Washington, DC - Safari Club International (SCI) is pleased to announce that Melissa Simpson has been named as the Director of Government Affairs and Science Based Conservation for SCI's Washington, DC office. As Director, Melissa will lead SCI's federal, state and international governmental affairs team, oversee all litigation on behalf of SCI and advance SCI Foundation's conservation priorities.
"Safari Club International was one of the first sportsmen's organizations I started working with when I came to DC," said Melissa Simpson. "SCI has always been a bold leader on sportsmen's issues and I am very proud to now be helping the organization implement its agenda directly."
"I am very excited to have Melissa lead our SCI Washington, DC Office. Her leadership throughout the sportsmen's community will continue to drive SCI forward in our First for Hunters mission," said SCI President Larry Rudolph.
Melissa Simpson has nearly ten years of experience working in Washington - from Capitol Hill, to high level positions at the Department of the Interior and later as Deputy Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Melissa works daily within the sportsmen, conservation and agriculture communities, energy industry and other stakeholder groups to develop strategies around conserving and enhancing habitat, the use of public lands, and incentivizing conservation practices.
Throughout her career, Melissa has been a true champion on sportsmen's issues. She authored the charter for the first sportsmen's Federal Advisory Committee to the Secretaries the of the Interior and Agriculture, helped implement the American Wildlife Conservation Partners (AWCP) Wildlife for the 21st Century recommendations and was a lead in the development of the White House Conference on North American Wildlife Policy which resulted in a ten year Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Plan.
For the last two years Melissa has served on SCI's Government Affairs Committee. She is also on the Board of Directors to the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation and a professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club.
About the Hunters' Defense Fund:
Safari Club International Hunters' Defense Fund supports the important advocacy, conservation and legal work keeping hunters afield and promoting hunting worldwide. Donations to the Hunters' Defense Fund have a direct impact on our freedom to hunt, wildlife conservation policy and important legislative, regulatory and legal issues. DONATE NOW: www.safariclub.org/hunterdefense
Becoming an SCI Member:
Joining Safari Club International is the best way to be an advocate for continuing our hunting heritage and supporting worldwide sustainable use conservation, wildlife education and humanitarian services. JOIN NOW: www.safariclub.org/Join.
Safari Club International - First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI's approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI's proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.safariclub.org or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.
