Governor-elect Janet Mills announced she will make another historic nomination Wednesday.
Mills announced she will nominate Judy Camuso, the Director of the Wildlife Division at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), to serve as the agency’s next commissioner, which would make her the first female to hold that position.
According to the press release, Camuso has been with the department for more than a decade.
Governor-elect Mills had high praise for Camuso. “Maine’s heritage, its culture, and its future are all inextricably linked to our outdoors – and no one better understands that or appreciates it more than Judy,” said Governor-elect Mills. “Her more than ten years of experience at MDIFW, along with her deep understanding of its importance and the issues it confronts, position her well to lead it in the years to come. I look forward to working with Judy to continue to prioritize the protection, enhancement, and enjoyment of our outdoors.”
Camuso said she has been honored to serve the people of Maine. “It is an honor to be selected to lead the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, an agency that I care deeply about,” said Camuso. “I have dedicated my career to the preservation and enhancement of our outdoors, the wildlife that inhabit it, and the people who enjoy it. I am excited by the opportunity to continue that work alongside MDIFW’s extraordinary employees and to ensuring that our outdoor resources and traditions can be enjoyed for generations to come.”
Camuso has been the director since 2013, overseeing all aspects of the department's operations. According to the press release Camuso manages the departments $12 million budget and directs a staff of 45, covering 60 of Maine's wildlife management areas totaling 106,000 acres.
The release states, "If confirmed, Camuso, 48, will be the first woman ever to lead MDIFW and will be responsible for preserving, protecting, and enhancing the inland fisheries and wildlife resources of the state. More specifically, MDIFW is charged with the protection and management of fish, non-game wildlife, and habitats, as well as restoration of endangered species like the bald eagle. In addition to its conservation duties, MDIFW is responsible for enabling and promoting the safe enjoyment of Maine's outdoors — from whitewater rafting to boating, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation."