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At yesterday's Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) meeting, five Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) employees were recognized for their commitment to managing, protecting, and conserving Louisiana’s abundant natural resources.
“It is my pleasure to highlight the work that these employees have done and their commitment to move the department forward as a modern and professional service organization,” said Madison Sheahan, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. “These employees have exceeded my expectations of moving our agency forward on behalf of the sportsmen of our state.”
The 2024 Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries employees of the year and their accomplishments are listed below.
John Hanks: Wildlife Biologist of the Year
Large Carnivore Program Manager, Office of Wildlife
John has been employed with LDWF for 23 years and got his start as an entry level Biologist working on Wildlife Management Areas and in the Private Lands Program. Throughout his career, John gained considerable field experience with black bears, Chronic Wasting Disease sampling in cervids, waterfowl management, and assisting private landowners to maximize wildlife. John has worked his whole career out of the Monroe office, the area with the densest population of Louisiana Black Bears in the state. As a result, John gained considerable experience in black bears and was promoted to Large Carnivore Program Manager to oversee LDWF’s Black Bear Program. His great work in promoting living with the Louisiana Black Bear, handling nuisance bears, capturing and marking bears, and other important research needed to manage black bear populations effectively has been crucial to the success of our Black Bear Program and is a testament to the overwhelming success of the historic 2024 Louisiana Black Bear hunting season. John’s passion for wildlife and the outdoors is evident in all he does, and his continued work in wildlife conservation has served to strengthen our Sportsman’s Paradise.
David Hayden: Administrative Employee of the Year
Biologist Program Manager, Office of Wildlife
In January 2003, David joined LDWF as a Region Biologist in Pineville, assisting in wildlife and habitat management on private lands, WMAs, and Catahoula Lake. Since then, he has been promoted to biologist supervisor in the private land section and is now the Biologist Program Manager for Habitat Stewardship Operations in West Louisiana. In this role, David administers the Private Lands and WMA Programs in the Minden, Pineville, and Lake Charles Field Offices, which encompass 23 parishes and 18 wildlife management areas. David serves as the point of contact for the Pineville field office construction which successfully opened its new office this year, and ran the first successful lottery hunt draw for the 2024 black bear season. He also serves as the LDWF Wildlife Division Strategic Priority Lead for Digital Platforms, External R3, and Modern Data Management, as well as the point of contact for state and federal counterparts such as Kisatchie National Forest, the Bureau of Land Management, Red River Waterway Commission, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife.
Lakeesha Miles: Operations Employee of the Year
Account Manager, Office of Management and Finance
Lakeesha Miles has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise in her role as Accountant Manager, overseeing Accounts Payable, Revenue, and Budget. Over the past year, she has successfully led several high-profile projects, including the preparation of indirect cost presentations, fiscal cliff data collection, and an extensive review of Office of Technology Services billing. In addition to managing financial operations and guiding her team, Lakeesha has collaborated closely with program staff and other state agencies to prepare accurate projections, financial statements, and the annual budget. Her efforts have enhanced the efficiency of the Office of Management and Finance and fostered a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement. Lakeesha’s dedication, vision, and passion for developing her team make her an invaluable asset to the organization.
Corporal Tib Guillory: Enforcement Agent of the Year
Corporal, LDWF Enforcement Division
Corporal Tib Guillory has been employed with the department for eight years. He graduated from Academy 30 and is assigned to Evangeline Parish. On July 30, 2019, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal. During his time with the enforcement division, Corporal Guillory successfully conducted high-quality investigations and handled the cases that resulted. Corporal Guillory’s caseload activity covers Region 5 and readily assists with coverage in the region's coastal districts. He has issued 70 violations for the year (50 Criminal and 20 Warnings) and has been on 24 other cases where he assisted other agents. In a recent incident on the Atchafalaya River, Corporal Guillory and another LDWF enforcement agent were involved in a successful search and rescue operation following a capsized vessel, which left two individuals stranded in the water. A witness on the riverbank reported that two men were clinging to a piece of floating plywood. Despite being off duty and engaged in fishing activity, Corporal Guillory promptly responded upon learning about the distressing situation, arriving at the scene at the same time as the other agent. Corporal Guillory's swift and decisive actions, which were instrumental in the successful rescue mission, played a pivotal role in the positive outcome of this critical operation. Corporal Guillory was recently nominated as the 2024 LDWF SEAFWA Officer of the Year. With all his contributions, we proudly recognize Corporal Tib Guillory as the 2024 Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division Agent of the year.
Jason Adriance: Fisheries Biologist of the Year
Biologist Program Manager, Office of Fisheries
Jason joined LDWF in 2002 as a Biologist in the Coastal Study Area 3 office when it was located on Grand Terre Island at the old Marine Lab. Jason served as the head of that field office prior to his current position as the head of the Finfish Program, a position he has held since 2010. Jason proudly represents the department on a variety of committees, such as the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), NOAA’s Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Committee, and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Menhaden Advisory Committee. This year, he has successfully led the implementation of the new Commission rules on menhaden buffers, reporting requirements, and the very difficult effort to adjust speckled trout, redfish, and flounder regulations beginning in 2019 and culminating in 2024 with the implementation of adjusted redfish regulations. His hard work on these regulatory changes has been extraordinary during the last five years. His actions when dealing with these problematic issues showed his high-level biological understanding of the topics and the professionalism and grace necessary to manage our resources for the public. Jason is a true example of what it means to be a public servant as he worked steadfastly in the best interest of Louisiana and our fishery resources.