Our Team

Our People

The Hearts Behind the Herd

Maxwell Wildlife Refuge runs on a small staff and a powerful community of volunteers who show up, pitch in, and help keep the prairie wild for generations to come.

Why Our Team Matters

From dawn chores with the bison and elk to sunset tours on the prairie, our staff and volunteers make every visitor experience possible.

More Than a Team — A Prairie Family

Working together to protect land, wildlife, and memory.

At Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, the land may be wild, but the work behind it is very human.

Our staff, board, and volunteers come from all walks of life, but we share one thing: a deep respect for this landscape and the wildlife that calls it home. Some of us care for the bison and elk. Others focus on education, guest experiences, or hands-on conservation. Together, we keep the refuge moving forward.

Every tour, every school group, every quiet moment a visitor spends watching a herd cross the prairie is made possible by people who believe this place should be here for the next generation — and the one after that.

✦ Rates & payment

Small team, big mission.

Core Staff

The day-to-day caretakers of the refuge.

Trisha Smith

Refuge Director

Trish is a native of Concordia, Kansas. Her love for nature and wildlife is on full display as soon as you make her acquaintance., She claims to have “the best job in the world” and is always excited to share the beauty of this Kansas prairie. Trish and her husband are in Salina, Ks

Core Staff

The day-to-day caretakers of the refuge.

Trisha Smith

Refuge Director

Trisha Smith

Refuge Director

Trisha Smith

Refuge Director

The Power of a Willing Hand

Volunteers help with everything from tours and events to habitat projects, school programs, and the simple “extra” tasks that make a day at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge run smoothly.

Some come for the wildlife. Some come for the community. All stay because this place becomes part of who they are.

100

Active Volunteers

100

Volunteer Hours / Year

100

Events Supported

Prairie Partners

Whether it’s checking in guests, lending a hand on a busy tour day, or helping during special events, our volunteers are true partners in preserving the prairie.

Want to Be Part of the Story?

If you love wildlife, wide-open spaces, and serving others, there’s a place for you at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge.