The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (Association) recognized thirteen individuals, one group, one state agency, and one private landowner for their dedication to advancing fish and wildlife conservation at the Association’s Annual Awards Ceremony on September 16, 2026, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

SETH GORDON AWARD
The Seth Gordon Award recognizes the lifetime achievements of natural resource administrators who have worked steadfastly and effectively for the best use of North American fish and wildlife resources in support of the Association’s mission and the public trust. This year’s award winner is Christopher Estes. Through over a 51-year career working to protect water allocations and rights for fish and wildlife and being recognized as an international expert who has impacted this critical field, Christopher fully embodies the high standard represented by the Seth Gordon Award. 

JOHN L. MORRIS AWARD
The John L. Morris Award recognizes lifetime commitment to fish and wildlife stewardship by citizen conservationists who have exhibited exemplary leadership and commitment to large scale natural resource challenges. Leon Boyd is this year’s winner. Leon Boyd, Vice President of Noah Horn Well Drilling, grew up in rural Appalachia and witnessed the absence of big game, and dedicated over 30 years to restoring wildlife habitats, especially in mountainous, previously mined areas. Leon Boyd’s lifelong dedication, leadership, and hands-on work have made him a central figure in Virginia’s wildlife conservation and elk restoration, with significant ecological, economic, and community benefits.

AFWA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The AFWA Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have served and/or supported the Association and helped advance of Association’s policy agenda. This year, we recognize two individuals. The first recipient is Scot Williamson, recently retired Vice President of the Wildlife Management Institute, in recognition of his remarkable career in this profession including his pivotal role in developing and managing multi-state conservation initiatives such as the Regional Conservation Needs program and the Northeast Wildlife Teamwork Strategy, enabling groundbreaking research and management for species of greatest conservation need. The second individual is Shane Mahoney, President and CEO of Conservation Visions, Inc, for is work toward shaping conservation policy and institutions across North America through his thought leadership and advocacy and advancing the integration of wildlife considerations into the One Health policy framework, ensuring that wildlife agencies play a central role in connecting environmental, animal, and human health.

ERNEST THOMPSON SETON AWARD
The Ernest Thompson Seton Award honors efforts of a state agency and team leader(s) to raise public awareness of scientific wildlife management. This year’s recipient, Dr. Embere Hall, Supervisor of the Science, Research and Analytical Support Unit at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Dr. Embere Hall’s leadership in public outreach has raised awareness of scientific wildlife management in Wyoming. Through engaging communication, educational materials, transparent data practices, and effective advocacy, she has built broad public understanding and support for conservation initiatives.

PRIVATE LANDS FISH & WILDLIFE STEWARDSHIP AWARD
The Private Lands Fish & Wildlife Stewardship Award honors an individual or family-run farm, ranch, or forest property that has incorporated proactive conservation practices of importance to fish and wildlife. This year, the Association recognizes Travis & Krista Klinkner and the Klinkner Family Farm. Travis and Krista have demonstrated a deep commitment to conservation by implementing a wide range of proactive environmental practices on the family’s organic farm in Genoa, Wisconsin.

CONSERVATION LAW ENFORCEMENT AWARD
The Conservation Law Enforcement Award recognizes exceptional achievement in fish and wildlife resource enforcement. This year the award goes to the North American Wildlife Law Enforcement Accreditation Inc. (NAWLEA). NAWLEA has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, innovation, and professionalism in advancing conservation law enforcement nationwide by establishing the first accreditation program specifically for conservation law enforcement agencies in North America.

MARK J. REEFF AWARD
The Mark J. Reeff Award recognizes a distinguished early career professional with great potential to rise through the ranks of their agency into a more senior leadership role. This year’s recipient is Lanie Carter, Private Lands Biologist at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Through innovation, dedication and leadership, Lanie has transformed invasive species management and landowner engagement in Florida. Her achievements have delivered lasting benefits to Florida’s wildlife and the communities who steward them.

