Martha Williams Confirmed as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director

Following last night’s confirmation of Martha Williams as director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jamie Rappaport Clark, former president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife and former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1997-2001), issued the following statement:

“Defenders of Wildlife congratulates Martha Williams on her appointment as director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Her strong leadership of a state wildlife agency and her knowledge of wildlife policy issues will benefit the department during the challenging years ahead.

“As we confront the growing crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, her leadership of the federal government’s premier wildlife conservation agency will play a crucial role in the U.S. response. The health of our environment is directly tied to the success of the federal laws, policies and refuges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service oversees.

“We look forward to working with Martha and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to use every tool we have to tackle the urgent threats facing wildlife, ecosystems and biodiversity.”