Contact a Recruiter

Shawn Tillman, Supervisory Lead Recruiter

Shawn currently serves as the Supervisory Lead Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s Talent Acquisition Team, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In this role, as the agency’s Selective Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC), Shawn assists applicants and personnel to help them understand and utilize Special Hiring Authorities available to them while navigating the federal employment process. He works in partnership with the HRM Recruitment and Placement Team to identify and recruit diverse, highly qualified Veterans and Persons with Disabilities needed to meet our agency’s mission and goals. Shawn is a combat veteran having served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the United States Army, 82^nd Airborne Division. He obtained degrees from the University of New Mexico, with concentrations in Finance, Accounting, and Human Resources Management. Upon completion of his degrees, he worked for Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon Endo-Surgery, as a Finance/Budget Analyst and Human Resource Generalist. He began his career with the Forest Service in June 2014. Since that time, he has served in multiple positions, to include, Employee Relations Assistant and Specialist, Regional Recruiter for the Southwestern region (R3), detailed District Ranger, and now our Veterans and Persons with Disabilities Program Manager. The Forest Service value that resonates most with Shawn is Service and he strives to use his knowledge and skills to improve the lives of others.

Kelly De Hoyos, Senior Lead Recruiter

Kelly currently serves as a Lead Human Resources Specialist and Senior Lead Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, as the operational lead of the team, Kelly is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities of the team, ensuring that assigned tasks are completed in a timely and efficient manner. She first came to the Forest Service in 2010 as an Intern with the Executive Project Management Office within Human Resources Management (HRM) located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has worked in many areas of HRM to include Process Improvement, Data Quality Management, and Recruitment and Placement. She is a seasoned staffer and has spent the majority of her career on the Pathways Team where she filled Intern and Recent Graduate positions all over the United States. She is a subject matter expert on the Pathways Programs, merit, Schedule A, and veteran hiring authorities, as well as the hiring process which is what lead her to the recruitment team. Kelly completed her Master’s of Business Administration in 2011 at the University of Phoenix with concentrations in HRM and Healthcare Management. She grew up in the mountains just east of Albuquerque and moved into the city after she graduated high school. Her values drive her to always lead from the heart and to deliver exceptional, solutions-focused service to others.

Marilyn Grubbs, Senior Lead Recruiter

Marilyn currently serves as the Infrastructure Strike Team Lead and Senior Lead Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, Marilyn leads the team to build innovative daily operations practices and collaborate with communities and partners to hire a diverse workforce. She has always enjoyed helping others by finding what their strengths and values are and discovering how those fit in with possible careers and life goals. She started her journey with the Forest Service in 2015 after leaving a medical career. She became a Pathways Intern in Policy and has worked in Workers Compensation, Recruitment, the Pathways Team, the Expedited Hiring Team, and most recently the Fire Team within Human Resources Management (HRM) located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Marilyn is a New Mexico native and completed a Master’s of Business Administration in 2019 from Eastern New Mexico University. Her values and dedication to public service drive her to help others care for the land and serve the people.

Stephen Thomas, Senior Lead Recruiter

Stephen currently serves as a Strike Team Lead and Senior Lead Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, Stephen leads a diverse team of recruitment staff that focuses on hiring events and works closely with his team to meet Forest Service recruitment needs. Stephen is from Chattanooga, Tennessee where he attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville as a Forestry major. Go Vols!! He speaks with potential applicants and advises hiring managers frequently. He is passionate about bringing on a new and more diverse workforce. Stephen has been employed by the Forest Service for 23 years. For the past 13 years prior to joining the recruitment team, he has served as a Recruitment Liaison Specialist in the Pacific Southwest region (Region 5). The Forest Service has allowed Stephen the opportunity to work in several other capacities. He has been a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Planner writing environmental documents, worked on a Timber Marking Crew, served as a member on 2 Hotshot Crews, and he was on a Forest Service Regular Hand Crew. His favorite part of working for the Forest Service has been recruiting. He truly enjoys helping others be successful and meet their career goals. He finds it rewarding when he can guide others to a career with the Forest Service and contribute to the diversity of the organization.

