Grad Diploma in 1991, and MSc in 1994, all at University of Saskatchewan. He has remained committed to life-long learning and service to wildlife conservation and to TWS as an active member since 1997. He has served TWS at all levels – Saskatchewan Chapter (Charter member 2011, Treasurer 2011, 2012, VP 2016), Canadian Section (member since inception 2007, VP 2016, Awards Committee, founding Chair of Certification Committee 2017) and Parent Society (Certification Review Board, 2018-2024, several working groups). He was first elected to TWS Council as the Canadian Representative in 2024.

Al spent the first 25 years of his career in public service, beginning federally with Canadian Wildlife Service, then Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment (Provincial Population Biologist), and during the past 15 years as a Principal Wildlife Biologist in the consulting industry as a Principal Wildlife Biologist and business owner. Al’s professional interests are focused on applied research, population ecology, population assessment, demography and landscape ecology, with a particular focus on ungulate management and conservation, and specialization with woodland caribou.

Al and his wife have 3 adult children and enjoy travelling, camping, canoeing, gardening, and family time. Al’s hobbies include wildlife art, carpentry, wildlife viewing, hunting, and fishing.

After growing up in the outdoors of New England, Andrea moved to Colorado and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University, and a Master of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Wyoming. Andrea’s thesis focused on white-tailed prairie dogs in Shirley Basin, Wyoming to determine if the population was robust enough to support black-footed ferret reintroduction, which it was!

Andrea has worked for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department since 1992 as the statewide Nongame Bird Biologist, specializing in monitoring and management of avian Species of Greatest Conservation Need. In her spare time, Andrea likes to watch wildlife, hike, horseback ride, fish, camp, cross-country ski, and visit with family and friends

Andrea’s participation in The Wildlife Society began as an undergraduate at CSU, where she served as Legislative Affairs Committee Chair, Treasurer, and President of the Student Chapter. At the state level with the WY Chapter of TWS, Andrea participated in the Legislative Affairs Committee; served as Newsletter Editor; chaired the Information and Education, Nominations, Resolutions and Position Statements, and COWCH Committees; and served as Secretary, President-Elect, and President. At the Section level, Andrea served as a Board Member At-Large, President-Elect, and President for the Central Mountains and Plains Section, and she continues to act as an ad hoc CMPS historian. Andrea was inducted as a TWS Fellow in 2019, and is currently serving as the CMPS Representative to TWS Council (2020-2023).

Through her wildlife profession and TWS, Andrea enjoy engaging with others in topics that are relevant to wildlife management and conservation, both historically and in today’s world. TWS involvement allows Andrea to contribute to a strong, steadfast, science-based voice for wildlife conservation.

Jason grew up in rural Virginia. He attended The College of William and Mary, Appalachian State University, and North Carolina State University. He swore he would never leave the South, but he and his family have loved living in the Midwest since 2009. Jason has been a professor in The College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point (UWSP) for the past 13 years. He teaches courses in applied ecology, statistics, and wildlife research and management. His research interests are primarily in avian ecology and conservation as well as in statistics. In 2017 he was named the Gerald and Helen Stephens Professor of Wildlife.

Jason has been the advisor to the UWSP Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society since 2010. He considers the student chapter to be “the heart of the Wildlife Ecology and Management major” at UWSP. He also is a past-president of the Wisconsin Chapter of TWS and the North Central Section of TWS.

Jason’s family instilled a love of birds in him at a young age. While most of his research is on non-game and upland species, he especially enjoys pursuing waterfowl during the fall months. He also enjoys spending time with his family, kayaking, and Judo. Hajime!

Angela leads the USGS New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and is a Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at Cornell University. She works closely with state, provincial, federal, NGO, and international government partners on research that helps shape conservation and management decisions. Her research focuses on spatial ecology and decision science, integrating ecology, social science, conservation biology, and quantitative modeling to influence the way species and landscapes are managed.

Angela was elected to Council in 2023 as the Northeast Representative. She has been involved with The Wildlife Society since graduate school at the University of Maine, serving on the boards of the Maine and New York chapters and taking on various officer and committee roles over the years. At Cornell, she is the advisor for the Cornell University TWS Chapter. Beyond TWS, Angela serves in several science advisory roles including the IUCN Species Survival Commission.

