2026 CFWE Seminar Series — Jimmy Taylor

SPEAKER: Dr. Jimmy Taylor, USDA APHIS

TITLE: Leadership in the Natural Resources Professions

ABSTRACT: Leadership, in its basic form, is the act of controlling a group or organization. However, leadership is much more nuanced and should not be confused with title, rank, or authority. In fact, the most successful programs and organizations have leaders at all levels. Few college curricula, including natural resources disciplines like forestry and wildlife, teach leadership. Rather, it’s assumed individuals learn leadership skills on their own, through on-the-job training, or not at all. This seminar will contrast leadership with other descriptors like management and supervision, as well as describe different leadership styles. The presentation will include a historical roadmap of Wildlife Services, the federal program of which the speaker is employed, with examples of leaders past and present.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Jimmy Taylor began his federal career as a research wildlife biologist with the Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) in 2002. He currently serves as an assistant director for the NWRC at their headquarters in Fort Collins, Colorado. There he provides leadership, guidance, and supervision to 9 supervisory research project leaders conducting research in the areas of aquaculture protection, aviation safety and risk management, chronic wasting disease, feral swine management, food safety and wildlife pathogens, predator ecology, rabies, rodent management, and wildlife diseases.

Dr. Taylor is a three-time alumnus of Mississippi State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in forestry with a wildlife management option in 1992, a master’s degree in wildlife science in 1996, and a Ph.D. in forest resources with an emphasis in wildlife in 2001. He has been a member of The Wildlife Society for over 30 years and held numerous elected positions. Dr. Taylor also served in the Army National Guard and US Army Reserve as an armor officer, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel in 2010 with 23 years of service. He is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

EVENT DETAILS: Faculty, students, and the public are invited to attend this program. Advanced registration is not required. Refreshments will be available. Parking is available on the third and fourth floors in the South Quad Parking Deck across from the CFWE Building on Duncan Drive. To receive announcements about future seminars, request to join our email list at cfwecom@auburn.edu.

Contact the seminar host Mark Smith at mds0007@auburn.edu if you would like to request a recorded version of the seminar.