Business Session Speakers
Combat-wounded Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Johnny “Joey” Jones turned a traumatic, life-changing disability into a personal mission to share the life-changing perspective and gratitude he found in his recovery. Jones is a contributor across all FOX News Media platforms and hosts the first hunting show featured on Fox Nation Outdoors. He spends his personal time and resources taking small groups of veterans and first responders on hunting retreats.
A native Tennessean, outdoorsman, waterfowler, and turkey, elk and deer hunter, Doug Schoenrock has been a member of the Ducks Unlimited Board since 2002 and served as our organization’s 45th President from 2020-2022. He is currently Chairman of the Board for Ducks Unlimited, a Trustee of Wetlands America Trust, and an American Director on Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Board.
A longtime volunteer leader, Dr. Rex Schulz serves as Secretary of DU’s Board of Directors and as a member of numerous national committees. In recognition of his efforts to design and implement a successful fundraising technique to compliment the grassroots fundraising program, Dr. Schulz received Ducks Unlimited’s “Wings of Innovation” award in 2007.
Chuck Smith was elected Ducks Unlimited’s 46th President, the first Tennessean to hold this position. He played a key role in bringing DU’s National Headquarters to Memphis. He is the owner of Circle T Duck Club near Stuttgart – a property protected in perpetuity through a conservation easement held by WAT.
Bill Ansell’s passion for wetlands and waterfowl conservation has called him to serve as a Ducks Unlimited volunteer for more than three decades. In addition to his position as Ducks Unlimited’s Board Treasurer, Bill is also President of Ducks Unlimited de Mexico and an American Director on the Ducks Unlimited Canada Board.
A DU volunteer for more than thirty years, Bob Spoerl currently serves as Ducks Unlimited’s First Vice President. He continues to serve on the Ducks Unlimited Canada and Ducks Unlimited de Mexico Boards, as well as Wetlands America Trust.
Rich Smith is Ducks Unlimited’s Chief Development Officer. He previously held the roles of National Director of Development, Managing Director of Development, Director of Development and Regional Director.
David Schuessler has spent the last 14 years overseeing all operational components of DU’s event fundraising system and youth and education programs. After serving as Director of Fundraising for multiple regions, he is DU’s Chief Event Fundraising Officer.
Brett Baker has served Ducks Unlimited as Regional Director in South Carolina and as Senior Director of Development in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Currently, he is Director of Fundraising and Volunteer Relations, managing DU’s events and fundraising staff team in the South Atlantic Region.
Brian Garrels serves as Regional Vice President for Region 5 and is a member of the Marketing & Communications Committee as well as the Youth & Education Committee. He has proudly served as a volunteer for 35 years and is a former Iowa State Chair. In his spare time, he is a SCTP/NRA certified coach and is the assistant coach for the Emmetsburg Hot Shots Youth Trapshooting Team.
Cam Boland serves as DU’s Region 4 Youth Engagement Coordinator and has been a DU volunteer since 2018. She started as Youth Engagement Coordinator in December of 2022. Since then, she has helped establish 16 new University and Varsity chapters with DU.
With a profound passion for waterfowl, Will Burden reinstated the Ducks Unlimited Chapter at California State University Chico. Under his leadership, the chapter achieved notable success, earning the Silver All-American Award and Grand Slam Award for 2022-2023 in its first year of reinstatement.
Steve Maritz received recognition as a Ducks Unlimited Honorary Trustee, the organization’s highest honor. An avid outdoorsman, he actively works to improve habitats for duck, deer, turkey and quail.
Dr. Mike Brasher is one of Ducks Unlimited’s Senior Scientists responsible for strengthening the science behind DU's conservation activities. He also works to communicate with external audiences about our science and conservation work, which currently includes serving as co-host of the Ducks Unlimited Podcast.
Dr. Mark Petrie currently serves as the Director of Conservation Planning for the Western Region. Much of his work focuses on the amount and types of habitats that waterfowl require within the Pacific Flyway.
An active volunteer for more than four decades, Rogers Hoyt, Jr. has served as President of both Ducks Unlimited and DUMAC’s Board. He currently serves as an At-Large Member of the Ducks Unlimited Board and as a member of both the DUMAC and DUC Board.
Doug Barnes is the Chief Brand Officer at Ducks Unlimited where he leads a skilled team of creative communication professionals. Together, they strategize and execute initiatives to enhance DU’s brand and reputation.
Tammi Kircher is a well-seasoned conservationist and Ducks Unlimited volunteer for more than 40 years. A member of the Board since 2018, she currently serves as the Senior Flyway Vice President for Region 5 and as a member of several national committees.
Dan Thiel is Executive Secretary for both Wetlands America Trust and Ducks Unlimited Inc. and has been on staff since 2000.
Tamara Jameson is a Manager of Engineering Services with Ducks Unlimited who has over 12 years of experience in civil engineering. At DU, Ms. Jameson manages wetland, riparian, and coastal restoration projects across the northeast.
Stevens Charles is a graduate student at the University of Georgie-Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems. He is working with DU staff in our Big Rivers office and is studying the natural flood patterns of the Mississippi River to understand how controlled overtopping impacts flood reduction and boosts ecosystem benefits which can inform future designs.
Currently a professor at the University of Georgia-Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems, Dr. Rhett Jackson has over 30 years of experience as a hydrologist, researcher, and professor. Dr. Jackson’s research is focused on the effects of human land use activities on water quality and aquatic habitat.
Madlyn “Maddie” Carpenter is a graduate student at the University of Georgia-Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems and is interested in restoration ecology and multidisciplinary design. Maddie is coordinating with DU staff in the Great Lakes office, and her research will help to quantify the co-benefits of our wetland restoration work.
Roger d’Eschambault has been a DUC Board Member since 2014 and has served as President and Vice President. He has held positions on many DU committees. He is currently a member of the Nominating and Personnel Policy Committees.
Peter MacGaffin has proudly served as a Ducks Unlimited volunteer for more than 45 years. He continues his long history of both local and national service to the Ducks as a member of the Delaware State and New Castle County Committees and as the Region 6 Senior Flyway Vice President and a member of the national Development Committee.
Adam Putnam is Ducks Unlimited Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining DU, he was elected to two terms as Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives representing the Central Florida-based 12th Congressional district.