Game Warden Captain Shawna Poole Returns Home To Lead Nacogdoches District

Shawna Poole is coming back home. Officials with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Office have revealed that the game warden from Central Heights has been promoted to captain for the Nacogdoches District.

It seems that Captain Poole was destined for a job in law enforcement at a young age. She was involved with the Nacogdoches Police Explorers; add to that her love of hunting, fishing, and the outdoors, and a career as a Texas Game Warden became a perfect fit. However, it took a little while to make that commitment.

Poole's Texas Game Warden Journey

Poole graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies and a master's degree in educational leadership. She took a job as a middle school educator, but ten years later, Poole applied for the Texas Game Warden Academy, and in 2015, she completed the rigorous training and graduated. She was first stationed in Webb County, which serves the area around Laredo. She was there for a year before transitioning closer to home to Freestone County, about 100 miles away from Nacogdoches.

During her career, Captain Poole has served as a member of the Boat Accident Reconstruction Team, the public information officer for her district, a TCOLE written communication instructor at the Texas Game Warden Training Center, a simunitions instructor and role player, and has served as the Region 3 representative for the Texas Game Warden Association and Texas Peace Officer Association. She was recognized in 2022 as the Hunter Education Game Warden of the Year, and in 2016 she received the Director’s Citation Award.

Captain Shawna Poole will begin this new chapter on August 1.