Meet the Game and Fish Commissioners
PETER J. DUBE - President - District #4
Appointment March 1, 2017-March 1, 2023
Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioner
28 Deer Haven Drive
Buffalo, WY 82834
peter.dube@wyo.gov
Appointment District #4 - Sheridan, Johnson, and Campbell Counties
Profile:
Pete Dube knows the outdoors. That’s where he’s spent most of his life — in the hard-to-reach pockets of northern Wyoming working in the family business as a hunting and fishing outfitter while also operating a cattle ranch east of Arvada. It is those roots that made him an ideal representative on the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission, and his devotion to the state called him to the role.
Dube joined the Commission in 2017 when appointed by then-Gov. Matt Mead. Like most outdoorsmen, he took the call from a ridgeline near his ranch, the only place there was service.“It was a surprise and an honor to get the call. I don’t believe a full-time outfitter had ever been asked to serve,” Dube said. Dube felt qualified to serve on the Commission based on his education, experience and knowledge of state and federal recreation and grazing permits and past time serving on various boards. Since his selection, Dube has advanced through Commission leadership, and was elected as president in 2020. His leadership contributed to recognition as the 2020 Commission/Board of the Year from the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
Being part of the Commission wasn’t the first time Dube brushed shoulders with the men and women in red. The summer before he graduated from Iowa State University in 1983, he worked for Game and Fish in the fisheries division in Buffalo. Dube graduated with a degree in fisheries and wildlife biology, a background that serves him well for understanding the state’s wildlife challenges. In Dube’s tenure, he’s most proud of reestablishing hunting seasons for wolves and setting a hunting season for grizzly bears before it was overturned by federal court. He’s made a long-term impact with the new chronic wasting disease management plan for the state and work on trapping reform. “It’s been an unbelievable experience and I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be on the Game and Fish Commission,” Dube said. “It is something not many people get to do. Being president has been an honor, and to serve with a lot of great folks.
Dube’s term lasts through March of 2023 and he looks forward to working on the newly-formed Wildlife Task Force charged with tackling issues such as license allocation, access, landowner licenses and hunting preference points. “We always want to look at how we do things in Wyoming and see if we can do better. Wildlife and people — that’s our charge,” Dube said.
GAY LYNN BYRD -
Vice President - District #7
Appointment March 1, 2017-March 1, 2023
Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioner
2775 Ross Road
Douglas, WY 82633
gaylynn.byrd@wyo.gov
Appointment District #7 - Converse, Natrona, Fremont
Profile:
Gay Lynn Byrd’s appointment on the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission started in March of 2017. Since then, Byrd and the Commission have established the WYldlife Fund, which helps raise money for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department wildlife, fish and habitat projects; the work being done to keep aquatic invasive species out of Wyoming waters; construction and planning for more wildlife crossings and numerous other habitat and fiscal improvements. She also was elected Vice President of the Commission in 2021.
“We’ve addressed a lot of things, but this Commission seems gung-ho to not kick things down the road,” Byrd said. “If we need to take care of something now, let’s do it.” Byrd is from Douglas and represents District 7, which encompasses Converse, Natrona and Fremont counties. Her family has been ranching in Wyoming since 1939 and has always enjoyed hunting and fishing. As landowners, Byrd’s family has engaged with Game and Fish wardens and other personnel about license issues and quotas over the years, which has helped her understand some of the state’s wildlife challenges. Byrd also is impressed with current Game and Fish programs that promote women and kids to learn and get outdoors such as Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, known as BOW, Beyond BOW and the department’s Inspire a Kid initiative led by Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik.
“It’s great that more women are getting out and enjoying the outdoors, along with them teaching the kids,” she said. “There’s more to it than what gun you used and what trophy you ended up with on a particular hunt.” Byrd said one of the bigger challenges facing the Commission is the changing landscape in Wyoming and how that affects wildlife. “Whether it is people moving in, more houses being built or energy-related infrastructure, it requires consideration for the habitat and wildlife,” she said.
Byrd’s concerns are not just about people potentially moving into the state and utilizing Wyoming’s open spaces.“More people want to get out and enjoy the outdoors, which I fully understand,” she said. “However, with people going further and further into the backcountry, in some cases, I’m afraid they’re going to disturb wildlife on their wintering ranges. All of those factors combined are going to get more complicated for the Commission's charge.”
RALPH BROKAW - District #2
Appointment March 1, 2019 -March 1, 2025
Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioner
270 Brokaw Road
Arlington, WY 82083
ralph.brokaw@wyo.gov
Appointment District #2 - Sweetwater, Carbon, and Albany Counties
Profile:
Ralph Brokaw describes serving on the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission as a dream come true.Brokaw is a fifth-generation rancher in Arlington west of Laramie. His father was one of two final candidates to be appointed to the Commission, but was not chosen due to the rule-making body’s political party balance.