STEPHEN KELLERT AWARD
The Stephen Kellert Award recognizes a distinguished individual or group effort for outstanding service in advancing connections between humans and the natural world to all segments of society.  This year’s award goes to Ann Forstchen, recently retired Relevancy Specialist with the Wildlife Management Institute. Over a career spanning more than three decades, Ann has worked to ensure that fish and wildlife conservation remain meaningful, accessible, and relevant to the full diversity of the public it is meant to serve. She has given state agencies the concepts, training, and scholarship they need to broaden the constituencies they reach and to demonstrate the value of conservation to people who have not traditionally seen themselves in it.

GARY TAYLOR AWARD
The Gary Taylor Award recognizes an individual for outstanding achievement in the field of public conservation policy, specifically related to state fish and wildlife agency jurisdiction over fish and wildlife management. This year, the Association recognizes Lane Kisonak as the recipient of that award. Lane Kisonak serves as the Association’s Chief Legal Officer and leads the Association’s Legal Strategies Advisory Council (“Think Tank”). Kisonak has demonstrated time and again his commitment to advocating for and supporting the important mission of state fish and wildlife agencies.

R3 ADVANCEMENT AWARD
The R3 Advancement Award, a NEW award this year, recognizes outstanding, national or regional level achievements in efforts that have proven recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) impacts for hunting, fishing, recreational target shooting, boating and trapping by an individual, a unit, bureau, division, non-governmental organization or a combination of the preceding that measurably advance the science and or application of R3. Douglas Burt is the first recipient of the R3 Advancement Award. Douglas Burt leads the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Skills Network, which serves as a unifying framework that brings together more than 60 partner organizations annually, aligning state, federal, NGO, and industry efforts into a coordinated system. Burt’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping a system that not only delivers measurable results within Arizona but also provides a framework that can be replicated across the country.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS
Special Recognition Awards are given to an individual or group of individuals who have a distinguished record of accomplishment within the conservation community and in the advancement of the Association’s work. This year, the Association is recognizing and awarding four recipients. 

The first recipient is Dr. Dwayne Etter with Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Over the past three decades, Dr. Etter has profoundly shaped wildlife conservation policy and practice in Michigan, across the Midwest, and nationally. The second recipient is Jenny Prenosil with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. In addition to her exceptional service to the state of Nebraska, from October 2025 to July 2026 Jenny provided exceptional and critically important service to AFWA and our members by also acting as the AFWA Interim Agriculture Policy Program Manager. The third recipient is Todd Bogenschutz with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Under the AFWA umbrella, Todd Bogenschutz has worked tirelessly to ensure the Farm Bill conservation programs would provide lasting benefits for upland habitats. In Iowa, his work has measurably improved upland ecosystems and strengthened gamebird populations at a landscape scale. The fourth recipient is Josh Avey with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Josh consistently dedicated his time, expertise, and leadership beyond the responsibilities of his position. His contributions have strengthened AFWA committees, fostered collaboration among state and federal partners, and advanced conservation policies and strategies that benefit fish and wildlife resources nationwide.

The Association would like to pay tribute to the wildlife professionals, Fallen Heroes, who have lost their lives while carrying out their duties to enforce conservation laws and regulations and manage fish and wildlife resources within the past year.  This year, we remembered the work of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Conservation Enforcement Officer Senior, Shawn Nixon, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Game Warden Pilot Joshua Taylor Tibbetts, and Federal Wildlife Officer David Taylor with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

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The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies to advance sound, science-based management and conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest. The Association represents its state agency members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding and works to ensure that all entities work collaboratively on the most important issues. The Association also provides member agencies with coordination services on cross-cutting as well as species-based programs that range from birds, fish habitat and energy development to climate change, wildlife action plans, conservation education, leadership training and international relations. Working together, the Association’s member agencies are ensuring that North American fish and wildlife management has a clear and collective voice.