Brian Nesvik graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1994 with a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Management. In 1995 he was selected by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to serve as a wildlife law enforcement technician. He worked boating enforcement in the summer in the Glendo and Guernsey areas and worked fall hunting seasons in Laramie, Glendo and Wheatland. In 1997, Brian was selected as a game warden trainee in Casper, WY where he served for one year before being selected for his first Game Warden District in Elk Mountain, WY. In Elk Mountain Nesvik gained experience dealing with controversial private land issues, wildlife management and law enforcement in one of Wyoming’s most utilized forests.

Nesvik served the Elk Mountain area for 7 years before being selected for the South Pinedale Game Warden District in western Wyoming. Nesvik served here patrolling remote wilderness areas in the summer and fall and protecting one of Wyoming’s most coveted mule deer herds in the winter. He had the opportunity to work several complex winter range poaching cases through his assignment in Pinedale. Nesvik also took on responsibility as the Department’s lead mounted horse patrol instructor, a duty he continued through his time as Chief Warden.

In 2010, Nesvik was promoted to serve as the Cody Regional Wildlife Supervisor charged with overseeing a large staff of game wardens, biologists and administrative folks. He dealt with significant endangered species issues involving grizzly bears and wolves and complex elk management challenges for Yellowstone Park border herds. Additionally, Nesvik spent time working with biologists and wardens in some of the most remote country in the lower 48 states.

After a short ten months, Nesvik was appointed to serve as Wyoming’s Chief Game Warden and Chief of the Wildlife Division in 2011. He and his family relocated to Cheyenne and took the myriad of challenges associated with state level wildlife management and law enforcement. In March of 2019, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon appointed Nesvik as the Director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and he continues to serve in this position.

Additionally, Nesvik has served in the Wyoming Army National Guard since 1986. He currently serves as the Commanding General of the Wyoming Army National Guard and the Assistant Adjutant General holding the rank of Brigadier General. Nesvik served as a commander on two deployments to Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad, Southern Iraq and Kuwait first as a company commander with 180 Soldiers and secondly as a battalion commander with 680 Soldiers. He is a graduate of the Army War College and holds a Masters of Science degree in Strategic Studies.

Nesvik is married to wife Penny of 23 years and has three children Brittany, Rudy and Aspen. He enjoys hunting, fishing, boating and horseback riding.