2023 Chief's Awards
The Chief’s Honor Awards recognize accomplishments of Forest Service individuals and teams throughout our agency and their contributions to the communities and country we serve. As an agency, our employees face enormous challenges in fulfilling our mission, particularly in the face of the climate crisis and the increasing threat of wildfire affecting many of our national forests, grasslands and the communities we serve. We also find ourselves presented with unprecedented opportunities, thanks to the increased funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act and Great American Outdoors Act. Considering these challenges and opportunities, the results of the work of our employees are nothing short of historic.
From across the agency, programs and units submitted 128 nominations highlighting dedication, innovation, and commitment. The following awardees demonstrated excellence, especially in remarkable collaborative efforts with tribes, partners and communities. They highlight our agency’s values and our commitment to “caring for the land and serving people.”
Chief’s Innovation Award
The Chief’s Innovation Award recognizes outstanding initiative and creativity in improving processes and supports the Forest Service's commitment to care for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological and social vitality. Winners in this category diligently sought to improve local watershed health, restore ecosystems and provide economic benefits to their communities.
AWARDEE
Program
Sanpete Ranger District Timber Team; Ferron/Price District; Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Agency Team Members
Michael Scottorn
Justin Bradley
Stefan Longo
Orlando Norton
Danny Salas-Alcala
Johnny Collin (formerly in Sanpete Ranger District)
Darren Olsen
Matthew Meccariello
Ryan Nehl
Partner
Bureau of Land Management—Kyle Beagley
A massive spruce bark beetle epidemic in the early 1990s killed more than 95% of Engelmann spruce, the primary conifer species in the Manti-La Sal National Forest. This epidemic resulted in more than 200,000 acres of dead Engelmann spruce, which has contributed to numerous high-elevation, catastrophic wildfires in subsequent years. These hazardous conditions threaten as many as 79 communities, each of which depends on healthy watersheds for flood protection, drinking water and local industry. To address these issues, the Manti-La Sal’s team has initiated and implemented three large, landscape-level Healthy Forest Restoration Act projects: Shalom, Canyons and Skyline. With timber harvest as the primary tool and in conjunction with partners such as the State of Utah, dozens of local municipalities, and private industry, the team has targeted more than 200,000 acres for hazardous fuel removal.
The forest’s approach to the projects has significantly reduced fuel load;, improved species composition; provided a consistent supply of forest products for area contractors, allowing them to invest in unique and new equipment; and supported the local economy, generating more than 200 direct and indirect jobs.
International Influencer
Through intellectual inquiry and knowledge transfer, the Forest Service provides land managers and others with better information, applications and tools for improved resource management and decision making. To increase understanding of forests and grasslands, the Forest Service is constantly improving knowledge of complex environmental processes, biological and physical conditions, resource uses, human and social dimensions, the economic value of the resources, and the interconnections among all these elements. From on-the-ground natural resource management to long-term strategic policy development, all efforts to sustain forests and grasslands far into the future depend on new knowledge, information and applications.
To benefit from global knowledge, the Forest Service continually interacts and shares knowledge with partners worldwide. By exchanging scientific results, natural resource assessments, management trends, innovations and best practices across natural resource management disciplines and jurisdictional boundaries, the Forest Service will help the global natural resource community make better management decisions in a collective effort to care for all lands and deliver sustainable benefits to people across the world.
Awards in this category recognize efforts that have had a major impact on the advancement of science and the development and application of technology. The Forest Service owes part of its land management success to collaboration with partners from federal, state, local and tribal government; universities; the private sector; and international groups. The agency attributes another part of this success to world-class expertise in research and development, the capacity to develop new technologies, innovation in forest products, ability to conduct resource assessments, and vast collection of geospatial information, inventory data and monitoring information.
AWARDEES
Program
International Programs
Pacific Northwest Research Station
Southern Research Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis
Pacific Northwest Region
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis
Agency Team Members
Sasha Gottlieb
Moses Jackson
Jennifer Smith
Ashley Lehman
Ixia Avilés-Vázquez
Kerry Dooley
Sara Goeking
Summer Dunn
Kami Ellingson
Kristin Pelz
Partners
METI Inc.—René Siwe, Olivia Freeman and Marija Spirovska Kono
The Women in Forest Carbon Initiative is being recognized for their work improving gender equality in forestry and their tangible actions to include gender mainstreaming in Forest Service support for global climate change activities.
