The CA Chapter is now accepting applications for the following positions:
Please submit your application for consideration to the CA Chapter Board.
Eric Hanson, Chair
Eric was born and raised in Santa Monica, Calif. Despite growing up a city boy, he spent summers camping in national parks and learned to backpack and shoot in Boy Scouts.
After college, Eric worked at a magazine in Chicago that covered the red meat industry, where he had an insider's look at how most Americans get their meat. A spark was lit to learn and experience more about where our food really comes from. In his early 30s Eric began hunting and fishing. Soon he had his own bird dog and hunted the local national forests for quail and rabbit. Now he pursues upland and big game throughout California and across the country.
Eric feels fortunate to have had a wide range of outdoors experience on our public lands. When he joined BHA he realized he had found his people and enjoys supporting the organization’s mission by working on policy and communications issues, as well as by bringing a diverse group of emergent hunters (a term he coined) and anglers into the fold. He’s passionate about sharing his experiences--as well as wild game cooking--with friends, acquaintances, and anyone else who will listen.
Eric lives in Northeast Los Angeles with his wife, Lauren, daughter, Hannah, son, Zev, and Brittany, Barley. He graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism and received his law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law. He works as a lawyer, photographer, and writer.
Brett O'Mara, Board Member
Brett grew up in Western NY and spent his youth in the eastern forests prior to moving to Western Oregon. It was while living on the McKenzie River in Western Oregon that he recognized the urgent need to protect and enhance our public lands and waters. Brett currently resides in Oceanside, with his wife, son, and daughter. He is an active duty Marine, and in addition to his position on the California Board is also the Lead for the BHA Armed Forces Initiative Pendleton Club and assists the BHA Armed Forces Advisory Board.
He enjoys hunting both small and big game, along with waterfowl and upland birds. He hunts throughout the country but prefers western hunting. The solitude, and physical challenges experienced in the backcountry keep him focused. He enjoys imparting his knowledge on new hunters helping them become more proficient, ethical hunters.
Brett is a Life Member of BHA and is committed to enhancing public access and defending our public lands from the growing efforts to dispose of them.
Chad Thomas, Secretary
Although born and raised in Los Angeles, Chad spent much of his childhood and early adulthood in the local national forest and BLM properties of southern California. Shortly after college he shifted careers from education to wildlife management, culminating in the completion of an MSc in Environmental Policy and Management with an emphasis in Fish and Wildlife Management. His career has focused on predator (native and non-native) research and management, invasive species prevention, and game management.
Chad grew up hiking, backpacking, fishing, and off-roading, but his greatest passion for the outdoors was found in hunting. The pursuit of game intrigued him to point of dedicating his career to protecting this right and privilege. Chad is an active member of numerous rod and gun clubs, hunter education instructor, volunteer, researcher, and advocate.
Chad is currently working with another conservation NGO but remain active with the CA BHA chapter.
Currently Chad lives in Santa Barbara County where he introduces new hunters to the hunting tradition, researches wildlife, and most importantly protects our public lands.
Matt White, Treasurer
Matt White grew up fishing and hunting in California and has been spending time in wilderness areas since he was a teenager. He lives in Fresno with his wife and two sons, who he hopes will continue the outdoor tradition he was given in his youth. He runs a small investment advisory practice, which occasionally gives him the flexibility to escape the desk and spend some time in the wilderness. Matt is a Life Member of BHA and is passionate about public lands, fair chase and the experiences one gains in the backcountry.
Chris Moosios, Board Member
Chris Moosios, was born & raised in Madera, “The Heart of California”, within the Central Valley of California. As a BB gun toting 3-year-old, on family-owned private land along the San Joaquin River, bird hunting was what he grew into. Accessing the local Sierra National Forest for fishing and deer hunting trips with his father & grandfather, along with other family friends that grew up doing the same, privileged Chris with the opportunity to grow and relish time on California’s public lands throughout his life.
As he aged into his professional life, working within the hospitality & service industry based in San Diego, he’s been able to travel through many states across the U.S. which gave him additional perspectives on public land access and management styles. Whether it was joining friends from out of state to traverse along California’s monumental peaks, hiking sections of the Pacific Crest/John Muir Trails, or accompanying first time hunters, Chris turned to California’s public lands to accomplish those successes.
