Governor Selects Cora Campbell to Serve as Commissioner for Fish & Game

Governor Parnell Names Cora Campbell as Commissioner of Alaska Fish & Game.
Here is the press release below:

Dec. 22, 2010, Juneau, AK -- Governor Sean Parnell today appointed Cora Campbell as commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Campbell's name was one of two submitted for the position by the Joint Board of Fisheries and Game. Campbell has been serving as acting commissioner since December 1.

"I commend the joint board for sending me two well-qualified candidates, both whom I know and respect," Governor Parnell said. "Cora Campbell's fisheries experience and broad understanding of wildlife management make her a great fit for the agency."

As action commissioner, Campbell represented the State of Alaska on numerous bodies, including the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which overseas commercial and sport fisheries in federal waters off Alaska. Prior to this appointment, she served as a policy advisor for wildlife, environmental conservation, natural resources, Arctic issues, climate change and fisheries in her role as special assistant to Governor Parnell.

"I'm honored to serve in this capacity, and look forward to working with agency staff and the public to sustain Alaska's world-class fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities," said Campbell.

Campbell has served two governors, and was first appointed in May 2007 as Governor Palin's fisheries policy advisor. Her responsibilities included oversight of state fisheries policies, chairing the Fisheries and Oceans subcabinets, serving on the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Board of Directors, and coordinating activities of the agencies involved in regulation and development of the state's subsistence, personal use, sport and commercial fisheries. Campbell's responsibilities later expanded to include wildlife and other natural resource and environmental issues.

Prior to her service in the governor's office, Campbell worked in state and federal fishery and regulatory forums, served as executive director of a regional fishing association with an emphasis on economic development and cooperative research, supervised a public outreach program focusing on the federal subsistence process and served on numerous boards and committees, including the advisory panels to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the North Pacific Research Board. She has also fished commercially for salmon, herring and crab, and managed shore operations for a diversified fishing business.

A lifelong Alaskan originally from Petersburg, Campbell graduated from Pacific Lutheran University. She will be based in Juneau.