DENVER – Artemis, the sportswomen’s initiative at the National Wildlife Federation, welcomed Annita Lucchesi as its new program manager. Lucchesi has over a decade of experience advocating for policy at the Tribal, state, and federal levels. Most recently, she served as founder and executive director of Sovereign Bodies Institute, a community-based research institute on gender and sexual violence against Indigenous people. 

“It’s an honor to serve in this role, especially as a Cheyenne woman. I am fortunate to come from a family and community full of strong advocates for land, water, and wildlife and I believe hunters and anglers have an important role to play in safeguarding our wildlife and landscapes for the next generation,” Lucchesi said. “My people place a high value on women’s leadership and close connection to the land, and I am thrilled to honor those teachings by bringing my passion and experience to help Artemis sportswomen become some of the strongest conservation leaders in the nation.” 

Lucchesi holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Arizona and has nearly two decades of experience as a cartographer. Annita travels between her tribal community in southeast Montana and rural northern California, where she grew up and maintains close community ties. She is an avid outdoors sportswoman who fishes, hikes, and enjoys harvesting from the land as a way of maintaining her cultural traditions as an Indigenous woman.