Since joining BHA in 2019, Chris has taken part in numerous stewardship projects on public lands in not only California, but also in Oklahoma after briefly relocating to the state in 2022. He found while working amongst those like-minded individuals between both states, the shared passion for outdoor recreation, fishing and hunting, is evident in a lot of folks. That’s why it’s been his goal to do his part in keeping our Public Lands, in Public Hands.
James Fey, Policy Chair
.jpg)
James hails from VA but has made Oakland, CA his home. He brings +5 years of emergency management and technical writing experience to the board, including several peer-reviewed white papers and hunting articles (e.g., Huntin' Fool). James has worked to capture and capitalize on lessons learned from high profile, federally declared disasters like hurricanes Harvey, Irma, & Maria, COVID-19, the 2020 CA gigafire, and the atmospheric rivers of 2023. He is keen on helping draft policy proposals and correspondence with decision makers that balance the needs of species with opportunity for hunters and anglers. Fey (pronounced "Fi" like Wi-Fi) is an avid bowhunter, public lands enthusiast, and steadfast recruiter for conservation-oriented causes.
Reina Seraaj, Board Member
Reina Seraaj has been a member of the California Chapter board since May 2023. Having grown up in the big city of San Jose, California she had not been raised exposed to firearms or hunting. And though her family went camping for an entire week every summer, her outdoor experiences were limited until she established a family of her own.
When her military career brought her to the desert town of Ridgecrest, California she was presented with ample opportunities to try new things, causing her interests to expand. Among hunting and fishing, her hobbies include hiking, kayaking, off-roading, canyoneering, scuba diving, and skiing. For the most part, she is willing to take on any opportunity that allows her to explore and partake in an adventure.
It was in September of 2022 Reina had her first encounter with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. Through them, she hoped to cultivate her outdoor skills and learn more about hunting. Yet her involvement with the organization led to her participation as a volunteer in various conservation projects. Those experiences deepened her appreciation for the outdoors, increasing her dedication to wildlife management and a desire to do her part to improve and protect access to public lands and waters.
Additionally, she has enjoyed being able to connect with others -- nurturing relationships with likeminded individuals, receiving opportunities to learn from those with experience, and passing down her newfound knowledge and excitement to others. She hopes to encourage others, particularly women and youth, to get more involved, providing ways in which they can contribute to protecting what we value and help preserve the longstanding traditions and heritage of hunting.
Nick Rizzo, Social Media Manager
Nick Rizzo grew up in Morgan Hill, California, and spent his past time immersed in the outdoors taking part in activities such as fishing, frog gigging, four-wheeling, and competing in skeet and archery shooting.
After college, Nick caught the hunting bug and nowadays can be found swatting mosquitos awaiting first light at a local waterfowl refuge, pursuing big game with bow in hand, or driving his neighbors crazy practicing turkey calls.
As an adult onset hunter, Nick’s passionate about equipping the “Hunters of tomorrow” with the confidence to head into the backcountry and enjoys sharing wild table fare with folks who aren’t familiar with hunting or the outdoors. He looks forward to expanding the camaraderie of public land enthusiasts from mountain top hunters, to shoreline anglers and educating new hunters on fair chase, safety, and how to enjoy our public lands to the fullest.
David Bess, Legislative Chair
David grew up hunting and fishing in California’s Sacramento Valley, attending CSU Humboldt and holds degrees in Forestry and Natural Sciences. David discovered his passion for nature at an early age and explored the Western U.S. and Alaska’s most remote regions in the furtherance of his love of all things wild.
David has worked for multiple government agencies dating back to the 1970s as a wildland firefighter, forestry specialist, timber and lands surveyor, recreation specialist, and game warden. David served as a wildlife officer for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for two decades, holding every position in the Law Enforcement Division, working most of his field career as an undercover game warden specializing in combating illegal wildlife trafficking. He served the last 9 years of his career as the Chief of Law Enforcement and Deputy Director.
David is a graduate of the National Conservation Law Enforcement Leadership Academy (NCLELA) and served on their Board as President. He also held national leadership positions as the Law Enforcement Vice-Chair for the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) as well as the National Vice-Chair for Law Enforcement for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). David served as the co-chair for Law Enforcement for the Newsom administration’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF). David is a graduate of the Wildlife Investigators Covert Academy (WICA). Additionally, he is certified by the California Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission and holds professional certificates in Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory, Management, and Executive Law Enforcement.