The initiative benefits the national climate change strategies of Vietnam, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo by ensuring a more gender-equitable effort toward sustainable forest management.
Program
National Forest System Deputy Area
Intermountain and Pacific Southwest Regions
International Programs
Pacific Southwest Research Station
Agency Team Members
Partners
Rights and Resources International—Graziela Tanaka, Shuda Jarboe, Solange Bandiaky-Badji, Sally Collins, Herman Sundqvist and Leslie Weldon
In 2023, the Forest Service, along with Rights and Resources International, co-hosted MegaFlorestais 2023, which brought together senior officials from the eight most forested countries worldwide, including Brazil, Canada, China, the Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Peru, the Philippines, Sweden and the United States. Additional international expertise in forest management and conservation included representatives from Cameroon, Kenya and India.
Delivering the Wildfire Crisis Strategy Through Innovation
Awards in this category recognize major achievements in developing innovative strategies to combat the threat and impact of catastrophic wildfire to the nation’s communities, forests, rangelands, water supplies and wildlife.
Although the Forest Service has been working to manage the health of millions of acres of national forests across the American West for decades, the scale, pace and methods of work on the ground have not matched the need. With the support of partners, states, tribes and local communities, the agency is collaboratively implementing innovative strategies across jurisdictions and landownerships to protect communities, critical infrastructure, watersheds, habitats and recreational areas.
Awardees
Program
Procurement and Property Services
Agency Team Members
Alfort Belin
Ashley Thompson
Citlalitl Leon
Anise Arrington
Procurement and Property Services collaborated with internal stakeholders, Native Apex Accelerator leadership, and Native Business Organizations to craft an impactful event that united more than 70 tribal Businesses from 30 states. This initiative not only catalyzed economic opportunities, but also showcased the agency’s dedication to driving economic progress within tribal communities.
Program
Forest Service Chief Information Office; Fire and Aviation Management; Office of Tribal Relations; Engineering, Technology, Geo-Spatial Services
Agency Team Members
As a result of their hard work, the team, led by the Forest Service Chief Information Office, won Best in Show for the 2023 Federal Tech Day Event. The CIO team staffed an exhibit themed "Technology in Action: Supporting our Wildland Firefighters" that featured hands-on interactive displays with real-world equipment and demonstrated how interagency partners coordinate fire response efforts through organizations such as the National Interagency Fire Center.
Program
Fire and Aviation Management
Stephen Nelson was the leading force behind many of the new IT advances undertaken in the Forest Service to ensure the safety of our wildland firefighters and supporting teams. In collaboration with FirstNet and other service providers, Nelson worked with the Natural Resources and Environment/Forest Service Chief Information Office to expand high-speed broadband use in wildland fire operations in remote locations. As a result of Nelson’s shared vision, the Forest Service now uses edge computing to maintain connectivity in areas with low bandwidth, which ensures that more fire response personnel in remote locations have access to essential, real-time data and modeling to inform their decisions.
Program
Office of the Chief (Strategic Planning, Budget, and Accountability
Wildfire Risk Reduction Infrastructure Team)
National Forest System Deputy Area (Budget; National Partnership Office; Forest Management, Range Management, and Vegetation Ecology; Biological and Physical Resources; Ecosystem Management Coordination)
State, Private, and Tribal Forestry Deputy Area (Cooperative Forestry; Fire and Aviation Management)
Business Operations (Office of Grants and Agreements)
Southern Region
Southwestern Region, Intermountain Region
Alaska Region
Pacific Northwest Region
Agency Team Members
The Wildfire Crisis Strategy Partnership Team worked tirelessly to stand-up new national-level master agreements designed to ensure a coordinated approach to allocating Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act funding. This work enabled at least $500 million to be obligated through keystone partnerships. These agreements occur in the priority wildfire landscapes and neighboring lands and address multiple agency priorities including ecosystem restoration, prescribed fire and fuels management projects, as well as support for a diverse and qualified fire and fuels workforce and the National Reforestation Strategy.
Program
Intermountain Region, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Agency Team Members
Josh Nicholes
Wendy Markham
Joseph Powell
Doug Nesbit
Stefan Goehring
After the Nevada Shared Stewardship Agreement was signed in November 2019, the district brought together a diverse group of federal, state, local and tribal partners to launch a landscape planning group that identifies and implements shared priorities for wildfire risk reduction and ecosystem restoration. Earlier this year, the Elko Front was designated as part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest's Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscape.