Outside of work, Angela keeps busy with her two college-age sons and enjoys spending time fly fishing, biking, hiking, traveling, and exploring new foods.

Chad is Director of the Wildlife Biology Program and Professor in the Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences at University of Montana (2015 – present). As Director, Chad is responsible for a wide array of functions tied to leading the wildlife biology program, with an emphasis on faculty and student support and program outreach and development. He teaches multiple undergraduate courses and leads a research lab focused primarily on ungulate ecology. His research emphasizes wildlife nutrition and demography in applied contexts to inform habitat and species management decisions. Prior to University of Montana, he spent nearly 16 years working for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, initially as an ungulate researcher and later as the Assistant Director for Wildlife and Natural Resources. He received a B.S. degree from Montana State University in Biology with a Fish and Wildlife emphasis (1995), M.S. from University of Idaho in Wildlife Resources (1998), and Ph.D. from Colorado State University in Wildlife Biology (2007).

Chad has been actively engaged in The Wildlife Society (TWS) since 1996. He is a past president of both the Montana and Colorado Chapters of TWS and is a Certified Wildlife Biologist. He serves on the Executive Boards of the Western Conservation Leadership Development Program and the Teller Wildlife Refuge in western Montana. He additionally serves on the Steering Committee for the National Cooperators Coalition, as representative of the National Association of University Fisheries and Wildlife Programs. Chad is also a professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club. He is motivated to serve on TWS Council as an opportunity to give back to the Society that has been foundational to his professional development. He believes wholeheartedly in the mission and vision of TWS and looks forward to helping advance TWS for benefit of students, professionals, and wildlife.

Lisa is a Certified Wildlife Biologist® and TWS Fellow. She became the Southeast Section Representative in Fall 2021. She has worked with many levels of TWS over her career and has enjoyed interacting with all the amazing professionals. Lisa is currently a Professor of Wildlife Science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in wildlife biology at Auburn University and her Ph.D. in wildlife management at the University of Georgia.

Kathy Granillo earned a BS in Forestry from the University of California Berkeley, and a MS in Wildlife Resources from the University of Idaho. She recently retired after almost 40 years of Federal service. For the last 11+ years she worked for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as the Refuge Manager at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, located in central New Mexico. Main refuge projects include invasive species control, riparian restoration, reintroducing Gunnison’s prairie dogs to the shortgrass prairie, and several bird research projects (wintering birds, gray and Bell’s vireos breeding biology, Breeding Bird Survey). Prior to becoming a refuge manager, she was immersed in climate change – first as a member of the team that developed the FWS Strategic Plan and Action Plan for Climate Change, and then as the Acting Regional Climate Change Coordinator for the Southwest Region. She was the Regional Refuge Biologist in the Southwest Region from 1993 to 2008, providing support to the 46 refuges in the region (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas) and serving on the national refuge biological leadership team. Prior to coming to work for the FWS, she worked for the Forest Service as a Forest Wildlife Staff Officer on the Klamath National Forest, as a District Biologist on the Coronado National Forest, and spent 5 years as a biologist for the Research branch of the Forest Service in California.

Kathy has been a member of TWS since the early 1990s, the New Mexico Chapter since 1993, and the Southwest Section since 1998. She is currently the Southwest Section Representative to Council. She chairs the Women of Wildlife Community Team, within the IDEA Working Group of TWS.

She was a member of the local committee for the first-ever TWS Annual Conference in 1994 held in Albuquerque, NM. She chaired the Exhibits and Trade Show Committee. She has organized several symposia and panel discussions at annual conferences.

She has served on the NM Chapter Board as both Secretary/Treasurer and as a Board Member at Large. She has assisted several times with putting on the joint annual conference of the AZ and NM Chapters of TWS and the AZ/NM Chapter of the AFS (JAM) when organized by the NM Chapter TWS.

She is married and has two cats and a gopher snake. She loves to bird and dance, but usually not at the same time.

