In its seventh year, the Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow (CLfT) program is conducting 13 workshops?3 as professional development events for fish and wildlife agency personnel, 1 for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) employees, and 9 for Juniors, Seniors and graduate university students majoring in natural resource management disciplines. To improve facilitation of the workshops, designed and administered to provide nonhunting participants with a good understanding of the relationship between consumptive outdoor recreation and conservation, two people were added to the program's full-time staff this past summer.

Jointly sponsored by the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation (MMWF) of Dundee, Illinois, and the Wildlife Management Institute, CLfT will complete its 2011-12 operational year in February. For 2011-12, more than 90 agency nonhunters and nearly 150 university students will have participated in the workshops, which occur over the course of five and four days, respectively. Both agency personnel and students volunteer for program participation and are selected to attend on the basis of their leadership positions or potential. Since its inception, the program has involved 45 universities, 25 state agencies and the FWS. Workshops are held at eight facilities around the country, with the MMWF serving as the flagship location. The program currently has 149 instructors; each workshop enlists 10-14.

Because CLfT workshops necessarily occur during the university school year and the shooting preserve hunting season, a great deal of communication and logistical coordination is necessary. To improve program delivery, David Windsor was hired as the program's National Coordinator, and Karen Gilbertson was enlisted as Office Manager. The two work closely with CLfT Director Dr. Zachary Lowe.

David joined CLfT following a career of more than 27 years with the Indiana DNR's Law Enforcement Division. His last six years as a conservation officer were at the rank of captain, and he was commander of the education and training section. At times, during his tenure with Indiana agency, he served as President of the Association of Natural Resource Enforcement Trainers and Secretary of the International Hunter Education Association.

David will be involved in instructor training and have responsibilities for workshop planning and administration.

Karen worked extensively in the outdoors retail industry, notably Cabela's and Sportman's Warehouse. She has experience in office management and bookkeeping, as well as conservation education. She will handle the considerable flow of daily communication, equipment stock and storage, travel and facility arrangements, and more.

David and Karen also are CLfT instructors. Said Director Lowe: "Both bring skill and energy to CLfT, and we are pleased to have them on board."