Billy Tarrant is the Associate Director of Stewardship Services at Borderlands Research Institute where his main responsibility is coordinating local stakeholder engagement as part of the Respect Big Bend Initiative.

After receiving both his BS and MS in Wildlife Science at New Mexico State University, Billy spent four years working for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. He came to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in March of 1996 as a District Biologist stationed in Van Horn. He transferred to Wichita Falls a couple of years later where he served as the Wichita Falls District Biologist. West Texas called him back and he took the Fort Davis District Biologist position in 2002. In 2005, Billy accepted the Trans-Pecos District Leader position overseeing the dedicated team charged with managing wildlife populations in the Trans-Pecos and Permian Basin. During this time, he helped build the partnership of landowners, biologists, researchers, and veterinarians that became known as the Trans-Pecos Pronghorn Working Group. This group ultimately helped forge the successful pronghorn restoration program that is helping rebuild populations of this iconic species in Far West Texas. In 2012, Billy landed the Wildlife Region 1 Director position where he oversaw operations of the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle Wildlife Teams, which included 40+ staff and 9 individual WMA properties. He also worked with government and NGO partners to build the Texas Playa Conservation Initiative.

Billy prides himself in engaging constituents in an extremely transparent manner, building constructive relationships, and ultimately forging strong partnerships along a conservation need.