Meet Our Partners: Cynthia Martinez, Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System

By Kathy Woodward, NWRA Friends Committee Member 

As Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System, Cynthia Martinez constantly uses her broad range of skills, knowledge, and experience. Her responsibilities include briefing the Secretary of the Interior on all things “Refuge,” briefing Congress, attending ceremonies to celebrate land acquisitions to the Refuge System, presenting the graduation addresses to Fire Academy and Refuge Management graduates, consulting with the Office of Management and Budget, answering policy questions, advising Regional Chiefs, and cheerleading and supporting refuge employees, volunteers and…Friends. Cynthia understands and appreciates Friends and Friends groups and welcomes us as an integral part of the refuge force.

A fifth-generation New Mexican, Cynthia grew up in a close-knit family. She flourished in school as an athlete, musician, treasurer of the Honor Society, and a fisherwoman. She graduated from New Mexico State with a Bachelor of Science in general biology and earned a Master of Science in fisheries and wildlife science from University of Arizona. She first learned about the Fish and Wildlife Service at a college job fair.  

Her 17 years in the field as a contaminants biologist in Arizona and fisheries biologist in Nevada gave Cynthia rich experiences. When she became Refuge Manager at the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes, Desert, Ash Meadows, Moapa Valley, and Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuges, her challenges and successes expanded. She honed her skills working with a wide variety of partners on issues as diverse as coexisting with an Air Force bombing range, saving endangered pupfish, and developing the Neon to Nature advertising campaign to attract people visiting Las Vegas to the refuges. Friends of Desert Wildlife Refuges worked with Cynthia on these issues and many more.

When Cynthia moved to Headquarters as Chief of the Division of Visitor Services and Communications, she provided the leadership for the 2011 Conserving the Future conference, which focused on the growth and relevance of the Refuge System in a changing world. Implementation teams created far-reaching policies, including a program of urban area partnerships and reconnecting with people, as well as a renewed commitment to sustaining Friends groups.

Named Deputy Chief of the Refuge System in 2012, three years later Cynthia was selected as Chief, the first woman and Hispanic to lead the Refuge System. As Chief, Cynthia has committed time and resources to Friends. The growth and sustainability of the Urban Program requires local community support, including training and funding for refuge Friends. Cynthia knows the incredible commitment of Friends to their home refuges, and she encourages Friends to learn about other refuges and the Refuge System. Working with Linda Schnee, National Friends Coordinator, and regional Friends Coordinators, Cynthia reinvigorated the Friends mentoring program and the annual Friends Academy training.

In discussing issues facing the Refuge System and the need for increased funding, Cynthia says, “Where does the money come from? Congress! And what is Congress? People representing people. And who do we count on to let Congress know to appropriate money to refuges? We count on Friends.” She notes that much of what is achieved on refuges is supported by the efforts of Friends. It is through this connection with people, including volunteers, that the Refuge System successfully does its job of wildlife management. As Cynthia says, “We couldn’t do this without Friends. This is a journey, and we are on it together.”

We are so fortunate to have Cynthia Martinez as our Chief.