Jeffrey Huffman, Senior Lead Recruiter

Jeff currently serves as a Strike Team Lead and Senior Lead Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, Jeff leads a diverse team of recruitment staff that focuses on hiring events and works closely with his team to meet Forest Service recruitment needs. His previous work background includes a variety of experience. He has been a proud veteran of the United States Air Force, a talented educator for social change, and an expert in providing prevention resources and support to military servicemembers and their families. With a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources and a Master’s degree in Mass Communication, he often engages local communities, colleges, universities, and military bases in recruitment efforts to help students, veterans, and those seeking employment transition into viable Forest Service careers. His love of nature began at a young age, camping and hiking in and around the hills and forest of Hoosier National Forest in south central Indiana. His passion for serving others and for stewardship of nature are great assets for recruiting the next generation of public servants of the Forest Service.

Alejandro Fajardo, Recruiter

Alejandro currently serves as a Human Resources Specialist and Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He began his career with the Forest Service in 2010 as a seasonal Wildland Firefighter. As a Firefighter, he served as a crew member for Engine and Hotshot Crews for the Cibola and Lincoln National Forests. He left the Forest Service after a few seasons of Wildland Fighting to work in the private sector and obtain a degree in Business Administration. He returned in 2019 as a Human Resources Assistant in the Processing Department, and shortly after transitioned to the HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. The value of diversity resonates with him. As a Mexican American it is important to him to see people from underserved communities have the same opportunity to serve the great outdoors as he did. As a recruiter he gives people the tools to simplify the application process and increase applicant’s opportunities of gaining employment with the agency.

Ebonie Goree, Recruiter

Ebonie currently serves as a Human Resources Specialist and Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, Ebonie helps to connect with diverse communities and partners, build out innovative daily operations practices, and supports colleagues in the completion of recruitment tasks. Ebonie began her career as a Human Resources Assistant on the Recruitment Team in 2021. She became a Human Resources Specialist later that year. Ebonie graduated in 2019 with her Master’s in Psychology with a concentration in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Ebonie is originally from Mississippi and is currently living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is driven by her value to foster a diverse environment, whether it be ideas, perspectives, or experiences.

John "JB" Brown, Recruiter

JB currently serves as a Human Resources Specialist and Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, JB trains new team members and forms networking relationships with various academic institutions and professional organizations. JB started his career in the Forest Service in 2016 after serving in the United States Air Force. He has a diversified portfolio of work experience within the agency and has served as part of the Temporary Employment Team, Personnel Security, and now the HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. He has also worked for the Department of Veteran Affairs as an Intern. Throughout his career, JB has gained a vast wealth of experience and knowledge in Law Enforcement, Community Relations, Recruiting, and Staffing, as well as an understanding of the Veterans and Schedule A hiring authorities. JB is originally from New York and now resides in Albuquerque, NM. His commitment to seeing others become the best version of themselves is what JB values most.

Jody Benavides, Recruiter

Jody currently serves as a Human Resources Specialist and Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. She is new to the team but has been with the Forest Service for 6 years. She is learning how to recruit a diverse workforce and learning to help applicants simplify the application process when applying to careers within the agency. Jody started her career with the Forest Service as a Human Resources Assistant in the Pay and Leave Department in 2017 after working in Indian Gaming for 20 years. She started off as a Pathways Intern and 2 years later she moved into a Human Resources Specialist position in Pay and Leave. Jody is a California native, but grew up on the Isleta Reservation located south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She actively takes part in her Native American traditions. She completed her Bachelor’s in Business Administration in 2015 from the University of Phoenix. Jody’s core value is safety in every way: physical, psychological, and social.

Jessica "Jess" Trimble, Recruiter

Jess currently serves as a Human Resources Specialist and Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, Jess shares her story and the expertise she has gained in the federal workforce to help potential applicants realize their dream career with the Forest Service. Jess started her journey with the Forest Service in 2016 after leaving a career in marketing. She became a Student Conservation Association Intern with the Recreation Crew at the Skykomish Ranger District on the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. She continued working seasonally with trails and visitor services before moving to Alaska to take a permanent position with the National Park Service. She then relocated back to Washington state to be a Human Resources Assistant with the National Park Service and rejoined the Forest Service with the Recruitment Team in January 2022, working remotely from her home in Index, Washington. When not at work, Jess can be found hiking, splitboarding, and climbing in the Cascade mountains surrounding her home. Her dedication to conservation is rooted in her passion for exploring the outdoors and building meaningful connection to the land and people we serve.

