National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) - February 5 - February 9, 2024

Kim Bogenschutz is the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Program Coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). She has developed and directed the IDNR AIS Program since its inception in 2000. Prior to her current position, she worked for the Minnesota DNR, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Iowa Department of Transportation, and IDNR in a variety of capacities including fisheries management, private lands restoration, environmental review and permitting, and nongame wildlife. Kim is vice-chair of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Invasive Species Committee, past chair of the Mississippi River Basin Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species, and is on the Board of Directors for the Midwest Invasive Plant Network. A native of Minnesota, Kim earned a BA in Biology from Gustavus Adolphus College and an MS in Fisheries Science from South Dakota State University. In addition to CLfT, she shares her love of the outdoors as an instructor for Outdoor Journey for Girls and Becoming an Iowa Outdoors Woman. Kim, her husband, Todd, and their daughter, Veronica Brooke, reside on 50 acres along the bluffs of the Des Moines River in Madrid, Iowa, with their two bird dogs. In addition to fishing, hunting, and boating, she enjoys attending her daughter’s dance and sports events, spending time at the family cabin in Minnesota, and coaching cheer and dance teams.

Rob has been involved with CLfT since 2008 and continues to find it motivating, challenging and extremely satisfying. He has served on both the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board (Chairman) and the F&W Advisory Committee. A "student" of public regulation, he believes in the regulatory process works when all of the "players" understand and fulfill their obligations. Also, a current Trustee and President of the Barre Fish and Game Club, the largest private shooting and hunting club in Vermont. Other relevant credentials include Hunter Education Instructor (30 years), Range Safety Officer, NRA certified Shotgun Instructor and have conducted many education shooting programs for kids and women. Rob grew up in a hunting and fishing culture in Minnesota.
After graduating from college in Biology, he took a position as the Minnesota "Research Co-coordinator for Scientific and Natural Areas" . After 3 years, he when back to school and became a Chiropractic Physician, moved to Vermont and has been in private practice since 1983. He owns and manages a 50 acre wood lot and spends as much time as possible outdoors.

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.

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.

I work for the U.S. FWS as Project Leader/Refuge Manager of the Chesapeake Marshlands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, where I manage the following refuges: Blackwater, Eastern Neck, Martin and Susquehanna. I'm also co-chair for our Regional R3 Team. Previously I was Division Chief of Visitor Services and Communications for the National Wildlife Refuge System in HQ in DC, and led national initiatives and policy that impacted the “human element” side of refuges in order to engage the American public in conservation and enjoying nature. Prior to Refuges, I worked for the Migratory Bird Program, FWS. Before joining the FWS, I worked in non-profit as a wildlife biologist and Vice President of the Wildlife Habitat Council for over ten years. My Master’s in Wildlife Management is from West Virginia University, B.S. in Biology from University of Pittsburgh.

I love archery, deer and turkey hunting (especially turkey!!), sporting clays, kayaking, and learning agility with my crazy cattle dog Elsie. No matter which sport, however, I LOVE 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. That's why I joined the CLfT Team as an instructor.