Morris Named Supervisor of Cherokee National Forest
Release Date: Sep 7, 2012
Contact(s): Stephanie Neal Johnson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RELEASE NO. 12-14
MORRIS NAMED SUPERVISOR OF CHEROKEE NATIONAL FOREST
ATLANTA (September 7, 2012) – D. JaSal Morris has been named Forest Supervisor of the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, according to Liz Agpaoa, Regional Forester.
“JaSal brings a broad range of experience to the Cherokee National Forest, having worked at the national, regional, and forest levels of the agency,” Agpaoa said. “As a leader, he brings people together to achieve common goals, and we’re glad he’ll be a part of our team in Tennessee.”
The Southern Region of the USDA Forest Service encompasses 13 states – from Virginia to Florida and Oklahoma – as well as the commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Morris, currently the Deputy Forest Supervisor on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia, said he is looking forward to his move to Tennessee.
“During my 24 years in the Forest Service and during my work on emergencies, such as fires and hurricanes, I have crossed paths with many employees of the Cherokee National Forest,” he said. “I have great respect for their skill in meeting the challenges of natural resources management. I look forward to working with them and the forest’s partners as we work together to care for these public lands.”
Morris has worked on the national forests in Georgia for about two years. Before that, he worked for eight years as the Administrative Officer on the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests in South Carolina.
Morris began his Forest Service career in 1988, working in Virginia on the George Washington National Forest in administrative programs. He left Virginia in 1990, and worked as a human resources specialist on national forests in Mississippi, Puerto Rico, Alabama, and in the Washington Office. He worked as an equal employment specialist in the Forest Service’s Southern Regional Office in Atlanta before moving to South Carolina. He also completed a one-year assignment as Director of Human Resources Management for the Southern Research Station in Asheville, N.C., and shorter special assignments as Acting District Ranger for the Enoree District on the Sumter National Forest in South Carolina, and Acting Forest Supervisor for the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas.
A native of Martinsville, Va., Morris has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Va. He also is a member of the Southern Region’s Type 1 Incident Management Team.
Morris and his wife, Sandra, have been married one year. They enjoy spending time with family, including special nieces and nephews, during holidays and breaks. Morris reports to his new job in Cleveland, Tenn., in mid-October.
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