Dr. Kohl was born and raised on the Ft. Peck Sioux and Assiniboine Reservation of rural northeastern Montana. He received his A.S. from Dawson Community College in Glendive Montana, and then a B.S. and M.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana in 2009 and 2012, respectively. His M.S. focused on the conservation implications of bison reintroduction in central Montana and southern Saskatchewan. He obtained a Ph.D. in Ecology (2019) from Utah State University, examining the behavioral response of elk to wolf and cougar predation risk in Yellowstone National Park. He has published over 30 journal articles and book chapters focusing on topics ranging from game bird management and predator-prey relationships to large mammal conservation and diversity and inclusion efforts.