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CAHSS Team

The Council Team

The staff at the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports are passionate about shooting sports, wildlife conservation and wild places and are driven to preserve the relevancy of these activities as part of our proud American heritage.

Steven Leath, PhD, CAHSS Executive Director
Steven Leath, PhD
Executive Director

sleath@cahss.org
(336) 982-2207

Dr. Steven Leath is the Executive Director for the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports. A member of the National Science Board and Board of Directors for the Boone and Crockett Club, he has a rich background as a former federal scientist, professor and university president. Dr. Leath is an experienced outdoorsman, avid hunter, and committed conservationist.

Charles ‘Swanny’ Evans, CAHSS Director of Research & Partnerships
Swanny Evans
Director of Research & Partnerships

swanny@cahss.org
(404) 421-2786

Charles ‘Swanny’ Evans, Certified Wildlife Biologist®, attended the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia where he earned his B.S. and M.S. in Wildlife Sciences and Forest Resources, respectively. All of his work over the past decade has been conservation focused, with all aspects of ensuring the future of hunting and shooting sports being primary focus of his efforts over the past eight years. As the Director of Research and Partnerships, Swanny is a key member of the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports and he has helped oversee the growth of the Council both in capacity and influence.

Taniya Bethke, CAHSS Director of Operations
Taniya Bethke
Director of Operations

taniya@cahss.org

Taniya Bethke has a background in wildlife and conservation biology, environmental education, and community outreach. She actively builds relationships between people and the natural world in order to enhance understanding, change attitudes, increase appreciation, and overcome barriers and contributes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the conservation community to ensure that all people not only feel they belong in wild spaces, but are welcomed there by others. Taniya is the Director of Operations for the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports.

Lance Cherry, CAHSS Communications & Marketing Manager
Lance Cherry
Communications & Marketing Manager

lance@cahss.org
(505) 620-6883

Lance Cherry has more than three decades of advertising, marketing and media experience and is a national award-winning news editor, photographer and graphic designer. He has spent the last two decades in the natural resources industry, directing and leading media relations and conservation education efforts in New Mexico. In early 2022, Lance joined the team at the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports as their Communications and Marketing Manager. Lance attended New Mexico Highlands University where he earned his B.F.A. in Communication Arts with an emphasis in Visual Communications.

Amanda Pitman, CAHSS Program Associate
Amanda Pitman
Program Associate

amanda@cahss.org
(210) 379-2166

Amanda Pitman serves as the Program Associate for the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports. A lifelong outdoors enthusiast, her passion for public lands, hunting, and fishing grew exponentially once she moved to New Mexico. With an education and background in arts, photography, and writing from Texas State University and the University of Oklahoma, she looks forward to combining her passions to advance the Council’s initiatives and to promote hunters and shooters as conservation contributors.

Partnership Positions

Olivia Harmsen
Olivia Harmsen
SEAFWA R3 Coordinator

olivia.harmsen@seafwa.org

The SEAFWA R3 Coordinator is a collaborative position among the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (Council), the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA).

Board of Directors

The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports Board of Directors is composed of leaders in the Conservation community. The board is focused on the business of recruiting, retaining and reactivating hunters and shooters and the development of new and sustainable strategies and tactics to solicit, engage and support these participants so vital to Conservation and American way of life.

Tisa, Mark
CHAIR
Mark Tisa
Director

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife

Chuck Sykes
VICE CHAIR
Chuck Sykes
Director

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Baer, Alex
TREASURER
Alex Baer
Executive Director

IHEA – USA

Council Executive Director Steven Leath, PhD
SECRETARY
Steven Leath, PhD
Executive Director

Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports

Dan Forester
Dan Forster
Vice President & Chief Conservation Officer

Archery Trade Association

Regan, Ron
Ron Regan
Executive Director

Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies

Ziehmer, Bob
Bob Ziehmer
Conservation Director

Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s

Schoonen, Tony
Tony Schoonen
Chief Executive Officer

Boone & Crockett Club

Wiley, Nick
Nick Wiley
Chief Operating Officer

Ducks Unlimited

Bartozzi, Joseph
Joe Bartozzi
Chief Executive Officer

National Shooting Sports Foundation

JD Strong
J.D. Strong
Director

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

Bohning
Larry Griffith
CEO/President

Bohning Archery

Taylor Schmitz
Taylor Schmitz
Director, Federal Relations

Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Brice, Joel
Joel Brice
Chief Conservation Officer

Delta Waterfowl

Roger Young
Roger A. Young
Executive Director

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

Kovaroviks, Scott
Scott Korvaroviks
Chief Executive Officer

Izaak Walton League of America

John Dudley
John Dudley
Professional Archer, Podcaster, Coach, Writer, CEO

JDA International & Nock On Archery

Jason Cloessner
Jason Cloessner
Vice President & Product Development Manager

Lipsey’s

Sara Parker Pauley
Sara Parker Pauley
Director

Missouri Department of Conservation

Pinizzotto, Nick
Nick Pinizzotto
Chief Executive Officer

National Deer Association

Cull, Bruce
Bruce Cull
President

National Field Archery Association

Churchbourne, Peter
Peter Churchbourne
Director, Hunters Leadership Forum

National Rifle Association

Kurt Dyroff
Kurt Dyroff
Co-Chief Executive Officer

National Wild Turkey Federation

Burhans, Bryan
Bryan Burhans
Executive Director

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Marilyn Vetter
Marilyn Vetter
Chief Executive Officer

Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever

Weaver, Kyle
Kyle Weaver
Chief Executive Officer

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Cassidy, Ben
Ben Cassidy
Director of Government Affairs

Safari Club International

Robling, Kevin
Kevin Robling
Secretary

South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks

Bader, Gus
Gus Bader
President

TriStar Arms

Menzer, Rod
Rod Menzer
Chief Executive Officer

USA Archery

Craig Kozeniesky
Craig Kozeniesky
Chief Executive Officer

USA Shooting

Jason Nash
Jason Nash
Vice President Marketing

Vista Outdoors

Johansen, Paul
Paul Johansen
Chief

West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

Tony Wasley
Tony Wasley
President

Wildlife Management Institute

Rauch, Paul
Paul Rauch
Assistant Director

US Fish & Wildlife Service