Seminars and Panels

President & CEO, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

Throughout his varied professional career, Berry has amassed a distinctive suite of skills and experience as an inspiring and transformative leader, conservation advocate, skilled fundraiser, government relations professional, and effective nonprofit and agency manager. He is regarded as a colleague who values collaboration and partnership, and brings an infectious enthusiasm to his work.

In his most recent position as the President and CEO of Fly Fishers International, Berry led efforts to develop an array of successful fundraising programs, overhaul membership strategies, create engaging and contemporary education programs, and launch a dynamic rebranding initiative. As the former Commissioner of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department Berry managed 130 full-time employees, directed critical conservation initiatives, and has been widely credited for modernizing and financially stabilizing the Department. Among other notable achievements while in this leadership role, Berry spearheaded a successful campaign to declare fish and wildlife as public trust resources.

Berry has also previously served as Vice President at the Vermont Community Foundation, Director of Environmental Advancement and Governmental Affairs at Vermont Law School, and in other professional roles focused on conservation, government relations, and development. Early in his career, Berry spent almost 10 years as a fishing guide in the Northern Rockies while also working as an outdoor writer, commercial fly tyer, and artist.

Berry holds an undergraduate degree from Middlebury College and has completed extensive Master’s Degree work in Environmental Science from the University of Montana. He is a lifelong outdoor enthusiast with a passion for hunting, fishing, and a variety of other outdoor pursuits. Berry currently lives in Vermont with his wife Brooke and has two grown sons Quinn and Willem. He shares his house with 5 spaniels he trains for hunting and field trials, has restored two historic homes, and when time allows, plays guitar and banjo in a local band.

Lucas Bissett is the Executive Director of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association. Lucas is a native of Louisiana and a former fly fishing guide for redfish. Lucas is passionate about fisheries conservation, coastal restoration and is an avid outdoorsman.

Ryan Callaghan is the conservation director for MeatEater and vice chair of the executive committee on the BHA North American board. Ryan has been a passionate member of the outdoor community, growing up guiding, hunting, fishing and playing in the West.

Dr. Ellen Candler is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on wildlife’s interaction with hunter-provided resources, such as bait and gut piles. She currently co-leads the Offal Wildlife Watching Project, a participatory science project that involves white-tailed deer hunters setting remote cameras at deer gut piles. Ellen grew up in Southeast Idaho camping, hiking, skiing, and fishing. She picked up hunting after a long absence during her PhD in Minnesota. She now enjoys hunting, fishing, and foraging with her husband, daughter, and two dogs. Ellen sits on the board of directors for the Minnesota chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. 

Corinne is the co-founder of RepYourWater and the Director of People, Process & Planet of North Point Brands. With Snoopy rod in hand, Corinne caught her first fish in a high altitude Colorado lake before even starting elementary school. She didn’t catch the fishing bug however until much later in life when husband and fellow-RepYourWater co-founder Garrison took her on a warm-water pond mission to catch panfish on the fly. This first try with a fly rod was followed by small creek adventures and high-water wilderness canyon exploration seeking bigger and bigger trout. She has now been after fish on the fly for over 14 years and the excitement of the hook up still feels like the first time. After teaching high school Spanish for 6 years while starting RepYourWater with Garrison, Corinne took on a full time role in 2016. She is excited to continue building her passions for conservation, sustainability, inclusivity, and fishing.

Having grown up in rural Vermont, Crystal Egli has always been an avid outdoor recreator. She grew up fishing, hiking, biking, camping, boating, and both water & snow skiing. After attending film school at Emerson College, she pursued a career in the film industry in Los Angeles. It took Crystal only 2 weeks to realize LA wasn’t the place for her, but 10 years to leave. She ended up moving to Colorado and working for Colorado Parks and Wildlife as a videographer, where coworkers convinced Crystal to take up hunting. Not only is she now an enthusiastic big game hunter, Crystal is a Hunter Education instructor, a policy consultant for hunting outfitters, as well as the board president for the national nonprofit Hunters of Color. In 2020, Crystal left Colorado Parks and Wildlife to become the CEO of InclusiveGuide.com, as well as embark on a tandem career as a professional keynote speaker.

In 2019, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) awarded Crystal the Stephen Kellert award for “Outstanding service in advancing connections between humans and the natural world to all peoples in a diverse and inclusive manner”.

