Governor Jay Inslee appointed two individuals to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. Lynn O'Connor, a business owner and former park aide and ranger, will represent Eastern Washington. Tim Ragen, a marine mammal research expert and Vice Chair since 2024, will continue serving in a Western Washington seat, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Ragen expressed his gratitude for his reappointment, stating, "I am excited to continue to serve on the Fish and Wildlife Commission. It has been an honor to work on fish and wildlife conservation and serve the people of Washington. I also want to welcome the new commissioner – we have a lot of work ahead, and I am ready to dig into the issues," as reported by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Molly Linville, who has served on the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife commission since 2019, will be stepping down. Commission Chair Barbara Baker said, "we will miss Molly's spark and easy sense of humor," and added, "And, she had a knack for reminding us to employ grace when meetings got tense." The commission, which ensures broad geographic representation with one member from each county, operates with commissioners serving six-year terms, subject to confirmation by the state Senate. Washington Fish and Wildlife provides accessibility services for alternative formats or languages.