Jim is Professor Emeritus from the University of Nevada Reno, where he taught and conducted research for 18 years, following 16 years at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. While in Fairbanks, he served as Director of the Institute of Arctic Biology for three years. Jim is a past-president of the Nevada Chapter, twice served as an Associate Editor for The Journal of Wildlife Management, and spent four years as a Senior Editor for The Auk (now Ornithology).

During his time in Alaska, Jim focused on waterfowl ecology: he initiated the Tutakoke River Black Brant Project on the Bering Sea coast in 1984 and managed the project until 2018. He continues to remain involved in the project. Since moving to Nevada, Jim and his students have conducted two long-term studies of greater sage-grouse, one addressing the impacts of human infrastructure and the more recent study addressing the effects of grazing by livestock and feral horses on sage-grouse. During his career, he advised 32 graduate students (15 PhDs) and three postdoctoral scholars.

Jim and his wife, Connie, continue to reside in Reno. They have two grown children and they are enjoying their grandchildren. Jim remains active in research and since his retirement has added volunteer efforts with the Coalition for Healthy Nevada Lands and the Nevada Waterfowl Association

Emily’s involvement with The Wildlife Society (TWS) began during her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida, where she coordinated the Student Chapter’s annual fundraiser, the Beast Feast. Over the past 16 years, she has remained an active and dedicated member of the Society, contributing to numerous working groups and committees. Her leadership includes organizing panels, symposia, and workshops at annual conferences, helping plan the “A Wild Idea” storytelling event in Spokane, and establishing the Early Career Professional Working Group’s Professional Development Grant during her tenure as Chair. Emily was a member of the Leadership Institute cohort of 2018 and has served on the Leadership Institute Committee ever since. Emily currently serves as the Student Liaison to Council and Chair of the Student Development Working Group.

Emily’s path within the wildlife profession was unconventional. Nearing completion of a degree in English, she took an internship at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, where she met wildlife biologists for the first time. Having grown up without exposure to conservation careers or the outdoors, that summer experience was transformative igniting a passion that completely redirected her career toward wildlife conservation.

These experiences shaped Emily’s commitment to representation and mentorship in the field. She believes deeply in the power of visibility—ensuring that aspiring conservationists can see themselves reflected in the professionals around them. Having navigated the transition between student and early career professional repeatedly over the last 17 years, Emily brings a unique and empathetic perspective to her leadership. She understands how hard it can be to land the elusive permanent job – and the challenges of building a lasting career in wildlife. In her role as Student Liaison, she is dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities, connections, and support systems for students and early career professionals across TWS.

Outside of TWS, Emily enjoys kayaking, hiking, reading, birding, and dreaming of one day owning a bakery.

Ed Arnett joined The Wildlife Society staff as the CEO in November 2021. He also is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at Colorado State University and host of the public television conservation series This American Land. He holds an Associate in Applied Science degree in natural resources management from Colorado Mountain College, a B.S. in fish and wildlife management from Montana State University, an M.S. in zoology and physiology from the University of Wyoming, and a Ph.D. in forest science from Oregon State University.

Prior to joining TWS, Ed served as chief scientist for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership for nearly a decade, and worked for the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Weyerhaeuser Company, and Bat Conservation International as a field and research biologist earlier in his career. He has worked with numerous species of wildlife and studied bats for more than 20 years, including research on these unique mammals for his doctorate degree. Ed has been a member of TWS since 1984, served as a board member, secretary, treasurer, and president of the Oregon Chapter of TWS, served as an Associate Editor for the Wildlife Society Bulletin for 10 years, and is a TWS Fellow. He also currently serves on the Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Committee for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is a professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club.

An avid outdoor recreationist, hunter, angler, and dog trainer, Ed lives in Colorado with his wife Glenda and their dogs.

Mariah joined The Wildlife Society staff in 2014. Initially, she served the organization as the Unit Services Manager, overseeing TWS’ sections and chapters, but now manages membership engagement and is the primary contact for TWS’ working groups.

Mariah received her B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Management from the University of Maryland. Prior to joining TWS, she worked as an intern and biological science aid for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She also co-founded a student chapter of The Wildlife Society at UMD, serving as Vice President and then President.

