January 8, 2026 — A longtime veteran of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council in Anchorage is the federal regulatory body’s new Executive Director. Diana Evans becomes the council’s fifth leader since it was established under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976.
Evans has been employed by the council since 2002 and served as the deputy director since 2017. She replaces David Witherell, who retired in October 2025 after serving thirty-three years with the council. As the Executive Director, Evans oversees a staff of fourteen from the Anchorage office, coordinating public input for regional decisions by US Department of Commerce fisheries managers.