New game wardens join Pennsylvania Game Commission ranks

Harrisburg — Their training now complete, Pennsylvania’s newest state game wardens are working in their newly assigned districts.

The 37th Class of the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Ross Leffler School of Conservation graduated Jan. 31, adding 24 more officers to the ranks.

Members of the 37th Class, their hometowns and their assigned districts are:

Adam Beinhauer, of Pittsburgh (Lancaster County); Wade Clark III, of Apollo (Bedford County); Benjamin Conklin, of Effort (Carbon County); Joseph D’Andrea, of Congers, N.Y. (Carbon County); Joshua Elchin, of Windber (Blair County); Peter Havens, of Willing, N.Y. (McKean County); Nathan Hazelton, of Scranton (Lackawanna County); Joshua Keirn, of Altoona (Chester County); Daniel Kennedy, of Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); David Kennedy, of Bainbridge (Lancaster County); Peter Lucas, of Canonsburg (Chester County); Brior Magee, of Montgomery (Montgomery County); Jared Marzka, of Erie (Butler County); Katherine Nealen, of Arnot (Cumberland County); Kyle Norling, of West Sunbury (Forest County); Etienne Nunemaker, of Clarks Summit (Berks County); Samuel Pepper, of Muncy (Chester County); Kirsten Pugh, of Chambersburg (Fulton County); Michael Shatalov, of Milanville (Lackawanna County); Clayton Shaw, of Carlisle (Juniata County); Jesse Speicher Jr., of Butler (Allegheny County); Brady Stumbaugh, of Chambersburg (Dauphin County); Joshua Tanner, of Smethport (Allegheny County); and Adan Ward, of Napoleon, Ohio (Somerset County).

MORE COVERAGE FROM PENNSYLVANIA OUTDOOR NEWS:

Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is monitoring ‘forever chemicals’ at hatchery

Lawmakers nix debate on claims made against Pennsylvania Game Commission

Two Pennsylvania senators propose bill for Monday deer opener

Graduate Katherine Nealen received the class award for academics, with a score of 94.74%.

Graduate Adam Beinhauer was presented with the driving award for exhibiting safe and exceptional police driving skills during the training program.

Graduate Michael Shatalov was honored with the marksmanship award, achieving the highest overall proficiency in a series of courses firing the handgun, rifle and shotgun.

Graduate David Kennedy was selected as the fitness award winner for maintaining the highest standard of physical fitness during the training program.

Kennedy also was presented with a Life Saving Award for his actions on Oct. 18, 2025, while on field training assignment. Kennedy was part of a two-man team that was able to find and rescue a hiker who was experiencing a medical emergency on a remote section of the Appalachian Trail on State Game Land 211.

Graduate Joshua Tanner earned the academy torch award for maintaining the highest professional standard of conduct, values, ideals and demonstrated abilities as judged by his fellow classmates.

Graduation of new game wardens follows 44 weeks of intensive training, including 10 weeks of field training.

“Every one of these graduates is embarking on a demanding journey and the beginning of a lifelong commitment to service, conservation and duty,” said Col. Richard Danley, director of the Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Protection.

“Becoming a Pennsylvania Game Warden is a calling to protect wildlife and to serve the people of Pennsylvania, even when the work is unseen, difficult, or dangerous.”