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Illinois DNR director Natalie Phelps Finnie steps aside, interim named

Natalie Phelps Finnie (pictured) had served as the Illinois DNR Director since January 2023. Taking over the agency on an interim basis will be Renee Snow, who assumed the role of interim director on July 1. 

Illinois DNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie stepped aside July 1 in a move that caught many hunters and anglers in the state by surprise.
The Hardin County native, who began her tenure by replacing Colleen Callahan in January 2023, was seen in some circles as just the latest in a long line of political appointees to the top DNR job. But Finnie carried with her a strong offset: while she came from a political family –  she is the daughter of former U.S. Rep. David Phelps and the cousin of former State Rep. Brandon Phelps – that same family was made up of active outdoorsmen and women, Finnie herself included.

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