DU Experts

View the complete list of experts at Ducks Unlimited

Welcome to the Ducks Unlimited Experts List.

The following staff are available for media interviews and can speak as an authority on their stated topics.

Interview requests can be sent to experts@ducks.org, or call (901) 758-3774.

Include your media organization, deadline and the expert needed for your story. Requests will be handled in a timely manner to meet deadline needs.

Bri Benvenuti

Bri Benvenuti

(New Hampshire)

Regional Biologist, New England

Atlantic Coast wetlands, wetland wildlife, coastal resiliency, commercial aquaculture operations

Wetlands
Wildlife
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Nick Biasini 

Nick Biasini 

(Louisiana)

Manager of Conservation for Programs, Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Wetland wildlife, Mississippi River and tributaries wetlands, Southeast wetlands

Wetlands
Wildlife
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
William Cenac II, PE 

William Cenac II, PE 

(Louisiana)

Regional Engineer, Southern Region 

Coastal and civil engineering, Gulf Coast wetlands, nature-based solutions

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Wildlife
Sustainability
John Coluccy, Ph.D.

John Coluccy, Ph.D.

(Michigan)

Director of Conservation Science and Planning, Great Lakes/Atlantic Region 

Waterfowl and wetland ecology, wetland wildlife

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Wildlife
John C. Denton 

John C. Denton 

(Colorado)

Manager of Conservation Programs, Colorado 

Prairie states wetlands, waterfowl science, wetland wildlife

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Wildlife
Ed Farley

Ed Farley

(North Carolina)

Manager of Conservation Programs, VA, NC, SC, and GA

Waterfowl ecology, wetland management, and coastal wetlands

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Wildlife
Jim Feaga 

Jim Feaga 

(Pennsylvania)

Regional Biologist, New Jersey, Pennsylvania  

Atlantic Coast freshwater and saltwater wetlands, nature-based solutions, coastal resiliency, wetland wildlife, climate resiliency

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Wildlife
Sustainability
Sarah Fleming 

Sarah Fleming 

(New York)

Managing Director of Conservation Programs, Great Lakes Eastern programs

North Atlantic wetlands, wetland wildlife, waterfowl science

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Wildlife
Billy Gascoigne 

Billy Gascoigne 

(Colorado)

Director of Agriculture and Strategic Partnerships 

Carbon sequestration, sustainable agriculture, grasslands

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Elizabeth Guthrie

Elizabeth Guthrie

(Florida)

Manager of Conservation Programs, Florida

Florida wetlands, restoration, land conservation

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Kate Hackett

Kate Hackett

(Tennessee)

Managing Director of Lands

Land protection, conservation easements, strategic planning, conservation finance

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Eric Held 

Eric Held 

(Mississippi)

Managing Director of Conservation Services, Southern Region  

Habitat delivery financial management, federal grant compliance, wetland restoration engineering

Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Policy
David Hicks 

David Hicks 

(Louisiana)

Regional Biologist, Southwest Louisiana  

Wetlands, wetland wildlife, waterfowl science

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Wildlife
Jason Hill 

Jason Hill 

(Michigan)

Director of Conservation Programs, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin  

Great Lakes wetlands, Upper Mississippi River and tributaries wetlands, wetland wildlife

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Wildlife
Jerry Holden Jr. 

Jerry Holden Jr. 

(Mississippi)

Senior Director of Operations, Southern Region  

Gulf Coast restoration, Mississippi River and tributaries wetlands, afforestation, coastal resiliency, grassland and forest carbon

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Kaylan Kemink, Ph.D. 

Kaylan Kemink, Ph.D. 

(North Dakota)

Director of Conservation Science and Planning, Great Plains Region  

Waterfowl and avian ecology, conservation planning, human dimensions of conservation

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Wildlife
Jennifer P. Kross 

Jennifer P. Kross 

(North Dakota)

Education Biologist, Great Plains Region  

Prairie states wetlands, waterfowl science, wetland wildlife, wetland functions

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Wildlife
Craig LeSchack 

Craig LeSchack 

(Tennessee)

National Director, Conservation 

Wetland restoration and management, waterfowl ecology, wildlife management

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Wildlife
John Lindstrom 

John Lindstrom 

(Minnesota)

Regional Biologist, Central and Southern Minnesota  

Prairie states wetlands, wetland wildlife, migratory and breeding waterfowl, grassland enhancement and restoration

