Aurelia Skipwith


Aurelia Skipwith is an American attorney, businesswoman, and biologist serving as the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. She was confirmed by the Senate as director on December 12, 2019, by a 52–39 vote, and is the first black director of the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Early life and education

Skipwith was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, the oldest of nine children. Skipwith's family eventually relocated to Columbus, Mississippi. Skipwith's father served in the United States Navy and United States Army Reserve. Her grandfather was a farmer in Mississippi.
Skipwith received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Howard University in 2003, a master's degree in molecular genetics from Purdue University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Career

Skipwith began her career at Monsanto in 2006 as a lab technician, and worked her way to a sustainable agriculture partnership manager. Following her work at Monsanto, Skipwith pursued a law degree and had a brief career as a research and legal intern at the United States Department of Agriculture. She also served as an intellectual property consultant for the United States Agency for International Development.
For a period of time, Skipwith worked at Alltech, an organization based in Nicholasville, Kentucky which specializes in animal nutrition and algae production. She later co-founded AVC Global, an agricultural supply blockchain company in early-2016.

Personal life

Skipworth is engaged to Leo Giacometto, a former member of the Montana Legislature and chief of staff to former Senator Conrad Burns. Giacommetto is a co-founder of AVC Global and works as a lobbyist in the agriculture sector.