J.D. Strong, Executive Director

J.D. Strong was named Executive Director of the Western States Water Council in September 2025 and brings more than three decades of leadership across water, natural resources, and intergovernmental affairs. Created by the Western Governors in 1965, the Council is a government entity whose members are appointed by—and advise—their governors on water policy across the West.

As Executive Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, Strong led the most significant update to the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan in decades; oversaw the State’s AAA‑rated, multi‑billion‑dollar water‑infrastructure financing program; provided expert testimony before Congress; and helped negotiate a landmark agreement among the State of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, and the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations. He later served as Director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, where he modernized licensing and customer systems, expanded public access, and grew participation in hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting. Earlier, he served as Oklahoma’s Secretary of Environment, coordinating cabinet‑level policy among environmental agencies and leading major initiatives including work at the Tar Creek Superfund Site. Nationally, he led industry partnerships for the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, strengthening collaboration among states, industry, and NGOs.

At the Council, Strong represents WSWC before Western Governors, Congress and federal agencies; serves as liaison with interstate and federal partners, including the Western States Federal Agency Support Team (WestFAST); and works with member states, tribes, and stakeholders on priorities such as drought resilience, water‑infrastructure investment and finance, water‑supply reliability, interstate compacts, Indian water‑rights settlements, and cooperative federalism. He also supports efforts to improve decision‑support tools and information needed by states and their partners to effectively manage the West’s invaluable water resources.

Strong holds a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology with a minor in Range Management from Oklahoma State University. He is known for pragmatic, coalition‑driven solutions that bridge state‑tribal‑federal interests and deliver durable outcomes for the West’s communities, economies, and ecosystems.