TULSA, Okla. — Outdoorsman, conservation advocate, and longtime leader Steven Bender will serve as the National Wildlife Federation’s next associate vice president of affiliate partnerships. In this role, Bender will help build support for NWF’s 52 state and territorial affiliates, deepen long-standing and emerging collaborations, and embed One Federation as a durable operating model and culture across the organization.

“The National Wildlife Federation’s affiliate model underpins everything the organization has achieved over the past 90 years. Steve’s long record of collaborating with affiliates to help wildlife and people thrive makes him the perfect fit for this leadership role,” said Angie Rosser, vice president of One Federation at the National Wildlife Federation. “I am excited to work with him to help NWF and our affiliates advance our shared goals to help wildlife, habitat, and communities endure for future generations.”

“I have seen firsthand how NWF’s affiliates — which bring together hunters, anglers, hikers, birders, and so many others — are the engine that has driven so many of the historic victories for wildlife,” Bender said. “I am eager to build upon these successes and to invest in the One Federation model that has been at the forefront of the conservation movement.”

Bender has worked at the National Wildlife Federation for nearly two decades. During his time at NWF, he has served as the director of conservation partnerships and primary liaison with state affiliates in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. He also previously directed NWF’s Vanishing Paradise Program, which empowers hunters and anglers to reverse habitat loss and support wildlife conservation along the Gulf Coast.

Bender, who lives in Tulsa, Okla., holds a M.S. from Texas State University and a B.A. from Emporia State University.