U.S. Fish and Wildlife appoints longtime Alaskan Sara Boario as new regional director

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced Sara Boario as its new Alaska Region director.

Boario will be the first woman to serve in the role, according to the agency. She was formerly acting deputy regional director for Fish and Wildlife in Alaska, and before that was assistant regional director for external affairs beginning in 2014.

“In these positions, she has been a senior advisor on the region’s highest profile policy challenges and provided critical leadership on efforts to strengthen and heal relationships with Indigenous peoples, elevate the voices of young Alaskans in international Arctic discussions, and connect with urban partners,” the federal agency said in its announcement.

Fish and Wildlife’s Alaska Region encompasses more than 50% of all refuge land managed by the federal agency at over 76 million acres, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Fish and Wildlife also helps implement the Endangered Species program and the Federal Subsistence Management Program, and conducts wildlife law enforcement, among other key federal duties in Alaska.

Boario replaces Greg Siekaniec, who served in the role starting in 2016. She begins in the position on March 14.

Boario has led efforts to address diversity and inclusion at the agency and outside of work, including on LGBTQ+ issues, the agency’s announcement said.

Before joining Fish and Wildlife, Boario worked for the U.S. Forest Service at Chugach National Forest and was chief of staff for former Alaska Democratic state Sen. Georgianna Lincoln.

“Sara was raised across Alaska and has a deep commitment to working with all of Alaska’s communities as shared stewards of fish, wildlife, and habitat,” Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said in a statement.