OLYMPIA — The deputy forest supervisor for Coronado National Forest in Arizona has been tapped to lead Olympic National Forest.
Reta Laford will replace Dale Hom, who retired in June, as the new forest supervisor, said Kent Connaughton, regional forester, on Friday.
“Reta brings a rich breadth of experience, which will benefit the Olympic National Forest and local communities,” said Connaughton.
She is expected to start work Sept. 17.
Amanda McAdams, who has been acting forest supervisor since June on a temporary assignment, will return to her permanent position in National Forest Service wildlife management in Ogden, Utah, said Donna Nemeth, Olympic National Forest spokeswoman.
Earlier in the week, another woman, Sarah Creachbaum, 54, was named superintendent of Olympic National Park.
She is now superintendent of Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui in Hawaii.
Creachbaum will move to her new job this fall.
Olympic National Forest surrounds much of Olympic National Park.
Laford, who was not available for comment Friday, is familiar with the local area.
Before she began her career with the National Forest Service, she volunteered for three summers with the Student Conservation Association, including in Olympic National Park.
She started her Forest Service career as a student trainee in the Murphy Lake and Rexford ranger districts of Kootenai National Forest in Montana in 1984.
Now the deputy forest supervisor for Coronado National Forest in Arizona, she also has served in temporary assignments in the Tonto, Coronado and Prescott national forests in Arizona.
Prior to pursuing field leadership, she worked in the Washington office as a legislative fellow in 2007, as an environmental coordinator from 2003 to 2006, and as an appeals and litigation specialist from 2002 to 2003.
From 2000 to 2002, she worked in the eastern regional office in the National Environmental Policy Act, Appeals and Litigation program areas.
With the exception of a one-year assignment as environmental coordinator for Manti-La Sal National Forest in Colorado, she was Prescott National Forest’s environmental coordinator from 1995 to 2000.
From 1989 to 1995, she served as district forester, NEPA coordinator and staff officer for Planning/Heritage/GIS.
