TWS joins Diversity Joint Venture Management Board

The Diversity Joint Venture for Conservation Careers selected TWS Professional Development Manager Jamila Blake as a new member of its management board. Blake will serve a three-year term on the 15-member board through December 2024.

Blake says she is very excited for her new role with the DJV. “I have already learned so much from my experiences working with other DJV partners, and joining the management board is an incredible opportunity to continue to grow and make meaningful contributions to DEI efforts within TWS and the wildlife profession.”

The DJV is a partnership of 38 federal and state agencies, universities, nongovernmental organizations, foundations and professional societies that work together to increase representation of underrepresented communities in the conservation workforce, including positions that preserve and protect natural resources and emphasize science, research, management, policy and interpretative expertise.

It works to introduce students and potential employees to the conservation field, provide resources to individuals to find internships and jobs in the conservation workforce, advise employers about recruitment and hiring practices and support opportunities for career growth and development.

“The DJV embodies the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” Blake said. “It provides an opportunity to connect, engage and learn from the experiences, expertise and practices of others focused on DEI in the conservation field.”

The Wildlife Society has been a partner organization of the DJV since 2017. As stated in TWS’ DEI Vision and standing position on workforce within the wildlife profession, the Society is dedicated to efforts to “expand and develop successful, collaborative programs for training, recruiting and retention of underrepresented groups in the workforce.”

Visit the Diversity Joint Venture for Conservation Careers’ website.

Read The Wildlife Society’s standing position on Workforce Diversity in the Wildlife Profession.

Learn more about The Wildlife Society’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts.

Header Image: TWS Professional Development Manager Jamila Blake has been selected to join the management board of the Diversity Joint Venture for Conservation Careers. Credit: Courtesy Jamila Blake