National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) - January 6 - January 10, 2020

Gordon retired as Chief Wildlife Biologist for the State of New York in 2015 following a 35 year career as a wildlife biologist with New York, and now serves with the Northeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies as Executive Secretary. Gordon is also very active on various committees of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. An enthusiastic deer and turkey hunter, Gordon especially enjoys taking novice hunters afield, and teaching about our trapping and hunting heritage during the CLfT workshops.

Tim is a 25-year employee of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division. Tim’s duties are the coordination of the department’s hunter education program. This program has expanded over the years to include many new and engaging educational programs such as Indiana’s - National Archery in the Schools Program. Tim was appointed the State Coordinator for this program in December of 2005. He is also the National Range Manager for the national archery tournaments hosted the National Archery in the Schools Program across the country. During Tim’s career, his involvement in the shooting sports and hunting has strengthened his abilities to lead the department’s outdoor education programs to a new level. With over 40 years of volunteering and working to promote outdoor activities. In 2018 Tim was inducted into the International Hunter Education Association – USA, Professional Hall of Fame Award while also receiving the Jim and Nancy Mahoney Hunter Education Heritage Award from the Indiana Hunter Education Association. Tim holds numerous training certifications from various organizations that promote and encourage the use of our great natural resources.

Currently, Bob is owner of Bob Byrne Consulting, a conservation consulting firm specializing in finding innovative solutions to conservation issues through strategic planning, programmatic reviews, evaluations, group facilitation and literature reviews.

Prior to forming his own company, Bob spent 30+ years in conservation where he worked for three state wildlife agencies, two conservation NGOs and a conservation-communications consulting firm.

Being an avid hunter and angler, Bob has a deep concern about passing on our hunting and fishing heritage on to future generations, and has focused much of his recent efforts on this task.

Some of his most recent projects include:

➢ Assisted The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (CHASS) and the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) develop the National Hunting and Shooting Sports Action Plan that is being used as the framework to improve recruitment, retention and re-activation (R3) programs for hunting and the shooting sports.

➢ Assisted the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the Aquatic resources Education Association (AREA) develop a strategic plan for angler recruitment, retention and re-activation programs.

➢ Developed Environmental Stewardship Plans for 17 outdoor shooting ranges operated by the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Bob can be reached at bobbyrne2018@gmail.com or 540-937-2139.

Tom Decker is the Branch Manager of the Communications, Analysis and Partnerships Branch for the US Fish & Wildlife Service - Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. Tom is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and has worked for USFWS for 10 years. Previously Tom worked for 15 years for Vermont Fish and Wildlife and 9 years for Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife holding several positions including Furbearer Biologist, Director of Wildlife, and Director of Operations. Tom is a life member of the American Society of Mammologists and a Professional Member of the Boone and Crocket Club. He has been a member of The Wildlife Society since 1988 and is a TWS Fellow and National Conservation Leadership Institute Fellow. Tom is a certified hunter education and trapper education instructor in Massachusetts and a hunting instructor in the Vermont 4-H Shooting Sports program. He is also a certified archery instructor in the National Archery in the Schools Program. Tom has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Worcester State University. He lives in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and spends much of his time gathering wild edibles and fishing, trapping and hunting moose, waterfowl, deer, grouse, pheasant, squirrels and turkeys.

Philip H Dietrich II, consultant and shooting instructor known for entertaining anyway legally and safely with a shotgun. Currently Director of Outdoor Recreation and Habitat at McGraw. He has managed Wing & Barrel Ranch located in Sonoma, Ca. catering to the heart of wine country. Prior at Five Star Plantation, the South’s Premier quail facility. And Before that he was the GM of Prospect Hall Shooting Club, a private hunting and shooting facility serving world class wing shooters of the Washington D.C. area. He is NSCA level II certified shooting instructor. Between coaching shooting and Dog handling, he loves being a slave to an age-old trade. He has a diversified professional background in land management, habitat & herd management along with shooting sports course layout and design. In addition, he was the Area Chairman of Eastern Panhandle of Ducks Unlimited when hosting the 2012 Federal Duck Stamp Vote. A graduate of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia with a BS in Sports Management and a Business Minor. He was born and raised in Ohio where he was mentored by family and friends at an early age in the world of conservation through hunting and shooting sports. Phil enjoys hunting waterfowl, upland birds and anything with feathers using great dogs, the best shotguns with the finest of companions. He is committed to introducing educating and passing along the heritage and importance of hunting and shooting sports to the world of conservation.

