Washington – September 25, 2026 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior has appointed Dr. Robert "Robbie" Kröger, founder and executive director of The Origins Foundation, to the Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation and Access Council, the agency announced Sept. 21.
Kröger joins the council as a primary member representing wildlife-associated recreation interests
The federal advisory council delivers recommendations through the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture on wildlife and habitat conservation, hunting and shooting sports, conservation partnerships and public land access.
Kröger previously served as the first chief scientist of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council
In that role he helped establish the scientific framework guiding large-scale restoration efforts following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He also served as a professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture at Mississippi State University.
The Origins Foundation supports global wildlife projects and sustainable-use conservation initiatives
Kröger now leads the organization, which backs field partnerships, research and sustainable-use programs internationally. "Conservation is strongest when science, practical field experience and the people who interact with wildlife are part of the same conversation," Kröger said.
The appointment adds an international conservation perspective to the reestablished federal council
Kröger's global field experience is expected to connect lessons from conservation programs abroad with federal policy discussions on wildlife management and hunting access in the United States.