The district's proactive commitment to the shared stewardship approach laid the groundwork to tackle the wildfire crisis with partners and protect the health and resilience of rural communities as well as public, private and tribal lands.
Agency Team Members
Working with partners to dramatically increase fuels and forest health treatments in the West, team members provided leadership for the implementation of the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy to protect people and communities and improve forest health and resilience. Making a paradigm shift and working across boundaries on these landscapes helped reduce risk and make strides in restoring fire-adapted landscapes, especially where communities, water sources and critical infrastructure face the highest risk of wildfire.
Delivering the Non-Wildfire Crisis Strategy Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act/Inflation Reduction Act Program with Ingenuity and Exceptional Customer Service and Connections
Along with the critical need to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, the Forest Service works to promote long-term forest health and increase ecological resilience. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and Inflation Reduction Act provided the Forest Service with the resources necessary to undertake critical projects and initiatives. The agency leveraged this funding to invest in projects and initiatives aimed at expanding the workforce, improving watershed infrastructures, increasing broadband availability in rural areas, creating economic opportunities, restoring buildings and supporting outdoor recreation and road repairs throughout Federal lands. The Forest Service accomplished these efforts by augmenting internal capacity through shared stewardship, grants, agreements, and local and national partnerships to meet challenges and create new solutions.
AWARDEES
Agency Team Members
Steven Koehn, Beattra Wilson, Brian Brashaw, Alice Ewen, Sandra Burnett, Lynne Sholty, Anne Buckelew, Reed Robinson, James Fortner, Mary McCormick, Kevin Naranjo, Patrick Rappold, Caroline Kuebler, Scott Stewart, Claire Harper, Margaret Haines, Quintaniay Holifield, Nancy Stremple, David Sivyer and Regan Hopper.
The State, Private, and Tribal Forestry Deputy Area and Cooperative Forestry staff implemented new financial assistance programs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. With hard work, an entrepreneurial spirit, strong partnerships and innovation, the Cooperative Forestry team delivered more than $1.57 billion in investments over the past 18 months to state, local, tribal, for-profit, and nonprofit cooperators to address critical forestry resource concerns.
Agency Team Members
Executive Team
Jamie Barbour, Project Leader, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Chris Swanston, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
David Lytle, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Linda Heath, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Peter Nelson, Overstory Strategies
Susanne Tracy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Technical Team
Marin Palmer, Technical Team Leader, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Scott Barndt, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Andrew Gray, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Greg Hayward, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Christopher Hiemstra, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Aaron Kamoske, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Shanna Kleinsmith, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Joseph Krueger, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Kristen Pelz, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Wade Salverson, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
Thomas Schuler, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Chris Schumacher, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
Kari Tilton, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Christopher Woodall, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Partner
Overstory Strategies—Peter Nelson
Bureau of Land Management—Wade Salverson and Chris Schumacher
The Mature and Old-Growth Classification and Inventory Team collaborated with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Geological Survey and Bureau of Land Management, as well as Forest Service regions, stations, and national program staffs to pioneer a national inventory of mature and old-growth forests on the National Forest System and Bureau of Land Management forested lands.
The resulting report, Definition, Identification, and Initial Inventory on Lands Managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, was published in the April 2023 issue of Mature and Old-Growth Forests. Initial inventory results will be used to assess threats to these forests, which will allow consideration of appropriate climate-informed forest management, as required by subsequent sections of the executive order.
Program
Southern Region, Osceola National Forest
Agency Team Members
Thomas R. Scott
April Daniels
Jorge Guevara
Partner
The Conservation Fund—Lauren Day
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission—Christopher Wynn
Through collaborative land acquisitions, fuels management, hydrologic analyses, transportation realignment and forest landscape restoration activities, the Osceola National Forest has been able to accelerate the restoration and maintenance of the Deep Creek Watershed, a primary headwater tributary of the historic and iconic Suwannee River in north Florida. Eighty percent of this 36,000-acre critical watershed lies within the boundaries of the Osceola National Forest. In the last year, ~6,800 additional acres of former industrially managed pine plantations within the Deep Creek watershed have undergone federal acquisition. These fragmented monoculture landscapes, along with their imperiled hydrology, are now slated for landscape-scale restorative treatments.
