Pete Brownell is Chief Executive Officer of 2nd Adventure Group and Chairman of Brownells, a position he ascended to following a successful term as president and executive vice president of the company. He is a member of the leadership team since 1997. Mr. Brownell also serves leadership roles on several boards, most recently President of the National Rifle Association (NRA). Pete is a member of The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) .

Raised in Southern California, Ingrid Poole developed a deep appreciation for the earth’s vast oceans and wild lands. This ever-growing passion for the outdoors took her around the world following her passion for preserving the wild animals who reside in these remote places. For nearly five decades, Ingrid has been involved in San Diego’s waterfront businesses of which include marine fuel docks, two large marinas, three sportfishing landings, seven long range sportfishing boats, and Poole Boat Company, famous for building grand yachts and large sport fishing boats. As a member of the National Advisory Board for Museum of the Rockies, Ingrid has greatly enjoyed bringing awareness to the importance of habitat conservation and wildlife preservation.

Mark Kehke was born in the wine country of Sonoma County and spent his formative years in Newport Beach, California. Now a long-time resident of the Gallatin Valley of southwest Montana, Mark has a long and abiding interest and affection for wild places. Mark has been instrumental in facilitating a number of landmark accords with many of the nation's major environmental advocates, resulting in the permanent preservation of hundreds of thousands of acres of open space. Mr. Kehke’s leadership proved invaluable on the unprecedented Tejon Ranch Conservation and Land Use Agreement, conserving 230,000 acres of critically important habitat in central California. The achievement was recognized with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, California's highest and most prestigious environmental honor. Mark served for seven years on the Board of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, three as its’ Chairman and currently serves as the Prior of the Mountains and Plains for the International Order of St Hubertus, the world’s oldest conservation organization.

Warren A. Sackman, III was raised on Long Island, just 20 miles outside NY City. Warren’s love of wildlife comes from a lifetime spent with animals and in the outdoors. Warren’s father, Alan, who grew up on a farm in upstate New York, nurtured and instilled these qualities in Warren, and both of them are avid conservationists and outdoorsmen. Under his father’s tutelage, Warren learned from an early age the value of hard work, a deep appreciation for wildlife and their natural habitats, along with the challenges, opportunities, and abundance nature offers. Warren’s passion for conservation has only deepened throughout his lifetime. He is active in various positions where he can put his passion into action. Not only does he manage a family ranch in Colorado, he also serves on the boards of directors of two additional foundations dedicated to worldwide wildlife conservation, serving in leadership capacities. Warren is also an active member of several organizations committed to the preservation of our rich hunting heritage for future generations and the advancement of education about the critical role ethical hunting plays in conservation.

Ashton Smith has been a leading Hollywood voice-over actor for over thirty years, working to promote leading feature films like Top Gun: Maverick, Lord of the Rings, Triple X, Time Machine, Austin Powers: Goldmember, The Mummy Returns, Shrek, Jason and the Argonauts, Westwing, ER, Touched by an Angel, National Geographic's Seconds from Disaster, and PBS's Forces of the Wild. Smith has been an active wildlife and habitat conservationist, helping promote causes through fundraising and philanthropy. He currently resides in the greater Nashville, TN area promoting and managing emerging musical talent.

Jason Roussos was born and raised in Ethiopia where he was blessed to have been exposed to the country’s rich wildlife resources. He has a degree in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University. He works with his father and their company, Ethiopian Rift Valley Safaris. In 1999, he co-founded The Murulle Foundation, a US-based 501(c) 3 non-profit that conducts community development, scientific research, and conservation efforts in Ethiopia. For the last 15 years he has sat on the board of the African Professional Hunters’ Association, an organization which represents some of Africa’s top and most ethical professional hunters.

Rory Kennedy is a passionate outdoorsman based in Scotland, where he has had a career focused on conservation and rural land use. Rory spent four years running the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust in Scotland, focusing on harnessing productive farming and sporting land to be a vehicle for biodiversity management. Working in highly politicized environments, this approach relies heavily on engaging private landowners and rural communities in owning the wildlife outcomes. Prior to this role, he spent twenty years as a Chartered Accountant and business advisor, including within the Big 4, specializing in land use projects with a particular focus on rural tourism and mixed landed estates. Rory has held numerous board positions across land use and conservation including chair of the body representing Scottish hunting and fishing tourism. This was during the Covid crisis, representing the industry on government emergency taskforces and he was responsible for devising and delivering the Scottish Government’s dedicated relief fund for the sector. Rory was Associate Producer on Shepherds of Wildlife’s award-winning film, The Last Keeper.

Gray N. Thornton is a seasoned conservation leader and the President & CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation, where he has guided the organization to become a global force in wildlife conservation, focused on restoring and protecting wild sheep populations through science-based, sustainable use strategies. With over three decades of executive experience in the wildlife and conservation sector, Gray has held leadership roles in several major organizations, forging coalitions between scientists, policymakers, landowners, and sportsmen to achieve measurable, lasting impact for wildlife and those who share their habitats. A powerful advocate for modern conservation, Gray deeply believes that wildlife cannot thrive unless those closest to it are empowered, included, and supported. His approach aligns with the Shepherds of Wildlife Society’s mission: to educate the public, influence conservation policy, and champion the dignity of rural communities who act as frontline stewards of our planet’s last wild places. Gray is a passionate communicator, a respected keynote speaker, and a skilled fundraiser. His leadership has helped direct hundreds of millions of dollars toward habitat restoration, youth education, and species recovery efforts across North America and beyond. He resides in Manhattan, Montana, with his wife Renée and their beloved Vizsla, Sienna, embracing the outdoor lifestyle and conservation ethic they both work to uphold.