Patt Dorsey is a native Coloradoan and a graduate of “the” Colorado State University. She became a "member of the flock," joining the National Wild Turkey Federation in February of 2019. As the Director of Conservation Operations for the West Region, she supervises biologists and R3 coordinators in 9 Western States. She was drawn to the NWTF because working on forest and watershed health is an increasingly important and urgent issue and the NWTF is implementing on-the-ground solutions with local partners. Before that, she held several positions with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (Boulder district wildlife manager, Hunter Education Administrator, area wildlife manager in Durango and a member of the Director's staff -- Southwest Region Manager). She was recognized as Colorado's Shikar Safari Wildlife Officer of the Year in 2012, presented with the International Hunter Education Association Past President’s Award in 2004, the Jim Jones Outstanding Employee Award in 2000, Most Creative Idea Award in 2008, Teamwork Award and Most Positive Employee awards in 1995.

Patt is an avid outdoors person and naturalist. She enjoys hunting, fishing, writing, photography, gardening and beadwork (using roadkill porcupine quills).

Chris is currently a Wildlife Biologist with the USFWS Office of Conservation Investment in the Northeast Region. Previously, he served as the Regional Chief of Hunting & Fishing (2017-19) and Migratory Game Bird Biologist for the USFWS, Northeast Region (2006-17), working with State and Federal partners in the U.S. & Canada to support science-based conservation and harvest management of migratory game birds. From 1996-2006, Chris served as a Wetland Wildlife and Furbearer Biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODOW), where he developed research, monitoring and public communication programs to improve furbearer management within the State. He also served as the State Coordinator in the testing and development of Best Management Practices for Furbearer Traps and Trapping in the U.S. His efforts also led to the first regulated trapping season for river otters in Ohio following their successful reintroduction in the early 1980’s, built around strong science and communication efforts within the agency, and more importantly, with the public. Prior to working with ODOW, he was employed as a Wildlife Research Biologist with the MO Dept. of Conservation and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, and Wildlife Technician with the U.S.G.S., Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Station. Chris is also a volunteer Trapper Education instructor with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Hunter Education Program.

Anna has worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 2009, and her journey has brought her from D.C., to the Pacific Northwest, to the rocky coast of Maine and now to an ecologically diverse wildlife refuge complex in the tri-state area of northern NJ, southeast PA, and southeast NY known as the Lenape National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Anna lives with her husband Kyle, their two young sons and bird dog Burly on a blueberry farm in Sussex, NJ.

Adam Janke is an Associate Professor and the statewide wildlife extension specialist for Iowa State University based in Ames, Iowa. He does research and extension programming on wildlife habitat and wildlife conservation issues in Iowa and throughout the agricultural landscapes of the Midwest, working primarily with gamebirds. He earned a B.S. from Purdue University, a M.S. from Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. from South Dakota State University, all in wildlife. He is also certified as an Associate Wildlife Biologist with The Wildlife Society and serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Wildlife Management. He is a life-long hunter and enjoys spending time afield with his black lab Abby or time alone in the deer stand or turkey woods during the hunting seasons. Between seasons, he bides his time with golf, woodworking, and hockey among other hobbies in anticipation of the return of fall.

Zachary E. Lowe is the Executive Director of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. He served as the Director of CLfT from 2009 to Aug 2021. He has a diverse professional background working within the disciplines of restoration ecology, research/extension, and conservation education. He holds a B.S. in Wildlife Science, a second in Fisheries and Aquatic Science, and a Ph.D. in Restoration Ecology from Purdue University where he maintains an Adjunct Faculty position within the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. A native of the Midwest, Zach grew up as an avid outdoorsman and is passionate about hunting. He engages in trapping and fishing as the time and the seasons allow. Zach enjoys the culinary rewards of hunting and gardening and finds the preparation of game and local foods to be a year-round connection to the family’s seasonal harvest. Zach serves on The Wildlife Society's Editorial Advisory Board and assists with several national working groups dedicated to how hunting, angling, and trapping can ensure the future of conservation for the collective benefit of all things wild.

John retired from the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in October 2014 as Outdoor Education Coordinator, where he administered the agency’s statewide Hunter Education and Aquatic Education programs. John served as OEC from 2006-14 and in NDOW’s Conservation Education Division since 1998, after beginning his career with NDOW’s Fisheries Division at the Lake Mead Fish Hatchery outside Las Vegas. Shortly before retiring from state service John completed training to become a Certified Public Manager.

Shortly after retiring, John served a year (2015-16) as Interim Executive Director of the International Hunter Education Association-USA (IHEA-USA) - a non-profit dedicated to training hunters to be safe, ethical and legal - while leading the search for permanent ED. John also served IHEA-USA as Executive Board President, Region 1 Representative (15 western states), Past-Presidents Committee Chair and Nominations and Awards Committee Chair.

John grew up hunting and fishing in western Pennsylvania before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force after high school. He was stationed at Nellis AFB his entire USAF career before settling in Las Vegas. John has two children; Sean, Las Vegas and Katie, Reno. Sean graduated from UNLV (Rebel) and Katie UNR (Wolfpack), making for a good intra-family rivalry.

