Kevin Cobble

Kevin was first elected to the board in September 2025.  Kevin has lived in New Mexico since 1962 and has been coming to Bosque del Apache since he was twelve years old. The first time he saw Bosque del Apache, he knew “it was special.” In the years that followed, he returned many times and eventually became the Refuge Manager of this incredible place in 2012 for six years.  Kevin brings a unique perspective and experience to the Friends Board with his deep understanding of USFWS spending his career from 1979-2018 in many different leadership positions across New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. 

He also has a deep understanding of Bosque del Apache and their Friends organization, collaborating with the Friends in his tenure as Refuge Manager. As a past manager of the Refuge, he started dealing with many of the issues that are still affecting Bosque del Apache  – from the farming program, to water rights issues and water shortages, to declining budgets and staff and services to the public.

As the Refuge Manager of Bosque del Apache, he thought long term about the Refuge and looked for creative ways to manage it.  He always looked at the Friends of Bosque del Apache as a key partner in furthering the mission of the Refuge and continuing to make Bosque one of the premier wildlife refuges in the world. He feels that partnership is even more critical today.