When Aurelia Skipwith first entered the office of the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she was just over thirty. A young biologist, lawyer, manager, and entrepreneur—a rare combination for someone entrusted with the fate of American nature.
But in Donald Trump’s politics, it was precisely such people who were given key positions. Decisive, tech-savvy, and far removed from the usual environmental dogmas.
Roots and ambitions
Aurelia was born in Indianapolis, the eldest of nine children. Her father served in the U.S. Navy and Army, and her grandfather was a farmer in Mississippi. In this family mix of military discipline and rural labor, it is easy to see the future combination of traits that would define her career: perseverance, independence, and the belief that hard work is more important than slogans.
She received her bachelor’s degree from Howard University, then her master’s degree from Purdue University, and her law degree from the University of Kentucky. Her path to science was just the beginning.
Monsanto
In 2006, Skipworth began her career at Monsanto, a biotechnology giant that was both a leader in innovation and a target for environmental protests. She started as a lab technician and worked her way up to sustainable agriculture manager.
This experience is key to understanding her entire biography. In a world where scientists argued about GMOs and activists blocked fields, she saw technology. In a laboratory where everything is measured in micrograms, slogans are meaningless. This pragmatism would later define her management style in government positions.
From corporation to government
After Monsanto, she earned a law degree and worked at the US Department of Agriculture and USAID, dealing with intellectual property issues. Then came a new turn. Alltech and coaching in sustainable animal husbandry.
In 2016, together with her future husband Leo Giacometto, a former Senate lobbyist, she founded AVC Global, a startup that uses blockchain to track supply chains in agribusiness.
Against the backdrop of Washington, where bureaucracy moves at a snail’s pace, this path looked like a recipe for a breakthrough.
Deputy Secretary
In 2017, Skipworth joined the U.S. Department of the Interior as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fisheries, Wildlife, and Parks. She oversees national parks, bird conservation, and endangered species programs.
Unlike many officials, she did not seek to please everyone. With her arrival, policy became more straightforward. This included support for resource extraction, a review of conservation regulations, and an emphasis on “balance between nature and the economy.”
First chair and first storm
In January 2020, Skipworth became the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the first African American woman to hold this position in the history of the service. Her confirmation followed party lines: Republicans “for,” Democrats “against.”
Conservatives saw this as a victory for pragmatism. Environmentalists saw it as a warning sign.
Critics accused her of “continuing Monsanto’s policies” and weakening species protection for the sake of business. Her decisions sparked the most heated debates:
- Refusal to grant monarch butterflies protected status
- Requiring Federal Duck Stamp contestants to include a hunting theme in their drawings.
- Easing restrictions on companies responsible for bird deaths at drilling sites.
- Reducing the size of reserves where rare owls live.
These steps drew criticism but reflected the administration’s overall course: deregulation and a focus on economic growth.
A woman who believed in management
Skipworth was a figure unlike typical environmental officials. She spoke about science and innovation, about the need for dialogue with business.
In interviews, she emphasized that nature can only be protected through technology and transparency. For some of society, this sounded fresh; for others, alarming. But no one was indifferent.
After Washington
After the change of administration in January 2021, she left the federal government. But three years later, she returned to the public sphere and in 2024 became secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ).
For a state where the oil industry and ecosystems are constantly at odds, her approach was logical: reduce bureaucracy, work with companies, and innovate in monitoring. But a year later, she left for the private sector, accepting an offer from the Earth and Water Law firm in Washington.
Politics and personal life
Aurelia married Leo Giacometto, a former member of the Montana Legislature and advisor to Senator Conrad Burns. They were connected by their personal relationship and their work together in agricultural technology. In 2022, Leo died, leaving his wife in the spotlight of the press and her colleagues.
Despite the tragedy, she remained calm and businesslike, avoiding public drama. Her colleagues note that this is her style: to speak briefly and act precisely.
The voice of the new bureaucracy
Today, the name Aurelia Skipworth Jacometto often comes up in the context of Project 2025, a conservative platform aimed at reforming federal agencies. She participated in the preparation of the chapter on the Ministry of the Interior, advocating for an “effective and accountable state.”
To some, she is a technocrat; to others, a conduit for corporate interests. But the fact remains. She is one of the few women who has made the journey from the laboratory to the federal level and left her mark on a system where change is rare and difficult.
Aurelia Skipworth Jacometto is a figure who will always be surrounded by controversy. She is more of a 21st-century administrator who believes that nature can only be protected through management, and management through efficiency.
In a world where every choice turns into an ideological debate, her position sounds almost provocative. And perhaps that is why people continue to talk about her.