Why It Matters: Wyoming has a deep appreciation of wildlife and the sporting heritage, boasting some of the largest populations of wildlife species like pronghorn and sage grouse. The state’s commitment to the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation will continue as it transitions from the leadership of now-retired Director Brian Nesvik to newly appointed Director Angi Bruce. Appointed by Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) member Governor Mark Gordon, Angi Bruce will be the first female Director for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD).
Highlights:
- Director Brian Nesvik recently retired after thirty years of service with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
- Angi Bruce was named as Director of WGFD by GSC member Governor Mark Gordon. She is the first female to serve in this top role at the department.
- Throughout her tenure as Deputy Director, Angi Bruce has been responsive to the sportsmen’s community and with participation in events like the NASC summit and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA).
- The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) would like to congratulate Director Bruce for her appointment and looks forward to continuing working with Director Bruce in her new capacity.
As former Director Brian Nesvik pointed out in his farewell letter, Wyoming is a state that cares deeply about its wildlife. Wildlife conservation is at the forefront as it drives tourism, resource industries, and local heritage. Boasting the largest populations of pronghorn and sage grouse in the world, wildlife in Wyoming is a treasure. Director Nesvik enjoyed a three-decades long career with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, starting as a game warden before being promoted to chief game warden, and finally transiting into the Director’s role. He now passes the torch to his former Deputy Director Angi Bruce; the first female to serve as Director for the WGFD.
Angi Bruce joined the WGFD in April of 2019 as Deputy Director of External Affairs. Her wide portfolio with the WGFD has placed her in crucial policy issues like big game migration corridors, endangered species recovery, and sage grouse initiatives. As previously reported by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the WGFD’s budget request for migration corridors, presented by Angi Bruce, was well received by the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission. With a background in wildlife biology and environmental sciences, Angi Bruce has the tools needed to reach her goal of addressing the “evolving challenges of wildlife conservation in Wyoming.”
Director Bruce’s reach has gone beyond the State of Wyoming through her participation in regional and national events. During the 2023 NASC Summit in Dewey Beach DE, Director Bruce joined a panel of state fish and game agency Directors for a presentation to legislators and non-profits representing the western states. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation looks forward to continued work with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, under the leadership of Director Bruce, to promote conservation and sporting heritage in Wyoming.
