Contact: Mike Saccone, Communications Advisor, NWF Action Fund, MikeSaccone@nwa.org, 202-797-6634

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 18, 2021) — The National Wildlife Federation Action Fund has added a series of political and conservation thought leaders to its board, including national political strategist Chuck Rocha; former U.S. Ambassador Tod Sedgwick; outdoorsman and political strategist Gaspar Perricone, and conservationist and law professor Andy Buchsbaum.

“Voters have time and again stood with the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund and our endorsees to send wildlife and conservation champions to work in city halls, state houses, and even the White House. We’re honored to welcome Chuck Rocha, Tod Sedgwick, Gaspar Perricone, and Andy Buchsbaum to the Action Fund Board to continue this vital work,” said Martha Darling, chair of the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund Board of Directors. “We look forward to working with them and our elected champions to recover wildlife, act on the climate crisis, expand outdoor recreation, and protect clean water, air, and lands.”

Chuck Rocha began his political career in the woods of East Texas at United Rubber Workers Local 746. At 29, he was the youngest, first person of color to be hired as National Political Director of the United Steelworkers of America. He is credited with building up one of the top national labor political departments in the country. Chuck has since worked on presidential and congressional races as well as founded his own political strategy firm, Solidarity Strategies, focused on diversity and mentorship opportunities for young people of color.

Theodore “Tod” Sedgwick is a former U.S. Ambassador to the Slovak Republic with experience as a successful journalist, publisher, and entrepreneur. Prior to serving as U.S. Ambassador, Sedgwick was a business executive with experience in the publishing and timber industries. He founded Pasha Publications, a specialty publisher focused on energy, defense and environment markets, and served as its chief executive for 20 years. Sedgwick is currently the Treasurer of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, which assists over 100 countries around the world with conducting free and fair elections.

Gaspar Perricone has extensive public affairs and government relations experience, with expertise in policy development and analysis, political strategy, strategic planning, and lobbying. He currently works as a consultant at Freestone Strategies, a public affairs and government relations consulting firm. Prior to this, he served as the Legislative Program Director for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. He also founded Bull Moose Sportsmen’s Alliance, a national non-profit hunting and angling advocacy organization, and served as CEO and President until 2014.

Andy Buchsbaum is an adjunct professor at University of Michigan Law School. He was the Vice President for Conservation Action for the National Wildlife Federation. Formerly NWF’s Great Lakes director for more than a decade, he was the co-chair of the 110-organizational member Healing Our Waters Coalition and a trustee of the Great Lakes Fisheries Trust. Prior to joining NWF, Buchsbaum worked as the program director for the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan and as the senior and coordinating attorney for the Midwest office of the National Environmental Law Center.