Vicki Christiansen

Vicki Christiansen is an American government official who served as the 19th chief of the United States Forest Service from October 2018 to July 2021. Prior to assuming the role, Christiansen had spent seven years with the Forest Service and 30 years with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.[2][3][4]

Vicki Christiansen
19th Chief of the United States Forest Service
In office
October 2018 – July 26, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byTony Tooke
Succeeded byRandy Moore
Personal details
BornAged 64–65[1]
EducationUniversity of Washington (BS)

Education

While a student at the University of Washington, Christiansen began working as a firefighter with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. She eventually earned a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry in 1983.

Career

Christiansen worked as a firefighter in Washington for 26 years, eventually serving as the Washington State Forester. She then served as the Arizona State Forester from 2009 to 2010. She joined the United States Forest Service in 2010 as the acting director of legislative affairs before serving as deputy director of fire and aviation management. In 2012, she served as acting regional forester for the Northern Region, which covers 25 million acres across five states and includes 12 national forests.[5]

Christiansen was named the 19th chief of the Forest Service in October 2018. Christiansen assumed the role on an interim basis after Tony Tooke, who had been serving as chief for six months, resigned amid allegations of sexual assault and workplace misconduct.[6] Christiansen later said that, as chief, she would seek to end the culture of harassment within the Forest Service.[7][8]

In June 2021, Christiansen announced her intention to retire from the Forest Service in August 2021,[9] and she formally stepped down as chief on July 26, 2021.[10] She was succeeded by Randy Moore, the former regional forester for the Pacific Southwest Region.[10]

References
  1. "Chief U.S. Forester Vicki Christiansen Thinks Some Fires Should Be Left to Burn". The Wall Street Journal. October 5, 2019. Archived from the original on August 22, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  2. "Secretary Perdue Announces Vicki Christiansen as New Forest Service Chief". www.usda.gov. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  3. "Vicki Christiansen". Forest History Society. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  4. "Vicki Christiansen | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  5. "Forestry Notes Q&A: Vicki Christiansen". NACD. July 31, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  6. "Tony Tooke, head of U.S. Forest Service, stepping down amid sexual misconduct allegations". PBS NewsHour. March 7, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  7. "Attempts to quash sexual harassment at US forest service questioned – Government & civil service news". Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  8. "Forest Service chief says there's progress in combating sexual misconduct. Dozens of women say there's not enough". PBS NewsHour. November 15, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  9. "USDA Forest Service Chief Christiansen Announces Retirement". United States Forest Service. June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  10. "Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Announces Randy Moore as New Forest Service Chief". United States Forest Service. June 28, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
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