Tony Wasley Elected 2021-2022 President of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies

The membership of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (Association) elected Tony Wasley, Director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife, as its new president during its 111th Annual Meeting in Providence, Rhode Island.

In accepting the Presidency, Wasley reflected on maintaining momentum with the Association’s important priorities, including One Health, passage of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, relevancy of conservation institutions and strong industry relationships.  Wasley also gave thanks to the outstanding leadership and accomplishments made by the Association over the past year under the leadership of Past-President Sara Parker Pauley, Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation. 

“I am honored to be selected to serve as President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies,” said Wasley. “The work of the Association and all its members is critically important in making conservation more relevant in our states, provinces and territories. I am looking forward to working with our members and friends to create broader engagement and to achieve our common conservation goals.”

Wasley will serve as the Association President through September 2022.

“Tony Wasley is a leading voice in the national debate over wildlife agency funding models and relevancy,” stated Sara Parker Pauley, Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation and 2020-2021 President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “His leadership and innovation will be vital as we forge forward with the challenges and priorities of today.”

Wasley is also presently the chairman of the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) Council and he is a proud graduate of the National Conservation Leadership Institute.  He is a past co-chair of the National Landscape Conservation Cooperative Council, past-chair of the Pacific Flyway Council, and past board member and chair for the Intermountain West Joint Venture Management Board. 

Tony earned bachelor’s degrees in both Wildlife Management and Biological Sciences from California State University and earned a master’s degree in Biological Sciences from Idaho State University with a National Science Foundation Research Assistantship.

When blessed with free time he prefers to spend it outdoors with his sweetheart where he will fish for just about anything, anywhere, with any legal means. He’s a family-first, dog-loving sports nut, that enjoys a good game of cribbage and an occasional good book. 

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies—the organization that represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies—promotes sound resource management and conservation, and speaks on important fish and wildlife issues. Found on the web at www.fishwildlife.org, on Facebook  /AssociationofFishandWildlifeAgencies and on Twitter @fishwildlife.