Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto
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Giacometto in 2020
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| 17th Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service | |
| In office January 6, 2020 – January 19, 2021 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Margaret Everson (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Martha Williams |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Aurelia Skipwith
July 30, 1980 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Leo Giacometto
(m. 2021; died 2022) |
| Education | Howard University (BS) Purdue University (MS) University of Kentucky (JD) |
Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto is an American lawyer, businesswoman, and biologist. She served as the 17th director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from 2019 to 2021. She was the first Black director of this important service.
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Early Life and Education
Aurelia Skipwith was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1980. She was the oldest of nine children. Her family later moved to Columbus, Mississippi. Her father served in the United States Navy and the United States Army Reserve. Her grandfather was a farmer in Mississippi.
Skipwith studied biology at Howard University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 2003. She then earned a Master of Science degree in molecular genetics from Purdue University. Later, she received a law degree (Juris Doctor) from the University of Kentucky College of Law.
Career and Public Service
Aurelia Skipwith started her career at a company called Monsanto in 2006. She began as a lab technician and worked her way up to a manager role. After law school, she worked as an intern at the United States Department of Agriculture. She also advised on intellectual property for the United States Agency for International Development.
For a time, Skipwith worked at Alltech, a company focused on animal nutrition. She also helped start AVC Global in 2016. This company used new technology to help with agricultural supplies.
From 2017 to 2020, Skipwith worked for the Department of the Interior. She was a deputy assistant secretary for fish, wildlife, and parks.
Leading the Fish and Wildlife Service
Skipwith became the director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in January 2020. This agency protects wildlife and their habitats in the U.S.
During her time as director, some of her decisions caused discussion. For example, the service did not grant special protection to Monarch butterflies. They also changed rules for the Federal Duck Stamp Contest to include a hunting theme. Rules about protecting birds from harm by oil and gas companies were also changed. The protected areas for certain owls were also made smaller.
She left her position as director on January 19, 2021. In January 2024, she became the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). She left that role on May 2, 2025, to work for Earth and Water Law in Washington, D.C.
Personal Life
Aurelia Skipwith married Leo Giacometto. He was a former member of the Montana Legislature. He also worked as a lobbyist in the agriculture field. Leo Giacometto was a co-founder of AVC Global with Aurelia.
