Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has a new Region 1 supervisor in Amber Steed, a longtime biologist with the agency.

Steed, 45, is the first woman to take the helm of the region, which is one of the most unique in the state with a full suite of predators and almost intact ecosystems.

Steed is replacing Lee Anderson who recently retired.

As regional supervisor, Steed oversees regional implementation of department goals and priorities. Based out of the office in Kalispell, she leads regional staff who manage the diverse resources in Northwest Montana, the agency said in a release.

Steed has lived in Montana for more than 20 years, most of which has been spent in the Flathead Valley. 

Growing up in the Midwest, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin in 2002. After working across the West in various natural resource-focused roles, she landed at Montana State University in Bozeman to pursue a Master of Science in fish and wildlife management, studying Arctic grayling in Yellowstone National Park. She was hired as a fisheries biologist with FWP shortly after earning her degree in 2007, and she’s called Kalispell home ever since.

In an interview last week, she said her favorite fish used to be grayling, but since working with the native fisheries in Northwest Montana, she’s grown to appreciate the westslope cutthroat trout, which is facing threats from hybridization from non-native rainbow trout, as well as warming waters in some streams and rivers.

She said one of her top priorities as supervisor would be to focus on being supportive and responsive to the staff at Region 1, which is doing a great a job, she said.

“I’m always impressed with the diversity and creativity our staff comes up with,” she said.

For example, FWP biologists in recent years have started using remote cameras to estimate game populations and track other wildlife non-invasively in the heavily wooded region.

She said another goal is to get up to speed on the projects, management and conservation efforts in the region, which spans from the North Fork to the Idaho border.

Science and public sentiment don’t always mesh, however, particularly in the age of social media where some members of the public openly question science in some wildlife studies.

Steed said that can be tough, but the agency needs to “find common values and build trust” with the public and “appreciate each other’s perspectives.”

With over 17 years of experience at FWP as a fisheries biologist, Steed brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the position. Her career has been marked by strategic leadership, exemplary supervisory skills, and fiscal responsibility, including managing complex transboundary fisheries projects, FWP noted in a release.

Steed already has a few weeks at the helm under her belt. She started March 10.