Jamie Gangaware works for MN DNR within the Division of Fish and Wildlife as the Wildlife Operations Manager. She has worked for MN DNR for over 20 years, with most of that time serving as an Assistant Area Wildlife Manager at several offices across the state. In this role, Jamie worked to manage the local Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), learning the invaluable role that partnerships play in habitat management and education with the community. Jamie has carried these lessons with her in her current role, which focuses on statewide Wildlife and WMA policies, issues, and funding. This statewide role allows Jamie to look at partnerships at a much higher scale, helping the Division to execute its mission for the protection of habitat and wildlife. In her spare time, Jamie loves hiking, fishing, hunting, traveling, and fitting in as many BWCA trips as possible every year.

Jon Gassett served as Commissioner for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) for eight years. As Commissioner, he provided general supervision and control of all activities, functions, appointments, and employees of the KDFWR. Primary responsibilities included oversight of all agency divisions including, but not limited to, strategic planning, personnel management, program oversight, budget development and tracking, and statutory, regulatory, and policy development. Prior to his appointment as Commissioner, Jon served as Wildlife Division Director (four years) and Big Game Coordinator (two years) with the KDFWR. Jon has served as President of the Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and has chaired numerous committees in all three Associations. Jon serves on the Board of Directors of the National Conservation Leadership Institute and the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative.

Jon is a graduate of the inaugural class of the National Conservation Leadership Institute and holds a Ph.D. and M.S degree in Forest Resources from the University of Georgia and a B.S. degree in Biology from Kennesaw State University.

Mary is the Alaska Chapter Coordinator for BHA. Originally from rural NY, she moved to Alaska in 2016 to pursue more wild passions and a different lifestyle. Mary has worked floating rivers, dispatching bush planes, and has hunted around many part of the state.

Mary is passionate about conserving wild places, and making it possible for people to experience those places with confidence and understanding for the ecosystems. Mary and her husband, who served in the Air Force for 5 years, mentor friends and acquaintances in hunting and fishing informally, and always look forward to sharing experiences and wild eats.

Tom Hall started on the Superior National Forest as the Forest Supervisor in September of 2022. The Superior National Forest has over 300 employees, spans 3 million acres (including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness), with five District Offices and Headquarters located in Duluth.  Prior to his selection, Hall served in Legislative Affairs for 2.5 years in the USDA Forest Service, Washington DC Office. Before then, Hall was a District Ranger on the Shasta Trinity National Forest for 6 years. He has worked in planning, fuels, fire, recreation, and range with over 20 dedicated years to sustainable land management principles. He has degrees in Forestry from Colorado State University and served in the Colorado Army National Guard as a helicopter mechanic.  Hall and his family reside in Cloquet, MN, they love winter sports, being outdoors, and exploring new places.

Trevor Hubbs, serving as the BHA Armed Forces Initiative Coordinator, brings a wealth of experience to the role. After high school, Trevor enlisted in the Army, dedicating eight years to service as an Airborne Infantryman. Over the past three years, he has steered the Armed Forces Initiative Program, witnessing remarkable growth from 200 to 2,800 participants annually. Trevor's leadership extends beyond numbers; he has spearheaded more than 100 AFI events, imparting hunting and fishing skills to participants across 35 states.

Outfitter/guide -- Lary's Fly & Supply and Glacier Anglers
Hilary Hutcheson is an outfitter and fly fishing guide at Glacier Anglers and owns and runs her fly shop, Lary's Fly & Supply in her hometown of Columbia Falls, Montana. She serves on the boards of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association, AFFTA Fisheries Fund, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and Protect Our Winters. She sits on the advisory committee for Guiding For the Future, Northern Rockies River Council, and
Flathead River Alliance. Hilary is an award-winning filmmaker, journalist, and contributing editor at Fly Fisherman Magazine. Her greatest joy is working on the river alongside her three adult children, Ella, Delaney, and Killion, and her partner, Ebon who are all industry professionals.

Jenkins lives in the Nantahala Mountains where he has built a life around conserving wildlife and wild places. He is the founding chief executive officer of The Orianne Society. He also serves on the board of the Indian Ocean Tortoise Alliance and has served leadership roles in the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Partners for Reptiles and Amphibian Conservation, and Gopher Tortoise Council. 

During his career, Chris has protected and restored tens of thousands of acres of land. Chris is a sportsman who enjoys both “hunting from home” and going on hunting and fishing adventures around the world. He spends over 150 days a year hunting and fishing on public lands, primarily hunting Appalachian bigwoods whitetails and traveling the continent chasing gobbling turkeys. His interests in conservation brought him to serve on the board of the Southeast chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and subsequently to create the Georgia chapter. Jenkins is now the Development Committee Chair on the BHA North American Board. 

Chris has also worked with the Wildlife Conservation Society, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Massachusetts, University of British Columbia, and National Geographic. Chris received a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Massachusetts in wildlife conservation. He received his Ph.D. in biological sciences from Idaho State University.

Dr. Ben Jones is President and CEO of the Ruffed Grouse & American Woodcock Society, a group that for over sixty years has advocated for sound science in forest and wildlife management. That’s a good fit since Ben’s career focus for over two decades has been managing woodlands for wildlife habitat.

Before coming to RGS & AWS, Ben served as the PA Game Commission’s Habitat Division Director where he oversaw public lands management, private lands and hunter access, wildland fire, and the state’s Pittman-Robertson program. In addition to practical experience, he has written numerous peer-reviewed articles on forest wildlife management and was a co-author of Ecology and Management of Appalachian Ruffed Grouse – a capstone from the Appalachian Cooperative Grouse Research Project.

Ben resides in central, Pennsylvania with his wife, three children and the family’s English setters. He is an avid outdoorsman with a passion for introducing people to upland hunting and the importance of forest management for wildlife.

Born and raised in Missouri, Paul spent years in the local food scene running a farm to table kitchen, managing an organic farm and founding a local farmers market.

As the Chairman for the Missouri chapter of BHA, Paul has a passion to educate and advocate for the amazing natural food resources we have available in our own backyards in Missouri and on our public lands all across the country.

Paul enjoys spending time outdoors procuring wild foods with his wife, 3 kids and their new German Shorthaired Pointer puppy “Ladybird."

Mark Kenyon is the author of That Wild Country, founder of Wired To Hunt, and host of the industry-leading Wired To Hunt Podcast. He is a nationally published writer, a NDA certified Deer Steward, and MeatEater's resident "whitetail guy."

Kelsie LaSharr is the statewide elk coordinator for Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and comes from a background of wildlife health (disease and contaminants). Kelsie is an adult on-set hunter and has been a long-time lover and advocate of elk.

Ben Long, of Kalispell, Montana, has worked 30 years in as journalist and conservation advocate. A lifelong hunter and angler, he is a founding board member and former national chairman of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and has taken part in winning conservation campaigns at local, state, and national levels. He writes for Bugle, Outdoor Life, MeatEater, and is author of the Hunter & Angler Field Guide to Raising Hell. He has been a Minnesota Vikings fan for so long he remembers watching Frank Tarkington live, when the Vikes were Superbowl contenders.

Shawn is the current Chair on the AFI Board. He served as a Submarine Torpedoman, retiring in 2018 after a 24-year career. Throughout that time, he deployed 14 times across the globe on "boats" that conducted anti-piracy operations, anti-terrorist missions, carrier strike group operations, Naval Special Warfare unit employment, and nuclear deterrent patrols. In between his times at sea, he always managed to re-center himself in some wild place with a gun, bow, or rod in hand. Shawn was drawn by AFI's mission, where he served as Washington's AFI Liaison from 2022 to 2024. He currently lives in Western Washington with his wife, 2 daughters, and their 3 Labrador Retrievers (Sage, Hank, & Boone). In his time off, he can be found off the beaten path making up for lost time by camping, hiking, backpacking, fishing, hunting, or volunteering with his family and friends.

Decades of chasing all species across public lands have provided both experience and perspective that has allowed Randy to become the leading advocate for the self-guided hunter; hunters dependent upon public lands for hunting access. What started by accident, has grown into two popular TV shows, Fresh Tracks and On Your Own Adventures, accompanied by the long-standing Hunt Talk web forum. Now added to those platforms is the Hunt Talk Podcast where you get Randy Newberg, unfiltered. Randy uses his platforms to advocate for hunters and public access. In addition to representing hunters in Congress and state legislatures, he serves as a volunteer and board member for many hunting and conservation groups.

Mark Norquist is a former board member of the Minnesota Chapter of BHA and recipient of the 2016 Sigurd F. Olson Award. He owns Modern Carnivore which has a mission to introduce more people to the joys of fishing, hunting, and foraging. Mark lives in Minnetonka, MN with his outdoors-minded wife, two adventurous teenagers and a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon named Odessa.

Dave Olfelt serves as the Director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) and has been in that role since 2019. He’s worked for MNDNR since 1987 as a field biologist, habitat manager and in supervisory and administrative roles. Dave has called Grand Rapids—in Minnesota’s north woods—home for 30 years. Dave enjoys hunting, fishing, camping and hiking adventures with his wife, grown kids, and Kip, the springer spaniel.

