Elizabeth “Lizz” Darling

ASAC Elizabeth “Lizz” Darling graduated from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado with a bachelor’s in science, double majoring in Biology and Zoology, in 1995. She is a Colorado native and has grown up camping, fishing, hiking, gardening and enjoying the outdoors. ASAC Darling started her career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (FWS) at the National Eagle and Wildlife Property Repository in Denver, Colorado, in 1996. In 2002, she moved to San Diego, California to become a FWS Wildlife Inspector and stayed there from 2002-2004 learning about import/export, commercial vs personal shipments, and working alongside of U.S. Customs and Agriculture. In May 2004, ASAC Darling became a Special Agent and moved to Los Angeles, California where she did her year of field training and was then transferred to Las Vegas, Nevada. She worked a variety of investigations while in Nevada including violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Endangered Species Act and Lacey Act. In 2010, ASAC Darling moved back to Denver, Colorado to join the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) as a Senior Special Agent and worked complex, transnational covert investigations. During her time in SIU, she worked on wildlife investigations which included Smuggling, Conspiracy and Money Laundering violations in addition to federal wildlife laws. In mid-2019, ASAC Darling moved to FWS OLE Headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia and was assigned to the International Operation Unit (IOU). She continued to work transnational wildlife investigations as well as worked with the Department of State on international training, Foreign Embassy Attachés building communication and cooperation, and drafting policy. In 2021, ASAC Darling move back to Denver, Colorado as the Resident Agent in Charge of Region 6 and oversaw four of the eight states in the region (CO, KS, WY, and UT). She facilitated training of several new Special Agents and Task Force Officers. She continued to work wildlife investigations along side agents and Task Force Officers, and in 2023 became the Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Region 6 where she overseas eight states for the OLE.