Zoe Duran

President 2024-2026

Zoe Duran is a Research Biologist and Data Support Analyst contracted with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Environmental Laboratory in the Ecological Resources Branch. Remotely stationed in southwest Idaho, she assists the Department of Defense Avian Knowledge Network (DoD AKN) Program Team with data integration, program support, and DoD-specific initiatives.

Prior to joining the DoD AKN Program Team in 2023, Ms. Duran worked for ten years as a Natural Resource Technician and Specialist with the Idaho Army National Guard (IDARNG). Her work focused on wildlife and botanical research and monitoring at the Orchard Combat Training Center (OCTC), which is located within the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. The OCTC is a critical habitat for many raptor species, prey species, sagebrush obligate songbirds, and the endangered slickspot peppergrass. Her role included balancing military training needs with the conservation of the OCTC’s unique natural resources through empirical research and partnerships with local universities and agencies.

Ms. Duran received her B.S. and M.S. in Biology from Boise State University, where she studied population dynamics and behavioral ecology of small mammals, particularly species that serve as prey for raptors. While in graduate school, she initiated an education and outreach program aimed at increasing connectivity between Idaho’s K–12 students, researchers, land managers, and the natural landscapes they share.

Ms. Duran joined NMFWA in 2016 and has served on the Board of Directors since 2018 as a Regional Director, At-large Director, Secretary, and Vice President. Currently serving as the President of the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association (NMFWA), Ms. Duran continues to advocate for the sustainable management of natural resources on military lands. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Idaho’s wilderness with her husband and two dogs, a shepherd and a corgi – the dogs, not the husband.