Brokaw looked back on that and thought one day he would like to be part of the Commission. He got his wish in March 2019. Brokaw represents District 2 for Albany, Carbon and Sweetwater counties. “My past experiences with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department were with my local game warden and regional office. Being on the Commission you see the work that is being done year-round and the magnitude of the job,” Brokaw said. “We’re involved in a lot of stuff. It’s a huge machine. I had no idea the department was that big.”
Wildlife has always been a passion for Brokaw. He studied wildlife management at the University of Wyoming for two-and-a-half years, but ultimately returned to the family ranch and never left. During high school Brokaw rode along with game wardens to learn about their work. As a senior in high school and a freshman in college he worked for Game and Fish through UW’s Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.
At the ranch, the Brokaw family worked closely with Game and Fish and UW on various wildlife and habitat studies. “I’ve always had good relationships with Game and Fish personnel,” Brokaw said. He hopes to bring his “real-world” experiences from what he’s seen on his ranch to help Game and Fish and the Commission tackle future challenges, which include the ongoing development of Wyoming’s chronic wasting disease management plan, gaining state management of endangered species such as grizzly bears and the ever-changing fiscal demands so the department and Commission can continue to conserve wildlife and serve people.
Brokaw also said engaging new hunters and anglers, especially among kids, is important to Game and Fish’s future. “Kids are so distracted these days and pulled in so many directions,” he said. “With mom and dad working so hard, I don’t see kids introduced to the outdoors like I was. Kid recruitment is huge.”
RICHARD LADWIG - District #6
Appointment March 1, 2019 -March 1, 2025
Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioner
P.O. Box 21 Manville, WY 82227
richard.ladwig@wyo.gov
Appointment District #6 - Crook, Weston, and Niobrara Counties
Profile:
Public service and wildlife have been a big part of Richard Ladwig’s life. Throw in his life experiences and it seemed like a natural fit for Ladwig to be a member of the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission.
Ladwig is in his third year on the Commission. He represents District 6 made up of Crook, Weston and Niobrara counties. Prior to that, Ladwig was the County Commissioner in Niobrara County for 20 years. After he completed his last term as county commissioner, Ladwig was approached about serving on the Commission. “It is a learning process I don’t think will ever stop,” said Ladwig of serving on the Commission. “There’s always something going on. It is a way bigger job than I thought it was. I’ve been exposed to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in more ways than I ever thought possible.
“When you look at the department as a whole, it’s a large operation. To be on the team that helps take care of that is a privilege, and one that only seven people have.” Ladwig’s great grandfather homesteaded and started a ranch north of Manville in Niobrara County in 1893. Ladwig spent a lot of time at the ranch until it was sold. Hunting and fishing have been a big part of his life. Ladwig said the ranch was the first to be enrolled in the Game and Fish’s Access Yes program in Niobrara County.
Ladwig served in the Air Force for 22 years, and part of that time he was stationed in Alaska. While there, he took on additional duties as a military wildlife agent. Some of his work included license checks, fish sampling, bird counts and water flow studies. He also took some wildlife management classes — all valuable experience for his term on the Commission. Ladwig said one of the biggest accomplishments of the Commission and Game and Fish during his time is the development of a chronic wasting disease management plan for Wyoming. “That plan is still ongoing and we don’t have all the answers, but we are on track to do some magnificent things for Wyoming if we keep going with it,” he said.
Ladwig knows several challenges face the Commission and Game and Fish in the future. Some of those on the table now include the management of elk feedgrounds and work on trapping regulations. Some challenges have yet to be discovered, but Ladwig said he and the Commission will be ready when they do. “I want to help keep Game and Fish going and keep things going for the public,” he said.
KENNETH ROBERTS - District #3
Appointment January 27, 2021-March 1, 2023
Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioner
811 Moose Street, Kemmerer WY 83101
kenneth.roberts@wyo.gov
Appointment District #3 - Unita, Lincoln, Sublette and Teton Counties
Profile:
Kenneth Roberts was thrilled when he was asked to serve on the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission by Gov. Mark Gordon. A week or so after accepting the position, Roberts was already in Cheyenne at his first Commission meeting.
Roberts, the Clerk of the 3rd Judicial District Court in Lincoln County, was selected by Gordon to represent District 3, which encompasses Lincoln, Teton, Sublette and Uinta counties. “The Game and Fish Commission, to me, is the crown jewel of the State of Wyoming — bar none,” Roberts said. “You realize the magnitude of serving on the Commission really fast, then you realize how great of an organization it is and how everybody is so into it for the right reasons. It’s such a policy-driven board. You want to create good policy. You want to create good budgets. You want to make sure you’re serving the people of Wyoming.”
Roberts shares a passion for the outdoors like many Wyomingites. “I show up at the boat ramps with everybody. I show up on the streams with everybody. I drive up the country with everybody,” he said. “I want access and opportunity for everybody.”
