The University of Arizona
Fish and Wildlife Society
2026-2027 Officer Team
Welcome to the UA Student Chapters of TWS and AFS! We are here to help; if you have any ideas, suggestions, or questions please don't hesitate to reach out to us!
Learn more about us below!
Nahush Tirumala
President
Junior
Major: Natural Resources - Wildlife Conservation and Management
Minors: Marine Sciences & Economics.
Hello, my name is Nahush Tirumala (he/him) studying Wildlife Conservation and Management and double minoring in Marine Sciences and Economics. I am extremely looking forward to serve as the President of University of Arizona Fish and Wildlife Society, and also leading the UAFWS research committee! I am now a junior and have been an active member of the club all of last year. I have made some great friends during my time in the club and I am incredibly excited for the amazing opportunities we all will get to experience through the club, and I wish to maximize every minute I get working for the club over my next 3 years at the university.
I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and moved a lot during my early years, ultimately settling in India where I have spent most of my life. My love for animals and nature initially sparked when I watched the movie Bambi when I was 1 and half years old. I have since grown love and appreciation for every terrestrial and marine animal that I know of, though I think snakes hold a special spot, and I’m always looking to learn more. I have worked with the sherpa in the Himalayas for Red Panda conservation, and I have taken part in multiple conservation efforts across the Indian subcontinent tracking majestic Bengal Tigers in various National Parks and Tiger reserves. Last summer I finished a 2 month internship at the esteemed Charles Darwin Research Station in the Galapagos Islands working in the Marine Collections along with a couple other projects. After graduating I plan on doing my MBA and propelling conservation globally to save and conserve our beautiful planet.
Joselyn Carranza
Vice President
Senior
Major: Animal Sciences - Industry Emphasis, Minor: Natural Resources
Hey y'all! My name is Joselyn Carranza (she/her/ella) and I'm currently a senior studying Animal Science with emphasis in Animal Industry/Production. I joined UA Fish and Wildlife Society at the beginning of my sophomore year, and I couldn't be more grateful for the adventures I have embarked on because of it! BioBlitz was my first large-scale event and ever since then I have gotten involved in the vast world of Game and Fish volunteer opportunities and random wildlife surveys throughout southern Arizona.
My hometown is Mesa, AZ so I obviously don't come from a traditional agricultural background. My brother and I were the trailblazers who overtook over our family with a love for wildlife, animals, nature, and embracing the outdoors. In my free time I love camping, hiking, river tubing and paddle boarding. In the past I was involved in the FFA where I raised show goats and served as the Arizona Association State Vice President. These experiences led me to where I currently work at the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. In the future I hope to work in the lab setting to research livestock genetics or potentially pathology. I'm super excited to serve this year as the chapter Vice President and connect with other members!
Sami Toghyani
Secretary
Major: Natural Resources - Wildlife Conservation and Management, Senior.
Hi! My name is Sami, and I'm a senior studying Wildlife Conservation and Management. I particularly love herping and hiking. I love going outside with my friends and looking at cool animals!
Meredith Riggle
Treasurer
Major: Natural Resources - Conservation Biology, Sophmore
Hi, I’m Meredith (she/her), and I’m studying natural resources with an emphasis in conservation biology. I’m excited to be serving as this year’s treasurer for the U of A Fish & Wildlife Club!
When I was young, my family took many road trips from our home in Tucson to visit family in Michigan. We regularly stopped at zoos and aquariums along the way to make the trip more fun, and before we left I would often get to pick a species I particularly wanted to see. This led to quests to see hellbenders, king cobras, okapi, and more. (Don’t all kids want to see a hellbender?)
Diego Fuentes
Historian
Junior
Major: Animal Science - Pre-Professional Emphasis,
Hello! My name is Diego Fuentes (He/They), a Junior here at the University of Arizona and I am currently studying Animal Science with a minor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biolog. I joined UA Fish and Wildlife this last year and honestly, it has been the best decision of my life. The newly joined family I have met in this club has truly turned my life around. Fish and Wildlife not only brought me opportunities to get out in the field and work with plants and animals alike but, it gave me a chance to bond with others and spark new connections with countless individuals from all sorts of backgrounds. While I'm not the best as spectating animals in the wild, I am determined to become a pro in the next upcoming years as I work hand and hand with UAFWS.
My hometown is here in Tucson, AZ. Born back in '05 I lived most of my childhood here in Tucson before moving to Southern California for a couple of years, then returned for middle school and have been here ever since. Growing up my exposure to animals had been odd to say the least. Typically consisting of getting attacked by geese at Reid Park, getting chased by my Tata's roosters in California, or breaking out in hives from holding my Nana's cats. Though, regardless of my "traumatic" experiences, I've come to love animals and the wild, as I had pushed myself past my fears and followed my biggest idols; The Wild Kratt Brothers. I mean, now I have expanded my experience vastly with now running Bat Surveys under our research committee, doing bullfrog removal in the Santa Cruz River, and gathering countless photos of wildlife in their natural habitats. After graduation, I plan to keep working with animals, continuing my studies in pursuing a PhD in Disease Ecology and hopefully joining research teams in protecting wildlife.
Julian Byrd
DEI Chair
Major: Geography - water, environment and society Minor: Natural resources. Sophomore.
Hey, my name is Julian Byrd (He/Him)! I am a sophomore majoring in Geography, with an emphasis in water, environment and society, and a minor in natural resources. I plan to dive into the field of environmental communications, and potentially study abroad for my master’s degree. I love writing, both academically and creatively. I also enjoy subjects such as marine biology and natural history. I spent most of my childhood in Europe, and have only resided in Arizona for about 3 years. The vast desert is very different from the tall pines of Germany or rocky beaches of England, but I love it all the same.
As the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusions Officer for this awesome club, I recognize how important it is to communicate, collaborate, and share our stories to better humanity and improve the health and beauty of our environment. We can learn so much from history, compassionate leaders, and nature itself through the art of story telling. It is up to us to keep all these incredible things alive and thriving! I am looking forward to yet another memorable year here with the club and university.