Angela Hill, Recruiter

Angela currently serves as a Human Resources Specialist and Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, Angela will be assisting with recruitment efforts and helping to provide a great experience as she assists candidates through their career search. While Angela is new to the Forest Service as of April 2022, she shares many years of recruitment experience from working in various industries such as healthcare and hospitality. Angela has a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Advertising from the City College of New York and received her Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Liverpool. Angela is a Florida native and loves any chance to enjoy the sunny outdoors through walks in the parks, on the beach and hiking trails. Angela’s passion is to help people through their career search and connecting with them on a personable level as they achieve their goals and dreams of being part of the Forest Service.

Jocelyn Garcia, Recruiter

Jocelyn currently serves as a Human Resources Assistant and Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, Jocelyn assists with the administrative duties of the hiring events, responds to inquiries from the team shared email, and reaches out to future Forest Service candidates from the Job Seeker Database through a Forest Service Friday weekly email. Jocelyn joined the Recruitment Team based out of Albuquerque, NM in October 2021 after working in the medical field as a phlebotomist. Jocelyn is a New Mexico native where she attended Central New Mexico Community College and received her Associate’s degree in Business in the Fall of 2017 along with other certificates of completion. She is currently attending the University of Phoenix for her Bachelor’s degree in Business with a Human Resource certificate. She is set to graduate in April 2023. Jocelyn is dedicated in providing excellent customer service and helping applicants find the right path to become part of the Forest Service.

Casey Allen, Recruiter

Casey currently serves as a Human Resources Assistant and Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, Casey responds to inquiries from the team shared email, reaches out to future Forest Service candidates from the Job Seeker Database through a Forest Service Friday weekly email, assists in data collection and manipulation, and assists with various administrative duties for hiring events and recruitment. Casey joined the Recruitment Team in April 2022 after working as a Recruiter for a non-profit for 6 months learning the ins and outs of recruiting. Casey is a Missouri native where she attended the University of Central Missouri and received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in May 2021. Investing in relationships is one of the Forest Service values that resonates with Casey the most. She believes being invested in every relationship allows her to better understand the people she works with and provide individualized assistance. 

Alejandro Pacheco, Recruiter

Alejandro currently serves as a Human Resources Assistant and Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team. In this role, Alejandro is responsible for managing inquiries from the team shared email, connecting with future Forest Service candidates via the Job Seeker Database weekly email, assists in data collection and manipulation, and assists with various administrative duties pertaining to hiring events and recruitment efforts. Alejandro joined the Recruitment Team in March 2022 after serving in the United States Navy for 8 years and later attending the University of South Florida, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication with a minor in Political Science. Alejandro strives to offer guidance and information in the most efficient way possible, ensuring success and peace of mind for applicants.

Shane Duke, Recruiter

Shane currently serves as a Human Resources Assistant and Recruiter for the USDA Forest Service’s HRM Recruitment and Placement Team in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In this role, he recruits a diverse pool of candidates for various positions in the Forest Service and supports the team where needed to ensure top notch customer service is provided. Shane joined the Forest Service in August 2022 after more than 20 years in customer service and hospitality. The core values of the Forest Service, which are service, interdependence, conservation, diversity, and safety, are values he has taken to heart while working in the hospitality industry and is thrilled to continue to prioritize by working with the Forest Service. Shane has lived in a variety of places including rural Illinois and Arizona, as well as the metropolises of Chicago and Los Angeles. He's worked every position in a restaurant and run his own home improvement company. Shane hopes that his varied background will help him in assisting everyone on his team and potential applicants unfamiliar with the numerous opportunities in the Forest Service.

Ariana Argueta, Veterans and Persons with Disabilities Program Specialist

Ariana currently serves as a Human Resources Specialist for the Veteran’s and Persons with Disabilities Program for the USDA Forest Service’s Talent Acquisition Team in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In this role she assists Veteran’s and Persons with Disabilities understand the federal employment process and the Special Hiring Authorities within the federal government. Ariana obtained her Bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico in Business Administration. She started her federal career in 2019 as an Employee Relations Assistant with the Forest Service. Since then Ariana, has served as a Staff Assistant, Employee Relations Specialist, and a Reasonable Accommodation Specialist on the Employee and Labor Relations Team. Ariana’s passion is to provide excellent customer service and to uphold the values of the Forest Service.