Dr. Mamie Parker is a professional fish and wildlife biologist, success coach and principal consultant at Ecologix Group, Inc. with clients at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Port Administration, Maryland Department of Labor, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, the Bureau of Land Management, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Wild Turkey Federation, and Ducks Unlimited, University of Vermont and Virginia Tech. She was elected chair of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources Commission leading the commission in the changing the name of the agency. Parker is the chair of the Student Conservation Association (SCA) and serves on the Board of Directors of Brown Advisory, Center for Large Landscape Conservation, The Nature Conservancy-Virginia Chapter, Marstel-Day Consulting, Duke University NSOE, the National Wildlife Federation, the Chesapeake Conservancy and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
She spent a career as a biologist and senior executive in the federal government as the FWS Chief of Staff, Assistant Director of Habitat Conservation/Head of Fisheries in this country. Known for her public speaking throughout the environmental community, Parker has given commencement addresses and speeches for several organizations, including Duke University NSOE, Wisconsin Northland College, the World Fisheries Congress in China, the Oprah Winfrey Academy and the office of the Prime Minister of Lesotho in southern Africa.
Dr. Parker made history serving as the first African American FWS Regional Director of the 13 Northeastern states after working in the Great Lakes and Big Rivers regions and in the southeastern United States. While serving as board chair of Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries Commission, the board passed a diversity resolution that’s become a model for other states, changed the board name from “game” to wildlife, and protected migratory birds threatened by major bridge construction. Instead of “rubber-stamping” a project that would have displaced many birds (allowed under the weakening of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act), the Department drafted a regulations to protect migratory birds across Virginia.
She has an extensive amount of experience working with her staff in building bridges to nontraditional partners in the conservation community. This work resulted in her receiving the 2020 Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies John L. Morris Lifetime Achievement Award, William P. Reilly Environmental Leadership Award and the Presidential Rank Award, the highest honor bestowed upon federal employees. National Public Radio (NPR) Morning Edition featured Dr. Parker and her work in conservation addressing the challenges of increasing women in Wild STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers. Five women along with Dr. Parker were featured in the Smithsonian Institute’s book “Women, Environmentalism and Justice.” The Coretta Scott King Award winner, Tonya Bolden released her latest book, “Changing the Equation, 50+ US Black Women in STEM, which celebrates Dr. Parker and others that have paved the way for future generations. Dr. Parker facilitated at the White House Conference on the Environment.
After being appointed by the Governor of Virginia, she was elected as the first black chair of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resource Commission. The Governor of Arkansas enshrined her into the Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame for her work on fish habitat plans and invasive species. She is the recipient of the Emmaline Moore Award, named after the first female President of the American Fisheries Society for mentoring and coaching women and people of color. Parker is one of the authors of The Future of Fisheries: Perspectives for Emerging Professionals published by the American Fisheries Society.