OUR BOARD

The Board of Directors of Flyway Federation is made up of passionate conservationists, lifelong hunters, and community leaders united by a shared mission: to preserve the integrity of North America’s waterfowl migration.

Our Board provides strategic leadership, financial oversight, and policy direction to ensure the organization remains focused, effective, and true to its core values. Board members are actively involved in shaping advocacy efforts, supporting ethical and science-based conservation practices, and building partnerships that strengthen the voice of sportsmen across the continent.

What Our Board Does:

  • Guides the long-term vision and priorities of Flyway Federation
  • Advocates for fair chase hunting and natural habitat preservation
  • Oversees programs, finances, and organizational compliance
  • Leads outreach, fundraising, and alliance-building initiatives
  • Represents the Federation in local, state, and national conversations on waterfowl conservation

Together, our Board is dedicated to protecting historic flyways, promoting responsible land and water management, and ensuring that migratory birds continue to return to their ancestral wintering grounds for generations to come.

Dobie Bourg – Chairman of the Board

A lifelong resident of Lafourche Parish, Dobie is a dedicated conservationist, businessman, and avid waterfowl hunter with deep roots in Louisiana’s coastal heritage. The grandson of world-renowned duck carver Joe Chouest, Dobie grew up immersed in the traditions of the marsh, where craftsmanship, conservation, and hunting culture were a way of life.

Since 2005, Dobie has owned and operated a successful business serving the oil and gas industry in Port Fourchon and across Louisiana’s coastline. His work has also extended beyond the Gulf South, managing pipeline production operations throughout the northeastern United States. In addition to industrial service, his company has played a key role in coastal restoration and residential rebuilding following multiple devastating hurricanes, helping Louisiana communities recover and rebuild with resilience.

An experienced waterfowl hunter, Dobie has spent decades navigating and hunting the rich marshes of the Terrebonne and Barataria estuaries, developing a firsthand understanding of the delicate balance between habitat preservation and traditional hunting practices.
As a founding member of Flyway Federation, Dobie has been at the forefront of efforts to defend ethical waterfowl hunting and protect natural migration patterns across North America. Today, he serves as Chairman of the Board, where he continues to advocate for responsible conservation policies and the restoration of Louisiana’s natural flyways.

J. D. Liles – Co-Chairman of the Board

A 2004 graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Business Management & Entrepreneurship, J.D. spent the early years of his career traveling across the country as part of national Dirt Late Model circuits, including the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

J.D. has a lifelong passion for waterfowl hunting, spending a lot of his college years at Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge in southern Arkansas and the Lower Ouachita/Russell Sage WMA’s in Northeast Louisiana. In 2018, he became active with Flyway Federation, recognizing the urgent need to address changes in natural waterfowl migration patterns.
With over 16 years of experience in the Oil & Gas industry, J.D. has led several Regional Operations for Oil and Gas Service companies that included areas in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. He co-founded a service company in 2012 that primarily operated in the Haynesville Shale and Eagleford Shale. He currently serves as Sales Manager for an Oil & Gas Service company in East Texas.