John’s interests/hobbies include hunting, fishing, travel, classic car restoration, gardening, wine, cooking, politics and numerous other outdoor sports.

Sara Mueller is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University for her B.S. (Schreyer Honors College, 2014), M.S. (2016) and Ph.D. (2023) in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. Sara's past research has focused on aquatic ecology ranging from community interactions with invasive species, metabarcoding eDNA samples for aquatic organisms, and Brook Trout morphology. Through her work, Sara advocates for the integration of knowledge between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems; and encourages collaboration and cooperation across respective disciplines. Sara was also adjunct faculty at Penn State Dubois teaching natural resources policy and animal identification. Now, Sara is the Executive Director of the Wildlife Leadership Academy and oversees its mission of engaging and empowering youth in the conservation space (wildlifeleadershipacademy.org).

Keith Norris is the Director of Wildlife Policy & Communications at The Wildlife Society, where he supports policies and advances communication efforts that inspire, empower, and enable wildlife professionals in science-based management and conservation of wildlife and their habitats. He holds a B.S. degree in Wildlife from Purdue University, a M.A. degree in Public Policy & Management from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, and a M.S. degree in Environment & Natural Resources – Wildlife and Fisheries at The Ohio State University. Keith is certified as an Associate Wildlife Biologist® and is an alumnus of the National Conservation Leadership Institute. His career has included positions in wildlife research, education, policy advocacy, leadership development, and program administration.

I am Chief of the USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units, a network of 40 research units in 38 states at major universities. I was Chief of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration for the Northeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service previously. I am also Adjunct Associate Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Michigan State University, and Andres Bello University in Santiago, Chile. I am a Certified Wildlife Biologist and Past President and Fellow of The Wildlife Society. I am a Professional Member of the Boone and Crockett Club, Life Member of International Hunter Education Association and Senior Specialist in the Fulbright Scholar Program. I am a member of the IUCN Otter Specialist and Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Groups, serve on the Board of Directors of the National Conservation Leadership Institute, and represent USGS on the Wilderness Policy Council. I advise MS and PhD students studying carnivores, ungulates, and human dimensions, and have worked in Africa, Canada, Chile, Peru, and the US. I'm Associate Editor of Human Dimensions of Wildlife journal, Science and Education Editor for Fair Chase, and teach graduate courses in Wildlife Conservation and Human Dimensions of Wildlife Conservation. I teach Hunter and Trapper Education in Massachusetts, and have hunted most of my life, feeling most alive and connected to nature when doing so. My trophies are wild game meals I serve to friends and family.

Marcia Pradines Long is the Chesapeake Marshlands National Wildlife Refuge Complex Project Leader with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In this position, she has focused on strengthening relationships with the community, helping new audiences get engaged with the outdoors through programs like mentored hunts and partnerships, and finding the connections between people and wildlife that make conservation successful. She co-founded the First Shot mentored hunt program in 2018 with NWTF and MD DNR to help fill the gap she had personally experienced as an adult onset hunter who also needed help to get back out. She previously led the Division of Communications and Visitor Services for the National Wildlife Refuge System in the USFWS headquarters where she spearheaded the national Urban Wildlife Refuge Program.

She has a Masters degree in Wildlife Management from West Virginia University, and a BS in Biology from University of Pittsburgh. In her spare time she is an avid hunter, angler, and loves training her rescue dog Elsie. She also serves as a mentor for other women learning to hunt; Marcia has a strong desire to break down both the stereotypes and barriers for women and other minorities to get involved in the liberating and diverse world of outdoor sports.

Prior to coming to CLfT, David was a Captain with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division where he served for 27 1/2 years in a variety of positions including Field Officer, Environmental Investigator, Homeland Security Coordinator, Training Administrator and the Education and Training Section Commander. David has held a number of instructor certifications and specialties that included: 4H Shooting Sports Shotgun Instructor, NRA Muzzleloading Rifle, NRA Range Safety Officer, Indiana and Illinois Hunter Education Instructor and Indiana Trapper Education Instructor. David is a 1980 graduate of Vincennes University with an Associate of Science degree in Conservation Law Enforcement and a graduate of the 191st Session of the FBI National Academy. He served three terms as president of the Association of Natural Resource Enforcement Trainers (ANRET)(now a subcommittee of NAWEOA). David served as Secretary of the International Hunter Education Association, IHEA from 2009 to 2011. David was inducted into the IHEA-USA Hall of Fame in 2018. He has remained active in law enforcement by serving with the Mason County Sheriff's Marine Patrol Division and in 2021 he became NASBLA's 1st Certified Recreational Boating Professional (CRBP) in the Nation.