DENVER, CO – Andrew Black, who has worked for years in conservation, politics and public service, is now helping chart the National Wildlife Federation’s public lands work as the organization’s new public lands field director.

Black, a New Mexico native, joined NWF Monday after serving as the New Mexico Wildlife Federation’s director of community relations, education and veterans’ outreach. He also served as a field representative and sportsmen’s coordinator for U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and field representative for former U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman. 

"We’re thrilled that Andrew is taking the reins to grow and lead our important work on protecting public lands, ensuring they remain accessible to the public and protecting wildlife that depends upon them,” said Tracy Stone-Manning, the National Wildlife Federation’s associate vice president for public lands. “From the New Mexico Wildlife Federation to his work in public service, Andrew has shown the ability to reach out to diverse groups of people, from sportsmen, to religious leaders to elected officials, and build momentum on crucial conservation causes.”

While with the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, an affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation, Black helped lead the campaign to create the first-ever public access to the Sabinoso Wilderness in northeastern New Mexico. He also organized a 2017 summit of more than 70 Colorado and New Mexico representatives of tribes, state and federal agencies, conservation groups and private landowners to explore the science, public policy and planning needed to conserve the habitat and migration routes for wildlife in the Upper Rio Grande area.

Black, who holds a law degree and is an ordained Presbyterian minister (PCUSA), previously served as the Presbyterian Church’s associate stated clerk as well as worked with the Legal Aid Society in Louisville, Ky.

"As a sportsman and Westerner, I have seen how our public lands not only drive our economy, bring diverse communities together, and provide critical wildlife habitat, but also how they ground our sacred traditions and lend depth and meaning to America’s rich cultural heritage,” Black said. “As a spiritual leader, I have also seen how our public lands offer healing and transformation, and I recognize that we have a sacred duty to be good stewards of these lands for future generations. With our public lands and access to these lands under constant threat, I am honored and humbled to work with NWF and our federation family in order to support and build upon the good work to protect our nation’s public lands, water and wildlife."

Black earned his law degree from the University of Louisville-Brandeis School of Law. He received a master’s of divinity from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and bachelor’s degrees in political science and religious studies from Eckerd College in Florida.