David Bess

Director, Park and Wildlife Protection
Former Chief, California Fish and Wildlife Service

David grew up hunting and fishing in California’s Sacramento Valley, attending CSU Humboldt and holds degrees in Forestry and Natural Sciences. David discovered his passion for nature at an early age and explored the Western U.S. and Alaska’s most remote regions in the furtherance of his love of all things wild.

David has worked for multiple government agencies dating back to the 1970s as a wildland firefighter, forestry specialist, timber and lands surveyor, recreation specialist, and game warden. David served as a wildlife officer for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for two decades, holding every position in the Law Enforcement Division, working most of his field career as an undercover game warden specializing in combating illegal wildlife trafficking. He served the last 9 years of his career as the Chief of Law Enforcement and Deputy Director.

David is a graduate of the National Conservation Law Enforcement Leadership Academy (NCLELA) and served on their Board as President. He also held national leadership positions as the Law Enforcement Vice-Chair for the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) as well as the National Vice-Chair for Law Enforcement for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). David served as the co-chair for Law Enforcement for the Newsom administration’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF). David is a graduate of the Wildlife Investigators Covert Academy (WICA). Additionally, he is certified by the California Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission and holds professional certificates in Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory, Management, and Executive Law Enforcement.