Increasing and Sustaining Diversity

Ten members of the USFWS Branch of Fire Management, including regional representatives, attended the 2017 Women and Leadership Conference in September as one step in the work of the Diversity and Inclusion Team, established in early 2017.

Coordinated by Team Leader, Gillian Fay, the team seeks to identify and evaluate the challenges and barriers faced by underrepresented people seeking to enter or advance in the wildland fire program. The team also works to enhance career opportunities and empower employees to stand up to harassment.

The conference was presented by the Andrus Center for Public Policy at the Boise State University and featured keynote presentations from accomplished women leaders, skill-based training that focused on professional development and opportunities to network with peers. "Increasing and sustaining diversity is important to the fire management program,” said Branch Chief Chris Wilcox. “To be successful in our conservation mission, we first have to understand the barriers to increasing workforce diversity, and we have to act on that knowledge.”

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Thank you to the USFWS Branch of Fire Management for sharing their experience.