Gaspar Perricone is an avid hunter, angler an outdoorsman with a passion for conservation. He has parleyed these personal passions into his professional pursuits as a Partner at Freestone Strategies, a broad-spectrum public affairs firm. Prior to joining Freestone Strategies, Gaspar served as the Legislative Director for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. He also previously working in the US Senate as an agriculture and natural resource policy advisor to U.S. Senator Mark Udall. In 2010, Governor Hickenlooper appointed him to serve on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission. In this role he was also selected as the Parks and Wildlife Commission representative to the Great Outdoors Colorado Board. Perricone currently sits on the of Board of Stika’s Ecosystems Grant Program, serves as the Chair of the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund, and is the co-founder and current Chair of the Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project, Colorado’s largest alliance of hunting and angling organizations.

Daryl is the Bureau of Land Management's Big Game and Wildlife Migration Specialist for their national headquarters. Prior to his arrival at the BLM, Daryl served as the Wildlife, Fish, and Rare Plants Program Coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service's Santa Fe National Forest in Northern New Mexico. When it comes to big game animals and management Daryl really knows his stuff. Earlier in his career, he served seven years as the Big Game Program Coordinator for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and another five years as the Chief of Wildlife and Forestry for the state of Tennessee. In 1992, Daryl received his Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry and worked with black bears in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park before finally beginning his government service. Daryl, his wife Sandy, and two boys now reside near Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Garrett is the Eastern Field manager for the AFI. He grew up in the rural farm country of southern Pennsylvania where he developed his deep passion for all things outdoors. Whether it be hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, etc, he wanted to be involved. After high school, he joined the Marine Corps where he served 26 years as an enlisted Marine and retired as a Master Gunnery Sergeant. He currently lives in Northern Virginia and works as an operations analyst for Katmai Government Services. The outdoors is his passion and enjoys hunting all over the country. Getting into the backcountry is where he feels most at home and loves nothing more than introducing others to the amazing opportunities that await anyone willing to walk the trail into our wild public lands and waters.  

Ron and Debbie Rohrbaugh are full-time adventurers who travel the country in a camper, while homeschooling their two children. They hunt, fish, and gather as much wild food as their little freezer will hold! Their adventures have taken them from their Appalachian Mountain roots to southern bayous teeming with alligators, waving prairies studded with bison, and remote conifer forests echoing with elk. Their mission is to radically re-connect families with nature, outdoor pursuits, and wild food through books, videos, and presentations that teach, inspire, and entertain.

Ron is a professional conservation scientist and award-winning author who spent more than 25 years at Cornell University and National Audubon. He is an accomplished traditional bowhunter and ardent supporter of protecting public lands. His most recent works include Tine to Table (a book of bowhunting stories and recipes) and the LIVING WILD book series, which uses storytelling and historical fiction to teach kids (8-14) natural history, hunting, survival, and more. His book, Echo, was named 2023 Book of the Year by Children’s Book International.

Debbie is a natural storyteller and self-taught video producer. From start to finish, she envisions, edits, and produces material for The Living Wild Family YouTube channel. She also keeps the “train on tracks” by managing the day-to-day logistics of route planning and raising outdoor kids, all while crisscrossing America’s backroads.

Mike Schrage has been the wildlife biologist for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa since 1995 where he is expected to be the expert on everything from tribal treaty rights to elk biology to the proper care and handling of baby robins who have fallen from the nest. He is a graduate of the University of Idaho and Virginia Tech and a resident of Duluth.

Dave Simonett has spent almost two decades as the lead singer, guitar player, and songwriter for the widely popular and beloved roots band, Tramped By Turtles. He also fronts Dead Man Winter, a bull-bodied, emotionally resonant brand of Americana-infused indie rock band. He now boldly steps forward with a shining collection of new solo material for the first time under his own name called Red Tail, inspired by the spacious and stark Northern woods of Minnesota, where he's from. Drawing from the outdoors, Simonett uses light, weather, and imagery to paint introspective, cinematic scenes that are easy to lose yourself in. Dave also sits on the Board of Directors at Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters. 

Daniel Storm is a research scientist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, specializing in deer and chronic wasting disease.  Storm received his B.S. degree from South Dakota State University, a M.S. degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  Storm is an avid hunter and resides in Eau Claire, WI with his wife, 3 children, and bird dogs

Kelly Straka is a veterinarian and the current head of wildlife for the Minnesota DNR. She previously served as the wildlife veterinarian for the states of Michigan and Missouri, and she holds a Master’s degree in public health and a Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management. Kelly is passionate about Minnesota’s incredible public lands system and the mental and physical health benefits of outdoor recreation. She lives with her family outside of the Duluth area and loves to explore everything Minnesota has to offer. When she isn’t working, she can usually be found on a trail with her bird dogs or out fishing with her two young sons.