Merav Ben-David (Democratic)

6839 Black Elk Trail
Laramie, Wyoming 82070
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Born and raised on a family farm in Israel in 1959, Merav joined the Israeli air force in 1977 after completing highschool. After 2 years of service, and attending Tel-Aviv University for a BSc and MSc in Zoology, she was a safari tour guide in Africa for 6 years and participated in several research expeditions in Kenya and South Africa. After completing a PhD in Wildlife Management at the University of Alaska in 1996, she spent decades studying the effects of climate change on various wildlife species across the globe. She moved to Laramie, Wyoming, in 2000 and received her US citizenship in 2009 in a moving ceremony in Cheyenne, where she swore allegiance to the US Constitution. Over her 40 year career as a wildlife ecologist, she published over 100 peer-reviewed papers, authored numerous conservation plans, and set on multiple professional panels and committees. She became a Wildlife Fellow in 2017 and won several professional awards over her career.

Before retiring from the University of Wyoming in December 2025, Merav led the Wildlife Ecology and Management Program for 25 years. She served as Director of the PhD Program in Ecology and Evolution and chaired the Department of Zoology and Physiology.
She was Chief Scientist on an icebreaker expedition to the Arctic Ocean studying polar bears in 2009 and led additional wildlife research expeditions. She was the Democratic nominee for Wyoming’s US Senate seat in 2020 and for HD46 in 2022.

Bachelor of Science (Biology) – Tel-Aviv University 1984
Masters of Science (Zoology) – Tel-Aviv University 1988
Doctor of Philosophy (Wildlife Management) – University of Alaska Fairbanks 1996
She taught Wildlife Ecology and Management, Western Ecosystems, Evolution, General Biology, and several specialty courses to over 2,000 students and the University of Wyoming 2000-2025.

Treasurer (2022 – 2026)
Albany County Democrats

Vice-Chair (2023 – present)
Albany County Planning and Zoning Commission

Treasurer (2026 – present)
Wyoming Coalition for Animal Protection

Chair (2026 – present)
Laramie Dog Park Advocates

Memberships: Laramie Jewish Community Center (LJCC); Alliance for Renewable Energy (ARE); Wyoming Chapter of the Wildlife Society (WY-TWS); Wyoming Outdoor Council (WOC); Wyoming Chapter of Sierra Club;

I made the decision to enter politics in 2020 as the Democratic nominee for the Wyoming US Senate seat because my decades long studies on the effects of climate change highlighted the need for action beyond advocacy. Six years later as we are in the middle of a climate crisis, which is the cause of the severe drought we currently have, I realized that I need to be in a position that to make the decisions that will ensure water security in Albany County. As a member of the Albany County Planning and Zoning Commission for the past 3 years, when we developed the Casper Aquifer Protection Plan (CAPP), and the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone (APOZ), I’ve learned the value of technical expertise and personal experience which are extremely valuable in discussions regarding difficult decisions. I believe my professional experience and public service will allow me to make decisions based on facts and knowledge.

1. Water security: retention of water in the Laramie valley; development of infrastructure for delivery; smart planning for increasing demand – e.g., new housing; protection of river and aquifer from over consumption by data centers and other new heavy users.

2. Energy independence: developing rooftop, community co-ops, and plugin solar programs to ensure energy supply to all residents even under increase use by heavy industrial developments (e.g., data centers); public solar installations; level 3 EV charging stations; EV credits (To help reduce emmissions from fossil fuels)

3. Wide, open spaces: smart development planning; supporting working landscapes; collaborating with landowners and state and federal agencies to protect wildlife habitat