Roberts also wants to see the older generation of outdoor enthusiasts get more involved in mentoring youth, such as with hunter education. He also feels the quality of employees across the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is high and wants to help make sure they stick around. “Having good policy is one thing, but you need the personnel to run it,” Roberts said. “I’d like to help maintain and keep our employees, because they all are awesome and know exactly what’s going on. What can we do as a Commission to help that out?”
Roberts represents one of the most diverse districts when it comes to Wyoming’s outdoor spaces with challenges such as elk feedground management and the battle against invasive cheatgrass. Roberts said the vastness of Game and Fish and the responsibility of the Commission can be overwhelming, but he’s embraced it. “It’s an absolute honor. I hope I’m a good steward, and I hope I do my part to represent Wyoming,” he said.
MARK JOLOVICH - District 1
Appointment March 1, 2021-March 1, 2027
Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioner
355 West 15th Street, Torrington, WY 82240
mark.jolovich@wyo.gov
Appointment District #1 - Platte, Goshen, and Laramie Counties
Profile:
About seven months into his six-year term on the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission, Mark Jolovich said he’s been “bombarded” with information.
“It’s like fighting a tsunami, but I’m loving every minute of it,” said Jolovich of the duties and responsibilities of serving on the Commission thus far. Jolovich was appointed to the Commission March 1 by Gov. Mark Gordon. He represents District 1, which encompasses Goshen, Laramie and Platte counties. Jolovich is a Wyoming native who lives in Torrington and has owned a water distribution company for nearly three decades with his wife, Becky.
“I’m working on retiring so I can help with Game and Fish projects,” he said with a wry smile. Jolovich was a long-time committee member of the 2Shot Goose Hunt in Torrington. It was there when a committee member from the 2Shot Goose Hunt first approached him about serving on the Commission. Jolovich said he was too busy with his own job. Then, former Commissioner Pat Crank reached out to him about the Commission.
“After an hour on the phone with Pat he talked me into applying. At the end of February the governor called and asked if this was something wanted to do. I said yes,” Jolovich said. Jolovich has always been “an outdoors guy,” who began working on his grandparents farm in the summers. It’s where he said he learned how to work. He hunted with his dad as a kid before he was old enough to go out on his own. Jolovich felt he had a good sense of what the Wyoming Game and Fish Department does, but he learned of the vastness of the work when appointed to the Commission.
Jolovich is committed to learning rapidly and is eager to get involved with everything he can during his time as Commissioner. “I want to do all I can and do right by the people of Wyoming and the Game and Fish Department,” Jolovich said. “Being in business for myself for 26 years, and being very successful, I’ve learned to watch the bottom line and to treat people right. That’s the way I look at serving on the Commission.”
ASHLEE LUNDVALL - District 5
Appointment March 1, 2021-March 1, 2027
33 Stage Station Drive, Powell, WY 82435
ashlee.lundvall@wyo.gov
Appointment District #5 - Park, Big Horn, Hot Springs, and Washakie Counties
Profile:
The outdoors help people find themselves. Ashlee Lundvall knows that better than most. It’s why she returns to Wyoming’s open spaces time and time again – and the reason she advocates for under-represented groups to explore hunting, fishing and wildlife.
Lundvall joined the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission this spring, bringing a history of working with conservation groups to help get more people outside -- including those with disabilities. Ensuring that access is important and personal. In the summer of 1999 a ranching accident left her with a broken back and permanently paralyzed. Recreating in the outdoors – she said – was something that helped her heal.
Lundvall has advocated for women and equal access for all people to the outdoors for over two decades in Wyoming so others can benefit from her experiences. She hoped to eventually broaden that involvement, and it happened sooner than later when she was appointed to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission this year by Gov. Mark Gordon. “This appointment was a complete surprise,” Lundvall said. “I was always looking for opportunities to work on a large scale, but this role wasn’t on my radar yet. I have learned there is a lot of healing to be found in the outdoors, and I want to do what I can to share that with others.”
Lundvall represents District 5, which encompasses Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie counties. Lundvall is one of three new commissioners this year. She said the learning process has been like drinking out of a fire hose, but also rewarding.
“There are so many moving parts working for wildlife and habitat in Wyoming,” Lundvall said. “I constantly remind myself that I don’t have to have all of the answers because I can call on our amazing resources at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and partnering organizations for information.
“It’s overwhelming at times, but I am thankful for the opportunity to do my part to serve.” Lundvall said being a woman with a disability allows her to bring another perspective to the Commission, and hopes she brings something “unique” to the group during her time.
Lundvall said with many varying opinions across the state about wildlife and habitat management it is important the Commission makes sure everyone feels heard and represented – even if the outcomes don’t make everyone happy. “Decisions aren’t always popular, but when you truly have Wyoming’s best interests at heart you can feel good about the calls you have to make.”