The International Hunter Education Association (IHEA)-USA announces a new position and full-time staff member. Andrew Smith is appointed as the new Membership Director to help the organization accelerate its contributions to volunteer educators worldwide.

Initially working as a contracted Project Manager for IHEA-USA in 2020 through an R3 multistate conservation grant, Andrew helped craft and implement a new national hunter education online resource library for state agency and volunteer instructors. He was also involved in the recent IHEA-USA website redesign and new instructor membership model increasing value and decreasing costs to hunter education volunteers. This work, and an internal passion for hunting and fishing, have encouraged him to pursue a full-time career in the Outdoor, Hunting, and Fishing Industry.

Andrew has a personal business ownership background, leaving a successful insurance agency behind for the IHEA-USA, coupled with knowledge and experience in education and volunteerism by helping others develop and pursue their own passions as a High School and Middle School Wrestling coach and mentor in Western Montana. He also volunteers with his local non-profit rugby club as Past President and currently as Treasurer for the organization.

“Andrew’s experience as a business owner, volunteer educator, and non-profit officer make him a perfect choice for this new position in our organization,” said the IHEA-USA Executive Director, Alex Baer. “Our new approach to membership and a renewed focus on helping our partners in state agencies and NGO learning organizations retain their volunteer educators will be best served by someone who can think differently and build the program for various audiences. I have every confidence in Andrew in this new position.”

Andrew grew up in rural Eastern Oregon hunting and fishing with his family. He especially enjoys sharing Mule Deer hunts in Central Montana, Elk hunts in Oregon, and fishing trips everywhere in-between with his two daughters and friends. Contact Andrew at ASmith@ihea-usa.org.

For more information on this release, contact Leaha Thomas leaha@boltstrategy.com or Mike Thomas mike@boltstrategy.com.

About the IHEA-USA: The International Hunter Education Association – USA (IHEA-USA) is the professional hunter education association affiliated with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service hunter education programs. The programs employ 55,000 instructors, many of whom are volunteers, teaching hunting and shooting safety and responsibilities throughout the United States. For more information on IHEA-USA membership and the direction the organization is taking in 2021, please visit www.IHEA-USA.org.