Such treatments will have a significant impact on surface water quality on and off forested lands and will enhance associated wildlife, recreation, fire prevention and forest health factors in the Osceola National Forest.
Agency Team Members
Partner
Overstory Strategies—Peter Nelson; Locana—Glenn Sullivan; NatureServe (formerly) —Healy Hamilton; ACES—Michael Cummings; Large Landscapes—Zack Wurtzbach
The team established the Climate Risk Viewer, which delivers publicly available geospatial tools to connect land managers with critical data on climate exposures, risks, ecosystem values and management intent to inform climate adaptation.
Information in the Climate Risk Viewer supports climate-informed implementation of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, promotes carbon stewardship in forests, and provides a common frame of reference on climate-related threats to forest resources. The Climate Risk Viewer now informs the old growth and mature forests threat analysis and national policy recommendations for climate resilience and carbon stewardship.
Re-imagining Recreation by Engaging New and Diverse Audiences To Expand Social and Economic Benefits for the Public
Since 2020, Americans have explored national forests and grasslands in greater numbers than ever before. The capacity surge highlighted areas where the Forest Service could improve delivery of safe and affordable access to outdoor recreation for all, especially those from different backgrounds and with different abilities.
Recent funding investments in public lands have the potential to strengthen the outdoor recreation economy, which generates economic output and creates jobs for many, including those in rural and gateway communities.
Outdoor recreation in national forests and grasslands continues to be one of the best opportunities to make connections, build relationships, and foster long-term care and stewardship of natural resources. Public lands can also be a source of healing, inspiration and purpose to bridge some of the divides and challenges our country has faced over the past few years.
AWARDEES
Program
Intermountain Region, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Agency Team Members
Based on the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest proposed change fees to developed recreation sites. The work accomplished by the team provides more than 11 million annual visitors a comprehensive and streamlined fee program covering changes to 111 developed recreation sites across the forest. This is the largest and most comprehensive developed site fee proposal for a single forest in the agency's history.
Agency Team Members
The Great American Outdoors Act–Legacy Restoration Fund Implementation Team is leading the way for the Forest Service in major program and national asset management. The program proposed $1.4 billion in infrastructure funding through fiscal year 2025 that, through fiscal year 2023 appropriations, has resulted in addressing more than $600 million in deferred maintenance. The nearly 1,000 projects include almost 500 partnership agreements and 800 contracts with small businesses.
These projects are increasing the resilience of agency infrastructure to climate change and ensuring that facilities, recreation sites and other agency infrastructure are accessible to people with disabilities.
Program
Eastern Region, Wayne National Forest
Agency Team Members
The Ironton Ranger District "Center of Excellence" serves to foster a safe space for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility; shared leadership and accountability; strategic and innovative planning; and inclusion for all. The district has employed its community connections, knowledge of the agency mission and inclusive mindset to increase its partnership and volunteering footprint, build new relationships with members of underrepresented communities, invest in future recruits for the agency workforce, and protect cultural and natural resources.
Developing Tribal and Equity-Centered Partnerships
The Forest Service continually strives to become a more diverse, open and inclusive agency. The agency’s success in equitable mission delivery depends on employees who mirror the people they serve, who build community and who share stewardship with all citizens.
The Forest Service is committed to building relationships with tribal nations and underserved communities. By engaging in equity-centered communications, the agency can foster long-standing partnerships and provide economic opportunities through contracts, procurement, grants and agreements to increase capacity and advance the critical work needed to protect lands and communities.
AWARDEES
Program
Eastern Region, Mark Twain National Forest
Agency Team Member
Lester Lakey
Partners
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians—Acee Watte
Missouri Humanities Council—Erin Whitson
In partnership with the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, Lester Lakey led the tribal heritage paraprofessional crew and a team of Missouri Humanities Council volunteers in gathering wide-ranging metal detection data to map Cherokee encampments on the farmstead. The tribal members collaborated with the Mark Twain National Forest to document their ancestral site and support the site narrative being included in the National Register of Historic Places listing. The tribes (both United Keetoowah Band and Cherokee Nation) will play a lead role in writing the nomination for listing.
