Judy Camuso | Director of Wildlife for Maine Department of Inland Fisheries + Wildlife 

Protecting Maine’s wildlife is a job Judy Camuso can’t do alone. In addition to relying on her staff, she works to educate and empower the public to protect the state’s animals. As director of wildlife for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), she’s broadened the department’s audience and has encouraged people to engage with wildlife more. “I started my career at Maine Audubon, and one of my core missions always was to connect people to wildlife and nature, knowing that people will protect and conserve the things they love,” she says. After her time at Audubon, Camuso became MDIFW’s only female regional biologist and is now the department’s first female director. It’s important to her to advocate for women in the department and in the wildlife field in general. “I strive to encourage women to excel at this agency and try to be a model for advancing women in a male-dominated industry,” she says. In her position, Camuso directs wildlife research, monitors projects (such as controlling the state’s moose population), and represents the department on policy and legislative issues. Her work also contributes to Maine’s economy. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services estimates residents and visitors spend more than $1 billion on wildlife-related activities in Maine each year. “Mainers are incredibly passionate about wildlife, and to actively oversee, enhance, and protect Maine’s amazing wildlife resources is my dream job,” Camuso says.