In her free time, Mariah enjoys birding, yoga, thrifting, reading, and cheering on her Terps. She lives in Maryland with her husband Sam and their yellow lab Wren.

A member of The Wildlife Society since 2012, Kristi joined TWS staff as the operations coordinator in 2024 and now serves as the outreach manager, overseeing TWS’ sections, chapters and student chapters. She served on Council during her role as chair to the Student Development Working Group, and has also served as president of her student chapter and is an alumna of the Leadership Institute. Her passion, enthusiasm and desire to inspire keeps her highly involved at any level of The Wildlife Society.

Kristi loves to think and talk about topics of wildlife, especially bats! She received her bachelor’s degree in wildlife management from the State University of New York of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill and master’s research at Ball State University. Kristi is certified as an Associate Wildlife Biologist®. Her career has included positions as a wildlife technician, bat ecologist and team manager for Trail Sisters.

She is an avid trail runner, dog mom and chocolate milk connoisseur, and also finds satisfaction in volunteer work at her local animal shelter. A natural morning person and lover of wildflowers, she can always be found surrounded by nature.

Allison Cox is the content editor for The Journal of Wildlife Management and Wildlife Monographs. She joined TWS in 2011 and is responsible for editing and production of both journals. Allison obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Florida in 1996. After a few years in the insurance industry, she worked as a zookeeper at the Jacksonville Zoo and then as an avian field technician in Arizona, Hawaii, and Venezuela. She obtained a Master of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife from the University of Missouri in 2011 with research focused on natal dispersal of woodpeckers.

Allison currently lives in Gainesville, Florida with her husband and their deservedly spoiled dog and cat. She enjoys hiking, staring at birds, kayaking, snorkeling, attempting to grow native plants, and oversharing pet photos.

Aniket Gajare joined TWS as Database Administrator in December 2011. Currently serving as Director of Technology, he primarily manages TWS’ Association Management System and other technology needs of the Society.

Anna Knipps first joined The Wildlife Society in 2006 as an Editorial Assistant for The Journal of Wildlife Management. Navigating through the dissolution and reemergence of the Wildlife Society Bulletin, 7 EIC tenures, and hundreds of Associate Editor changes, she is the point person for the journal and handles the review process and other pre-acceptance tasks for manuscripts submitted to JWM and Wildlife Monographs. In 2020, Anna joined the Wildlife Society Bulletin in a similar capacity, but with a larger role in manuscript post-acceptance duties.

Anna received a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management from Rutgers University in 1996, a Master’s in Wildlife Science from Texas A&M University in 2008, and a PhD in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M in 2011. Native to Colorado, Anna grew up camping, hiking, boating, and enjoying the Rocky Mountains with her family and now enjoys the same activities as well as backpacking, birdwatching, and Jeeping.

Dana Kobilinsky joined The Wildlife Society staff as an editorial intern in January 2015. As she learned more about wildlife and science and gained more writing and editing experience, she climbed up the ladder at TWS to associate science writer, science writer, associate editor and eventually managing editor. As managing editor, Dana writes and edits articles for wildlife.org and The Wildlife Society’s membership benefit magazine The Wildlife Professional. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications/journalism from Towson University in Baltimore.

Prior to joining TWS, Dana interned at Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C., where she developed her passion for wildlife conservation. When she isn’t writing, Dana enjoys preparing Jewish students for their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, exploring new breweries, doing yoga and spending time with her dog—a Rottweiler named Mac. Dana lives in Maryland with her husband Andrew and two daughters, Corinne and Lena.

Cameron Kovach joined The Wildlife Society staff as Assistant Director of Government Affairs and Partnerships in February 2016 and now serves as Chief Program Officer. Cameron began his career focused on advancing wildlife science through field research on a variety of wildlife species and holds a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida. Driven by a desire to become a stronger advocate for wildlife conservation, Cameron eventually transitioned to environmental law and policy and also holds a Juris Doctorate and Master of Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School.