Program
Southwestern Region
Pacific Southwest Region
Pacific Northwest Region
Southern Region
Eastern Region
Alaska Region
Agency Team Members
Partners
Intertribal Timber Council—Cody Desautel
Western Klamath Restoration Partnership—Bill Tripp
Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians—Jason Robison
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians—Tommy Cabe
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians—Austin Lowe
Bay Mills Indian Community—Whitney Gravelle
Southern Ute Indian Tribe—Melvin J. Baker
Shaan Seet Inc.—Ed Douville
The projects and accomplishments supported by this effort directly increase jobs, support local economies and create sustainable tribal resources. This project work also notably broke ground into agency support of Native foods and food sovereignty. These unique collaborations weave tribal cultural, spiritual, environmental, and economic interests into the fabric of forest management. This holistic approach respects tribal sovereignty and broadens mission delivery in support of resilient rural and tribal communities with thriving economies. For example, The Wood for Life Program expansion increases remote tribal access to reliable fuelwood sources. Hundreds of tribal members received critical subsistence resources from the program.
Program
National Forest System Deputy Area, Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources staff
Agency Team Members
Doug Stephens
Deirdre Remley
Troy Ferone
Molly Westby
Jori Clark
Ana Perez
Susan Glimcher
J. Gavin Hale
Andrew Tremayne
Margaret Hangan
The Heritage Program launched several new equity and diversity-serving projects and partnerships. One innovative new effort is “Cultural Heritage in the Forest,” a partnership involving the Wayne and Monongahela national forests, the Washington Office Heritage Program, nine historically Black colleges and universities, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Cultural Heritage in the Forest trains young professionals of color to enter historic preservation careers and further diversify career paths that traditionally do not reflect the diversity of the nation.
The second annual summer program, a group of nine students in the July 2023 cohort, worked on archaeological testing, stewardship projects, archaeological surveys, and collections and mapping in the national forests. Students learned through career workshops and meetings with experts. Other heritage projects undertaken include Trail of Tears remediation work on the Cherokee National Forest in cooperation with tribes; a new multi-forest interpretive program launched 2023 summer to highlight people and places along the historic Underground Railroad; historic site restoration projects with partner HistoriCorps, focusing on equity and justice; and a series of Great American Outdoors Act-funded projects.
Program
Pacific Northwest Region
Agency Team Members
Sarah Callaghan
Rebecca Ciciretti
Leslie Garcia
Sarah Kassel
Rachel LaMedica
Heather Zissler
Nikola Smith
In full support of the Forest Service’s Equity Action Plan and regional priorities, the Office of Communications and Community Engagement Team has been an agency forerunner in diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and justice programming and support. Staff have applied an equity lens and values-based approach to their work at the local, regional and national levels. From specific deliverables within the new Equity Action Toolkit or working with partners to develop inclusive and culturally relevant products and engagements, to sharing and promoting the use of environmental justice tools with forests to identify communities traditionally underserved, Office of Communications and Community Engagement Team’s identity is firmly rooted in equity.
Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Program and Service Delivery
The Forest Service anchors all work to the mission of sustaining the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. To be successful, the agency recognizes that present and future generations are represented by a diverse public and equitable access to the benefits that national forests and grasslands provide is a matter of necessity.
To create a more inclusive environment, the Forest Service will purposefully engage everyone—including tribes and socially vulnerable, underserved, rural, minority and low-income populations—throughout agency decision-making processes and engagement opportunities. The agency goal is to uplift their voices to help dismantle systemic barriers and be culturally responsive to address inequities.
Awards in this category recognize the efforts undertaken to help the Forest Service change traditional perspectives, processes, actions and performance measures to ensure the full suite of benefits, outcomes and opportunities to participate are made available to all, especially in rural and urban places that have been marginalized or overlooked.
AWARDEES
Program
National Forest System Deputy Area, Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources Staff; Office of the Chief Information Officer
Agency Team Members
Recreation.Gov connected 20 million visitors to 121,000 federal recreation locations across the country last year with efficiency and an intentional focus on genuinely reaching all people. The multi-agency Recreation One Stop program team, which oversees Recreation.gov, has efficiently delivered more than $1 billion in revenue for site improvements to thousands of communities.