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Wildlife
Robb Macleod 

Robb Macleod 

(Michigan)

National Geospatial Coordinator 

Geographic Information Systems, remote sensing, mapping, cartography, forestry, leadership

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Courtney Massey 

Courtney Massey 

(Iowa)

Biologist, North American Waterfowl Management Plan People Projects, Great Plains Region 

Climate resiliency, nature-based solutions, waterfowl people projects, social science integration

Wetlands
Sustainability
Ethan Massey 

Ethan Massey 

(Louisiana)

Easement Program Biologist, Agricultural Conservation Easement Program 

Southeast wetlands, wetland wildlife, waterfowl science, agricultural conservation

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Wildlife
Chris McLeland 

Chris McLeland 

(Missouri)

Director of Agriculture Programs, Great Lakes/Atlantic Region  

Grassland habitats, regenerative agriculture, wetland wildlife

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Wildlife
Blake Mitchell 

Blake Mitchell 

(Minnesota)

Senior Engineer Tech

Prairie states wetlands, waterfowl science, wetland wildlife, wetland restoration

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Wildlife
Brian Nicholson 

Brian Nicholson 

(Michigan)

Manager of Engineering Services, Illinois, Wisconsin  

Engineering

Habitat Conservation
Rob Paige 

Rob Paige 

(Michigan)

Geospatial Analyst, Great Lakes/Atlantic Region  

Geographic Information Systems

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Aaron Pierce 

Aaron Pierce 

(Louisiana)

Director of Conservation Science and Planning, Southern Region

Southeast wetlands, wetland wildlife, waterfowl science

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Wildlife
Thomas Pluemer 

Thomas Pluemer 

(Illinois)

Manager of Engineering Services, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri 

Engineering

Habitat Conservation
Emily Purcell 

Emily Purcell 

(South Carolina)

Director of Conservation Programs, Southeast 

Southeast wetlands, southeast wetland conservation delivery

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
James Rader 

James Rader 

(Michigan)

Director of Operations, Great Lakes/Atlantic Region  

Great Lakes wetlands, regenerative agriculture, nature-based solutions

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Amelia Raquel

Amelia Raquel

(California)

Regional Biologist, InterMountain West

Klamath Basin, InterMountain Wetlands

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Matthew Reddy 

Matthew Reddy 

(Colorado)

Regional Biologist, Colorado, Wyoming 

Rocky Mountain region wetlands, groundwater recharge, western water law, sustainable agriculture, water planning, wetlands policy, people projects

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Kali Rush 

Kali Rush 

(Michigan)

Regional Biologist, Michigan

Great Lakes wetlands and grasslands, waterfowl science

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Wildlife
Matt Shalley 

Matt Shalley 

(North Dakota)

Wetland Mitigation Biologist, Great Plains Region 

Prairie states wetlands, wetland mitigation

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Jes Skillman

Jes Skillman

(Washington, D.C.)

Regional Geospatial Manager

Geographic Information Systems, mapping, cartography, National Wetland Inventory, decision support, National Conservation Easement Database

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Renee Spenst, Ph.D. 

Renee Spenst, Ph.D. 

(California)

Regional Biologist, San Francisco Bay and California Coast 

Wetlands, climate resiliency

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Scott Stephens, Ph.D.

Scott Stephens, Ph.D.

(South Dakota)

Senior Director, Prairie and Boreal Conservation Strategy

Waterfowl populations, prairie conservation, grassland conservation, ag policy in the Prairies, Boreal conservation, Indigenous conservation

Wetlands
Wildlife
Habitat Conservation
Russ Terry 

Russ Terry 

(Ohio)

Senior Regional Biologist, Ohio 

Great Lakes wetlands, water quality

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Sustainability
Matthew Wagner  

Matthew Wagner  

(New York)

Regional Biologist, New York, Vermont

Wetland wildlife, wetland management, wetland agriculture

Wetlands
Habitat Conservation
Wildlife
Johann Walker 

Johann Walker 

(North Dakota)

Director of Conservation Operations, Great Plains Region 

Waterfowl science, waterfowl population and ecology, wetland wildlife

Wetlands
Wildlife
John Washington 

John Washington 

(Iowa)

Regional Engineer, Iowa 

Engineering

Habitat Conservation