Replay: Heidi Lyn Rao: My Career...guests on "Hunting Matters" Podcast by Houston Safari Club Foundation**TODAY marks my 24th anniversary with Texas Parks and Wildlife - it is only fitting this Podcast is replayed to celebrate!To many, many more years doing what I love to do - when my VOCATION is my AVOCATION!!Enjoy!!!~~~Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF) and “Hunting Matters” welcomes Heidi Lyn Rao, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Hunter Education Specialist for Southeast Texas.My Career ("Day Job"):
Heidi Lyn Rao was hired by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in 1998 and has recruited, trained, and retained volunteers, as the Hunter Education Specialist for Southeast Texas. In 2010 she also assumed the role as statewide Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Coordinator.
During her TPWD career, she developed many partnerships and organized many education & outreach events. She started “Take Me Outdoors Houston” in 2009, when the Texas Wildlife Expo ended, and this will be the 14th year. She hosts wildlife workshops ranging from alligators to big game. She promotes hunting and outdoor safety to groups ranging from elementary school aged to flying offshore via helicopter to speak to oil and gas employees in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico on a platform. From teaching firearm safety to Rodeo Clowns during the Houston Rodeo, to hosting Hunter Education classes at the Sam Houston (horse) Raceway, conducting National Archery in the Schools Program and Student Air Rifle certifications, and partnering with many hunting, shooting and conservation organizations across Texas.
She has coordinated 25 statewide BOW workshops across Texas, including the first-ever VIRTUAL BOW in 2020. She has reached over 6,000 Ladies who have attended BOW and continued their outdoors skills ultimately becoming hunters, anglers, and archers, especially through mentored BOW hunts. To date, 10 Texas Outdoor Women Network (TOWN) groups have launched across the state because of the statewide BOW.
She received IHEA’s Professional of the Year; IHEA’s Executive Director’s Award; Houston Safari Club Educator of the Year and she is also in the Texas Hunter Education Halls of Fame.
She and her (now retired) TPWD Game Warden husband of 23 yrs., John, have 4 boys: Dominic is 20 and works for Laser Shot Simulations in Houston; Matthew is 18 and is a graduating Senior; JohnJohn is 16 and will be a Sophomore; and Luke is 13 and will be in 7th grade. The Rao’s are avid hunters and enjoy trapping and the shooting sports together.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