Program
Northern Research Station
Agency Team Members
Sonya Sachdeva
Laura Kenefic
Dexter Locke
Cherie Fisher
Lynne Westphal (retired)
Partner
University of Minnesota—Michael Dockry
The Forest Service Northern Research Station’s Diversity and Inclusion Science Team developed an authoritative set of studies investigating demographic diversity across the agency, encompassing all deputy areas, job series, grades and locations. Their assessment of Forest Service employee diversity trends and trajectories over a 22-year period provided the Chief’s Office, Executive Leadership Team and Human Resources Management leaders with objective, peer-reviewed, scientifically sound information that provides unequivocal support for the agency’s Equity Action Plan and the scientific basis for focused action. Significant findings inform agency hiring efforts, recruitment and retention strategies, employee data improvements, and other policies and practices to achieve a representative, inclusive and thriving workforce that serves the needs and interests of a diverse society.
Program
Business Operations, Jobs Corps Program; Intermountain Region, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Agency Team Members
Jason Talbot
David Whittekiend
At the most critical time in the program's history, the Weber Basin Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, in partnership with the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache, have created a workplace that provides an example for the agency to model in building an organization that thrives and exemplifies all parts of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.
Program
Alaska Region
Agency Team Members
Julie Beall
Jason Steele
Kathy Holm
Melissa Kulack
Hillary Woods
Sergio Abila
Amanda Blankenship
Max Martinez
Erin Cooper
To increase diversity and recruit locally in rural Alaska communities, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act authority pioneered in-person hiring efforts in locations from Ketchikan to Fairbanks to engage local community members in entry-level positions. This unique hiring authority allows applicants to meet eligibility for appointment based on knowledge of cultural or natural resources of local areas in Alaska.
Johnny M. Grace leads a partnership that invests in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility and fosters relationships between the Southern Research Station and underrepresented students and communities. Grace, general engineer with the Center for Forest Watershed Research, has built and led a program to advance the Southern Research Station’s connections with historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and 1994 Native American-controlled land grant institutions. Grace has led the development of a workforce pipeline of diverse science, technology, engineering and math employees for the station. He has made an important investment in reaching underserved communities, and his work has led to benefits for both the station and external stakeholders in underserved communities.
Fostering a Workplace in Which Employees Thrive
The Forest Service is committed to providing a workplace in which employees thrive while carrying out the agency motto: caring for the land and serving people. Agency employees must deliver on the commitment to be a values-based, purpose-driven and relationship-focused organization that lives up to agency core values and code and commitments on how employees interact with one another, partners and the public.
Over the past several years, employees have felt the effects of extreme weather, unprecedented wildfires and the pandemic on both their working conditions and their well-being. Awards in this category highlight opportunities that programs took to develop and deploy tools and resources to better support employees. To further integrate core values and code and commitments into the organizational culture and work environment, the Forest Service will continue to raise employees’ awareness through ongoing engagements, deliver an outstanding new-hire experience, increase workforce diversity to reflect America by recruiting and retaining new employees from all underrepresented groups, and develop employees using various competency-based leadership development programs.
AWARDEES
Program
Pacific Southwest Region, Fire and Aviation Management
Agency Team Members
Kristen Allison and Aaron Bilyeu
The speed at which this project grew from inception to a launched, functioning product is a model in technology development. Kristen Allison and Aaron Bilyeu worked to develop a reproducible data system that any other region could incorporate into their nascent fire hire processes. The FireForce—Workforce Management Tool will be the required National Database of Record and available for all regions to use. The tool is a shining example of the Pacific Southwest Region’s ingenuity and diligence in service of the entire agency. Development of the tool supports the leader’s stances, stewards the whole, sees opportunity and shares leadership.
Program
Business Operations, Human Resources Management, State, Private, and Tribal Forestry
Agency Team Members
The partnership between the Human Resources Management National Talent Acquisition Assistant Directorate Program Area and the Fire and Aviation Management Program throughout the agency has resulted in consistent success. By hiring thousands of permanent fire employees year after year, the agency has been able to achieve sufficient staffing levels so that wildland fire management can accomplish their program of work and respond to wildland fires. This aligns with the Wildland Fire Crisis Strategy and Congress’ expectations that the FAM Program has more permanent firefighters positioned throughout the agency. The collective efforts of these dedicated public servants are a perfect example of the significant and remarkable accomplishments made possible with a values-based, relationship-focused and purpose-driven team.
