Virginia Governor Glenn Younkin recently appointed Laura Walters, Pulaski County Board of Supervisors Chair, and board member of New River Conservancy, to serve on the State Board of Wildlife Resources for Region 3, an 18 county region in Southwest Virginia. The Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is responsible for the management of inland fisheries, wildlife, and recreational boating for Virginia. Members of the DWR Board, appointed by the Governor, are citizens of the Commonwealth and knowledgeable of wildlife conservation, hunting, fishing, boating, agriculture, forestry, or habitat. When asked her thoughts on this appointment, Walters replied “I am honored and appreciative of being selected by Governor Younkin as one of two representatives for our area. Serving on this Board will enable me to continue to represent my locality by having a small role in the leadership of state policies affecting wildlife, boating, outdoor use and education.” Walters joins Will Wampler in Region 3.
“I fully support the mission of the Department which is to “Conserve, Connect and Protect” and Governor Younkin’s vision for wildlife management and conservation, along with inspiring individuals to enjoy the outdoors. I am very excited to use my background and skills in this endeavor. I have long been involved with the Department of Wildlife Resources locally, and have followed this Board on a variety of issues and initiatives. The opportunity to expand my knowledge and education that this appointment brings while working on a very engaged, dedicated, and active board is invigorating.” Walters said.
Laura received her undergraduate and Masters degrees from Radford University. She has also taken post graduate courses at Virginia Tech. After working at Wytheville and New River Community College, Laura founded and managed Career Directions, a business consulting and outplacement firm in 1989, until retiring in 2011. Since that time, Laura has been privileged to give back to the community through her volunteer work, serving on various boards and organizations including being elected to the Pulaski Board of Supervisors in 2019 and becoming Board Chair in 2022.
Laura has served the Department of Wildlife Resources as a Boater Safety Instructor and Wildlife Rehabilitator, with other relative experience including serving on the Virginia Safe Boating Alliance Council, the Friends of Claytor Lake (FOCL) as Past President and Environmental Chair, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 83 Finance Officer and Secretary, the Friends of Peak Creek Board (FOPC), New River Conservancy (NRC) Board Past Chair, and the New River Watershed Roundtable. Although much of her experience is water related, she also volunteered in Yellowstone National Park with the wolf project.
In 2021, Laura received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Wallace and Peggy Carroll Vigilance Award from NRC for her work in protecting the waters, woodlands, and wildlife of the New River watershed, the FOCL Volunteer of the Year Award, in 2015, and guided FOCL to receive the Nonprofit of the Year Award for Excellence from the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce in 2014.
Laura is married to Jeff Arnold, living on Claytor Lake with her rescue dogs. She has three children, daughter Brett, who attended Gardner Webb University and works for NRVCS, son Evan, who attended Radford University and University of Taiwan and is Communications/Creative Director for Bad Ax Throwing, and Commissioner of the World Knife Throwing League, and son Ethan, who attended New River Community College and is an Instrumentation/Electronics Technician at Radford Arsenal.
Laura’s hobbies and interests include, travel, outdoors, wildlife rehabilitation, Siberian husky rescue reading, biking, boating, and all water sports.