Throughout his career, Cameron has used his interdisciplinary background and collaborative focus to advance the use of science in policy and decision-making through congressional and federal agency engagement. As Chief Program Officer, Cameron oversees a diverse portfolio that includes professional development, organization unit services, conferences, business relations, membership services, and peer-reviewed publications. In addition to working to strengthen all operational components of The Wildlife Society, Cameron also seeks to support a safe, welcoming, and inclusive profession for all members and beyond. Cameron currently lives with his wife and three young children in a 110-year-old church rectory in Vermont. He enjoys birding, hiking, and home renovations.

Joshua Rapp Learn has encountered back alley hyenas in Ethiopia and wrangled an anaconda in the Brazilian Pantanal. He covers wildlife management and conservation news stories for wildlife.org — the website of The Wildlife Society. He also writes and proofs staff articles for the membership magazine, The Wildlife Professional.

As a science writer, Josh has contributed wildlife articles to publications such as National Geographic, The New York Times, Hakai Magazine, Canadian Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, New Scientist and The Washington Post. An Edmonton native, he completed a master’s degree in journalism at Ryerson University in Toronto. He is now based in Washington, D.C.

Working as both a researcher and science storyteller, Olivia Milloway has studied invasive bullfrogs in the San Francisco Bay Area, interviewed citizen scientists across the state of Maine, and caught fish on overnight trips in the Panama Canal. Since 2025, she has worked as the staff writer for The Wildlife Society, covering news in wildlife science, policy, and management, as well as the goings-on of TWS for our members.

Her work has appeared in Smithsonian Voices, The Bitter Southerner, The Working Waterfront Newspaper, Park Science Magazine, and more. She also created and produced season one of Acadia National Park’s official narrative science podcast, Sea to Trees. Originally from East Tennessee, Olivia is currently based in Brooklyn, NY.

Jennifer Murphy joined the TWS staff in 2020. Initially, she served the organization as the Operations Coordinator, but she now oversees the Wildlife Biologist Certification Program.

Jennifer first became a member of TWS in 1993 when she joined the student chapter at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where she earned her B.S. in wildlife biology. She earned her M.S. in wildlife biology at Utah State University in 2000. Jennifer became an AWB® in 2000, and upgraded to CWB® status in 2007.

Jennifer has worked as a wildlife biologist in both the government and private sectors, mainly focused on wildlife hazard management at airports. She has worked with dozens of airports across the country from tiny one-runway airports with elk migrating across the airfield to the country’s largest and busiest airports such as Denver International and Boston’s Logan where the wildlife impacts are very diverse. She also spent two years on Guam helping to manage the invasive brown tree snake.

Jennifer’s other interests include birding, kayaking, photography and most sports involving a racquet and a ball. She lives in western Massachusetts with her husband, Kevin, and her Shih Tzu named Levi.

Kelly O’Connor joined The Wildlife Society’s policy team in October 2021 and leads TWS’ Conservation Affairs Network and grassroots policy engagement efforts. She holds a B.S. in natural resources and an M.S. in natural resources and the environment from the University of Connecticut.

Before joining TWS, Kelly worked for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) focusing on permitting and policy development for state-listed species. She remains involved with wildlife conservation efforts in the southeast as a volunteer board member of the Gopher Tortoise Council. Kelly lives near Gainesville, Florida, with her husband, son, and Florida brown dog Finn. In her free time she enjoys birding, nature photography, knitting, reading, and paddling around Florida’s springs.

Katie joined The Wildlife Society in 2024 as the Digital Content Manager, where she curates and creates visual content and oversees all social media channels.

She holds a B.A. in creative media industries with a minor in natural resource management from Texas Tech University. Prior to TWS, she worked as a multimedia specialist at Texas A&M AgriLife.

A born and raised Texan, Katie is a passionate photographer, filmmaker, and outdoors enthusiast. She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, where she enjoys roaming wide open spaces.

Lauren Ruotolo joined TWS staff in 2023, serving the organization as the Director of Development overseeing fundraising initiatives. With over ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector focused on environmental science education and agriculture, she brings a passion for wildlife conservation.

