The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest will have a new supervisor starting in September. Kristin Bail, currently the acting director for the U.S. Forest Service’s Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air and Rare Plant programs in Washington, D.C., will oversee the more than 4 million acres of the forest, which includes the Methow Valley Ranger District.
Bail has more than 34 years of experience managing public lands in Oregon, Arizona, North Carolina and Washington, D.C.
Bail started her career in 1984 as a student trainee in hydrology for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Oregon. She has a degree in geology from Washington State University.
She has served as forest supervisor for the four national forests in North Carolina, as deputy forest supervisor in Arizona, and as district ranger on the Ochoco National Forest in central Oregon.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to return to the Pacific Northwest and become part of the great work underway on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest,” said Bail. “My goals are to be a good neighbor, provide excellent customer service, and work in partnership to achieve the results we all want across the landscape.”
Bail replaces Mike Williams, who served as supervisor for the past four years until his retirement in May.
