Leadership

Acting Regional Forester Jacque Buchanan

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Jacqueline “Jacque” Buchanan is the Regional Forester for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Geographic Area, providing unified leadership and oversight across Regions 5, 6, and 10.  

In this capacity, she has served as the Acting Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5) since November 2, 2025, and supervised the Acting Regional Forester for the Alaska Region (Region 10) from November 2, 2025, until transitioning into the Acting Regional Forester role herself on April 30, 2026. She continues in her permanent role as Regional Forester for the Pacific Northwest Region (Region 6), which she has held since January 14, 2024. Since November 2, 2025, Jacque has also provided national program oversight as the Senior Executive for Forest Service NEPA/Planning and Tribal Relations. 

Jacque has served with the USDA and the Forest Service for more than 30 years. Prior to her current position, she spent eight years as a Deputy Regional Forester for the Rocky Mountain Region in Lakewood, Colorado. 

Her career with the Forest Service has been diverse, with extensive work in resource management focusing on forest health, fire management, range, wildlife, wilderness, and Wildfire Crisis Response. She has worked in International Forestry as well, traveling to Brazil, Guyana, and India to teach Fire Leadership courses and support the development of fire and wilderness management programs. 

Jacque’s leadership experience includes serving as the Director for Renewable Resources in the Rocky Mountain Region, Forest Supervisor on the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Deputy and Forest Supervisor on the Lincoln National Forest in southern New Mexico. 

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from Pennsylvania State University. 

Deputy Regional Foresters

The Deputy Regional Foresters report to the Regional Forester and are responsible for oversight of specific regional program areas as assigned, ensuring consistency and support across functional areas. In addition, Deputy Regional Foresters supervise the Forest Supervisors in the region, providing guidance for implementing agency objectives on the national forests and grasslands under their management.

Laura Schweitzer, Acting Deputy Regional Forester

Rachel Birkey, Acting Deputy Regional Forester

Pacific Southwest Region Regional Foresters