Lauren graduated from Flagler College where in addition to receiving a B.A. in Sociology and Environmental Studies, she helped build an on-campus recycling program and student community garden. Lauren has worked in development for the past six years helping organizations to increase their capacity and operating budgets. She is a successful grant writer who has raised over $2 million during her career and has extensive experience organizing profitable fundraising events and campaigns.

Lauren spent seven years on Hawaii Island exploring tropical agroforestry and native culture while fundraising for local nonprofits. Lauren now resides in coastal Connecticut and finds inspiration in tending to gardens, picking up marine debris, and hiking with her Hawaiian border collie, Fern.

Mike comes to The Wildlife Society after working in independent schools and nonprofits over the past twenty years. Prior to that, he had a long career in a variety of capacities at Fannie Mae. He has worked for a number of organizations in the Roaring Fork Valley including the Aspen Music Festival and Aspen Country Day School. These experiences have allowed Mike to meld the best practices of both the corporate and nonprofit worlds to optimize organizational finance and operational capabilities. Additionally, Mike has served on numerous nonprofit boards which has given him important insights into Board governance.

Mike is very interested, some would say obsessed, with finding efficiencies, creating strong internal controls and leveraging technology to create financial systems and reports that can become the backbone of financial planning. He is also a CPA.

As a native, and current resident, of the D.C.-area Mike has spent a great portion of his adulthood living in Colorado both as a ski bum and holding actual professional jobs. If you ever feel the need to talk about mountain biking or skiing he is always happy to participate.

Kaylyn Zipp is a science communicator and policy specialist who brings a deep understanding of conservation and management to her writing and work. As a writer and advocate, Kaylyn covers science, policy, and management, translating complex ecological and regulatory issues into accessible stories. Her work bridges science and public understanding, with a focus on the role of data in guiding sustainable resource use that support evidence-based decision-making.

Originally from New York, Kaylyn holds a master’s in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from West Virginia University and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Marine Biology at the University of Maine, where her research focuses on stock structure, tagging, and the integration of uncertainty into assessment frameworks for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. She is passionate about connecting science to action, whether that’s through committee work, field research, or a well-turned sentence.

Laura Bies joined The Wildlife Society’s staff in 2005, after completing her J.D. at George Washington University. She remained on staff until 2015, working in the government affairs program. During that time, she also helped to develop the Leadership Institute. Since 2015, Laura has continued to work with TWS as a contractor, providing additional policy capacity and also serving as the Leadership Institute coordinator in recent years.

Outside of her work for TWS, Bies is the Executive Director of the Ornithological Council, a consortium of ornithology professional societies. Laura and her family live in Maine, where they enjoy getting outdoors in any weather.

Kerrell Dunsmore has served as The Wildlife Society’s Consulting Meeting Planner since the 2007 Annual Conference in Tucson, Arizona. You can typically find her behind the scenes, working on things like catering, audio-visual, transportation, and special events that occur during the conference. She enjoys consulting on other scientific conferences as well, including American Fisheries Society, American Society of Mammalogists, and the joint Evolution meeting. During the recent pandemic, Kerrell got certified as a Digital Event Strategist, and produced several virtual meetings during that two-year period. Kerrell serves as the President of HSMAI – Arizona Chapter (Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International) and is a frequent collaborator on meetings and events industry conferences. Kerrell is a certified yoga instructor and lives with her husband, Damon, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Tricia began working with The Wildlife Society staff in 2004, when abstract submission went digital! As a TWS contractor, Tricia manages the academic side of the annual conference, the Awards program, webinar series, and the Native American Research Assistantship program. As a wildlifer, Tricia’s work focuses on fish and wildlife health. She received her PhD studying polar bear physiology and climate change from the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 2022 and her M.S., many years before, from the Department of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin. During her graduate work she was a Welder Wildlife Fellow. Along with working with TWS, she has worked for federal and state agencies on wildlife health issues. More recently, Tricia’s day job has been working in fish and wildlife health policy in the Midwest region. Tricia is a member of the Wisconsin Chapter of The Wildlife Society and the North Central Section. Tricia lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her two teenagers and when she isn’t driving kids to practice is happiest on some form of water – swimming, boating, and cross-country skiing.