The U.S. Senate confirmed Aurelia Skipwith on December 12 as the next director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by a vote of 52-39. Skipwith has been serving as the Department of the Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks since April 2017. She received her B.S. in biology from Howard University, M.S. in molecular biology from Purdue University, and J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law. Skipwith is the first African American director of the agency.

“I am truly honored to serve the American people under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Bernhardt,” said Skipwith. “I am grateful for the confidence that the Senate has placed in me, and I look forward to helping the Secretary advance this Administration’s priorities for the Department, for the Service and for American conservation.”