WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oct. 21, 2021 – Ducks Unlimited (DU) applauds the Biden Administration’s nomination of Martha Williams as Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Williams has served as the Principal Deputy Director of the USFWS since January. The United States Senate will hold a hearing to confirm her nomination at a later date.
DU works closely with federal and state agencies, including the Department of the Interior (DOI) and USFWS, across North America to put conservation dollars to work. These partnerships are critical for fulfilling DU’s mission to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. DU’s work also benefits more than 900 other species of wetland-associated wildlife, as well as people and the communities in which they live.
“We’re glad to see Martha Williams nominated as Director of USFWS,” said DU CEO Adam Putnam. “Dating back to her time as Director of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and most recently as Principal Deputy Director with the Service, she has proven to be an experienced and visionary steward of America’s vast natural resources. We look forward to building on our shared efforts to support migratory bird habitat on National Wildlife Refuges across the U.S.”
Prior to her appointment as Principal Deputy Director of the USFWS, Williams served as Director of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks from 2017 to 2020. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor of Law at the Blewett School of Law at the University of Montana and served two years as Deputy Solicitor for Parks and Wildlife at Interior. From 1988 to 2011, Williams was agency legal counsel for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Raised on a farm in Maryland and developing a love for the outdoors at an early age, Williams earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Montana School of Law.
“We’re excited to see Martha nominated to be Director of the USFWS,” said DU Chief Conservation Officer Karen Waldrop. “Her diverse background, exceptional leadership and vast experience make her an excellent choice for this position. We look forward to our continued partnership as we work together to further wetland and waterfowl conservation across the United States.”
For more information, visit www.ducks.org, and be sure to Follow DU’s news Twitter feed – @DUNews1937 – to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.
