Kurt U. Schaefer was named Director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in January 2025.
Kurt’s legal career has spanned three decades, including serving as a former state senator and assistant attorney general. He has worked with governmental entities at every level, including all branches of government, state agencies, numerous boards and citizen commissions and political organizations. Kurt served as general counsel and deputy director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources from 2005-2007. He oversaw the emergency response, environmental remediation and cleanup from the Taum Sauk Reservoir failure, and served as lead counsel in negotiating settlement for the damages and restoration, valued in excess of $170 million. Kurt also served as lead counsel in negotiating state and federally required sewer infrastructure capital improvements with the City of Kansas City and the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District, valued in excess of $3 billion and $4.2 billion, respectively.
Kurt earned a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Missouri, and a Juris Doctor and a Master Studies of Environmental Law from the Vermont Law School.