Program
Intermountain Region, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest; Chief Financial Office, Financial Management Systems; National Forest System, National Technology and Development Program and Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources
Agency Team Members
Paul Gauchay
David Whittekiend
Deb Oakeson
Randall Draeger
Anstienette Sharpe
Rosemarie Hillmon
Lisa Outka-Perkins
Dennis Davis
Brenda Yankoviak
Paul Gauchay, a cancer survivor diagnosed with melanoma, learned that nearly half of melanoma cases are preventable when proper mitigation measures are followed. One mitigation that Gauchay discovered was the recommendation to wear wide-brimmed hats to cover skin on the face, neck and ears. When Gauchay looked at hat availability in the Forest Service uniform catalog, he was surprised to find that the only wide-brimmed hats offered were the Stetson felt and straw cowboy hats. It was clear to him that the Forest Service needed better options. With support from the deputy regional forester and collaboration with the national safety lead, Chief Financial Office Uniform Program, National Forest System’s National Technology and Development Program, and Recreation, Heritage and Volunteer Resources staff, Gauchay’s recommendation was approved by the National Leadership Team. An additional wide-brimmed hat option is now available in the Forest Service uniform catalog for employees working in outdoor environments with sustained sun exposure. Gauchay's ingenuity and determination will benefit Forest Service employee health for years to come.
Program
Business Operations Deputy Area, Enterprise Program
Agency Team Members
The Enterprise Program is an exemplary organization for fostering a workplace where employees thrive while contributing to mission success through significant change, growth and re-invention. The Enterprise Program has successfully completed two major organizational transitions, from 14 individual units to one team and from a full-cost recovery unit to a nationally shared resource that is funded with appropriations.
Program
Business Operations Deputy Area, Office of Safety and Occupational Health, Emergency Medical Services Program
Agency Team Members
Michelle Curry
Robert Ehrlich
Stephanie McGovern
Roger Miller
The Forest Service Emergency Medical Services program addresses the medical needs of our employees by assuring fully vetted, credentialed EMS providers are available and integrated in the workforce. The EMS program has grown quickly and currently encompasses more than 1,100 EMS providers in the agency and a cadre of physician volunteers across the nation supported by a dedicated Washington Office team. Other federal agencies are now engaged and cooperating with the Forest Service EMS team largely due to the profoundly positive response from a well-constructed, thoughtfully run, nationally focused program.
Program
Office of Civil Rights
Work Environment and Performance Office
Agency Team Members
Brandy Billie-Moore
Michole Wesley
Linda Burroughs-Glover
The Office of Civil Rights, in collaboration with Work Environment and Performance Office and Human Resources Management, delivered the first-ever Forest Service Engagement Forum. The four-day virtual forum event provided an opportunity for all employees to learn about the many resources available within the Forest Service. The Engagement Forum provided briefings on a variety of topics including diversity, equity and inclusion; equal employment opportunity; employee relations; labor relations; outreach and recruitment; Conflict Management and Prevention Center; and reasonable accommodation, wellness and other employee support resources.
Approximately 1,300 employees and 1,100 supervisors attended. The SharePoint site that hosts information from the event now serves as a reference library for all employees. This inaugural Engagement Forum built the foundation for future engagement forums and set the standard for the delivery of valuable information in a customer-centric and interactive approach that allows the participant to select the venue option that best meets their needs.
Program
Work Environment and Performance Office
Agency Team Members
Using data and knowledge from fiscal years 2019 through 2021, the Work Environment and Performance Office has built upon cross-unit new hire experience efforts. The New Employee Experience focuses on people-centric program offerings that complement critical processes to make the onboarding and orientation experience more effective and comprehensive. Its accessible and inclusive programs play a critical role in increasing new employee satisfaction and reducing early career attrition rates.
Since launching the program in May 2022, New Employee Experience staff has built and delivered critical core programming for 10,000+ new employees. Programming includes Welcome to the Forest Service onboarding webinars, Learn and Grow Gatherings and Campfire Chats, and National New Employee Orientation. All three programs have a higher than 90% satisfaction rate.
In addition to core programming, the staff has delivered welcome packets to more than 3,000 new employees, delivered bi-monthly onboarding training for new supervisors and built a cohort-based community for supervisors new to the agency.