The Honorable Jeff Duncan is a lifelong outdoorsman and national leader in conservation-focused public policy. He served 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives representing South Carolina’s 3rd District, following eight years in the South Carolina General Assembly. During his time in Congress, Duncan held key roles on the House Natural Resources, Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, and Energy & Commerce Committees—most recently chairing the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security. As Chairman of both the Congressional and State Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucuses, Duncan championed bipartisan efforts to protect America’s wildlife and hunting heritage. He advanced the North American Model of Conservation and prioritized Land and Water Conservation Fund investments in real habitat restoration. Off Capitol Hill, Duncan has long supported grassroots conservation—serving with Ducks Unlimited, NWTF, the South Carolina Waterfowl Association, and the Harry Hampton Wildlife Fund. As a professional auctioneer, he’s helped raise millions for conservation nationwide. Now a consultant with Covenant Government Affairs, Duncan remains committed to the principle that conservation succeeds when local communities are empowered to steward the land and its wildlife.

Living the volunteerism ideal, Susan has been involved in numerous charitable organizations lending her financial expertise and personal commitment to groups and concerns who have the high standards she maintains in her personal and business life. She has held many roles, from Director, Trustee and Officer of many high-profile entities. She is currently serving as a Vice President of Safari Club International and serves as a Director of the Safari Club International Foundation. With skill sets in Real Estate Finance and Business Management, combined with passions as a chef, winemaker and hunter, you can say Susan takes a well-rounded approach to life. After spending her life in Southern California, Susan recently freed herself from the Los Angeles grind and now splits her time at her Las Vegas and Colorado homes with her husband Bill.

Dr. I. Stanley Frye, MD, is a board-certified physician with deep Southern roots and a lifelong passion for wildlife, habitat conservation, and humanitarian service. After studying biology at the University of Alabama, he earned his medical degree from the University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine and completed his residency through Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners. Alongside his medical career, Dr. Frye has supported wildlife conservation, anti-poaching initiatives, and sustainable-use conservation efforts in both North America and Africa. He has also helped coordinate and deliver substantial medical supplies to underserved rural communities, women’s clinics, and conservation personnel working in remote regions. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Frye values the traditions, stewardship, and connection to nature that have shaped his lifelong interest in wildlife and conservation.

Rob Arnaud is a fourth-generation Montanan with a lifelong commitment to land stewardship and wildlife conservation. A graduate of Montana State University, he spent more than three decades with Turner Enterprises, helping manage some of North America’s largest private conservation landscapes. His work across the American West and beyond provided firsthand experience with wildlife management, habitat conservation, and rural land stewardship on a global scale. Throughout his career, Rob worked at the intersection of wildlife biology, ranch management, and outfitting. He helped demonstrate how scientifically managed hunting can support conservation, sustain working lands, and create incentives for landowners to maintain wildlife habitat. His management philosophy was grounded in biological data, long-term stewardship, and the belief that wildlife thrives when local communities benefit from its presence. Now retired in Gallatin Gateway, Montana, Rob remains active in conservation education and advanced hunter education programs. He brings to the Shepherds of Wildlife Society a rare combination of deep Montana roots, global conservation experience, and practical knowledge of how wildlife, working landscapes, hunting, and rural communities can thrive together.

Brigadier General Dale Timothy White, USAF (Ret.) is an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, documentary filmmaker, strategic communications leader, and public diplomacy expert whose career has spanned journalism, government service, academia, and military leadership. Dr. White holds degrees from Michigan State University, the University of Southern California, and the University of Maryland. Over more than five decades, White has served as a television reporter, anchor, and producer for NBC, ABC, FOX, and PBS affiliates, earning six Emmy Awards. In 2005, White was inducted into the Radio and Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Additionally, as Executive Producer for the U.S. Information Agency (USIA), he led international film and television initiatives supporting American public diplomacy throughout Europe, Russia, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. He later founded Lives and Legacies Films, producing award-winning documentaries for PBS and other national broadcasters. White served more than thirty years in the United States Air Force, active duty and Reserve, retiring with the rank of Brigadier General. He held senior leadership roles in strategic communications, public affairs, recruiting, and international liaison. Today he is a Research Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Maryland, Trustee of the Institute of World Politics, board member of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming, and past president of the Literary Society of Washington. As an Advisory Board Member of the Shepherds of Wildlife Society, White provides strategic counsel in communications, public engagement, public policy, and institutional development. Drawing upon a distinguished career in journalism, documentary filmmaking, diplomacy, academia, and military leadership, he helps advance Shepherds’ mission to reconnect modern society with nature through science-based conservation, compelling storytelling, and respect for both wildlife and the people who live alongside it.