Protecting and Conserving Healthy and Resilient Public Lands and Communities
Under the new land management paradigm, the Forest Service engages with partners to focus fuels and forest health treatments more strategically and at the scale of the problem while using the best available science as a guide to create healthier and more resilient forests and grasslands.
Forest health treatments are vital for America’s forests. The Forest Service remains committed to sustaining the health, diversity and productivity of all of America’s forests by continuing ongoing treatment levels nationwide, including in the South, Midwest and Northeast.
Awards in this category highlight the agency’s continued collaboration with partners, states, tribes and other federal agencies to ensure that the full range of management tools is available for the protection of communities, the restoration of landscapes and the mitigation of smoke impacts from both wildfire and prescribed fire.
AWARDEES
Program
Rocky Mountain Research Station
State, Private and Tribal Forestry Deputy Area, Fire and Aviation Management
Business Operations Deputy Area, Enterprise Program
Rocky Mountain Region
Southwestern Region
Intermountain Region
Agency Team Members
Partners
Oregon State University—Chris Dunn and Rebecca Weber
Colorado State University—Tyler Beeton and Scott Ritter
University of Montana—Joel Iverson
Meaningful and effective implementation of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy requires data-driven, risk-informed pre-fire planning and active fire management. In fiscal year 2023, the Potential Operational Delineations approach emerged as a cornerstone for this requirement. The Wildfire Risk Management Science team collaborated with National Forest System fire planners and fire staff to develop the models, concepts and processes that led to the PODs planning framework. Numerous forests and landscapes have used the PODs approach to inform their strategic wildfire response and improve suppression effectiveness, safety, communication and overall outcomes. In 2023, PODs expanded its scope by engaging several other forests and supporting the development of fuels management strategies that incorporate wildfire response into treatment design.
Program
Rocky Mountain Region (regional office and White River National Forest); USDA Office of the Secretary
Agency Team Members
Frank Beum
Steve Lohr
Scott Fitzwilliams
Adam Bianchi
Leanne Veldhius
Roger Poirer
Paula Peterson
Tom Fuller
Juan Dominguez
In October 2022, President Joe Biden arrived at Camp Hale, a special place for Indigenous peoples and military accomplishments, to sign a proclamation and establish the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument. Declaring a national monument typically takes an agency unit up to a year for detailed inventory, reporting and documentation. The White River National Forest, working closely with the Rocky Mountain Region, Washington Office, USDA, Colorado’s congressional delegation and White House staff, completed the necessary documentation, review and signing of the monument nomination package in eight short weeks, resulting in a successful proclamation and establishment of the national monument.
Program
Chief Financial Office, Budget and Finance
Agency Team Members
Kandice Cotner
Priscilla Ration
Leslie Epps
John Dennis Rogers
Jennifer McGuire
To aid in suppressing fires, the Forest Service and other federal agencies entered into Cooperative Fire Protective Agreements with each state. These agreements form the basis for all cost reimbursement or cost sharing with billions of dollars subject to their terms. Numerous audits identified the discrepancies between the agreements with no national oversight or approval.
To assist in implementing oversight, the Chief Financial Office established the Managing Financial Risk team to create a corporate risk management system. Now, fire protection costs that previously may not have been shared equitably can be quickly and easily identified. This allows leaders to make faster, better-informed decisions.
Program
Research and Development
Agency Team Members
Partners
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University—Dr. Evan Brooks
Bank of Canada—Dr. Craig Johnston
Led by the Resources Planning Act Assessment Team, research contributing to the “Future of America’s Forests and Rangelands: Forest Service 2020 Resources Planning Act Assessment” was conducted by scientists from various Forest Service research stations, along with internal and external cooperators.
The assessment evaluates how both climate and socioeconomic change may affect the availability and condition of forests; forest product markets; rangelands; water, wildlife and fish; biodiversity; and outdoor recreation. Diverse future scenarios are used to develop resource projections, which then allow policymakers to examine best- and worst-case futures to make more informed decisions.
Additional Information
Chief’s Awards Ceremony Program (PDF, 920 KB)
Photo example of awardee plaques (JPG, 754 KB)
Special Thanks to the 2023 Chief’s Awards Committees and Volunteers
Business Operations Deputy Area, host
Ericka Thomas, lead
Planning Team
Review Team
Tech Team
Briona Bolden
Christopher Manning
Hunt Spear
Symphany Williams