Dave Warnack has been selected as the Forest Supervisor for the Willamette National Forest; Jody Weil has been selected as the Forest Supervisor for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest; and Kelly Lawrence has been selected as the Forest Supervisor for the Olympic National Forest.

Dave Warnack has shared leadership on the Umpqua National Forest as the Deputy Forest Supervisor since 2015. He has served in leadership positions as a District Ranger in Region 3, and as Acting Forest Supervisor on the Gila, Rogue River – Siskiyou, and Gifford Pinchot National Forests. Dave’s background is in recreation and wilderness management, as well as collaborative forestry. He is an Advanced Agency Administrator and is co-chair of the Region 6 and 10 Regional Line Officers Team that works with fire-related issues. He also led the Region’s centralized temporary hiring efforts since 2018. Dave believes that it’s essential to make room at the table for all perspectives when stewarding both natural and workplace environments. He is currently working with his partner Irene to raise three teenagers in Roseburg, Oregon. While he regrets leaving the Umpqua NF, Dave is looking forward to working with the fine folks on the Willamette!

Jody Weil is currently serving as the Deputy State Director for Resources and Planning for BLM’s Arizona State Office in Phoenix. Jody has extensive experience communicating and managing natural resource issues, having served in various positions with the BLM for 30 years. Jody began her career with the BLM as a public affairs specialist in Billings, Montana. After spending more than a decade in Billings, she transferred to the Alaska State Office, where she served as the Chief of External Affairs. There, she was instrumental in building strategic relationships with local, state, federal and tribal stakeholders and communicated complex resource management issues pertaining to 72 million acres of public lands. In 2006, Jody assumed the duties at the Oregon-Washington State Office in Portland, where she led a regional communications team of 18 employees. During her tenure, the state was faced with such high-profile issues as the Sugar Pine Mine and Malheur Wildlife Refuge events. While in Oregon, Jody has also served in line officer detail assignments as the Medford District Manager, and the Deputy Forest Supervisor for the Umpqua National Forest in Roseburg. Jody also completed a detail as the BLM Oregon Associate State Director. In 2018, Jody assumed the duties at the Arizona State Office for Resources and Planning and had a temporary assignment managing the Fire organization. Jody also led an inter-agency and community partnership aimed at containment of quagga mussels in the Lower Colorado River Basin. Jody recently completed a detail in the BLM Headquarters office as the Assistant Director of National Conservation Lands. Under her leadership at the Headquarters level were the recreation, wilderness, trails, partnership and youth programs. In her free time, Jody enjoys spending time in the great outdoors and walking her dogs. Jody’s husband, Doug, will be joining her in Everett. They have two grown boys, Tyler and Justin.

Kelly Lawrence is originally from Portland, Oregon and has served the last 17 years with the Forest Service in research, partnerships, planning, and most recently as the Naches District Ranger on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. She kicked off her federal service as an Environmental Education Peace Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan and just returned from a trip to Cambodia and Vietnam in January with the AgForestry Leadership program. Kelly loves to travel with her two girls, Alma 10 and Hanna 8. She spends her free time camping, kayaking, hiking, skiing, cooking, and eating delicious local food.

Dave starts his new position, effective April 26th, and Jody and Kelly, effective May 24th, working virtually until our office environments are open again. Welcome Dave, Jody, and Kelly to your new positions. And welcome Jody to the Forest Service and the Pacific Northwest Region!

Extra special appreciation goes out to our leaders who stepped up to serve as acting Forest Supervisors. Leisa Cook has led the Olympic National Forest with a steady hand and grace under pressure managing a workforce with multiple vacancies amid the growing pandemic as part of the greater Seattle-Tacoma hot zone. Thank you Leisa for your leadership and service. Duane Bishop has seamlessly filled in on the Willamette National Forest following Tracy Beck’s retirement. And Nicole Branton will serve as acting Forest Supervisor until Jody’s start date, providing continuity in leadership while managing through the pandemic. Thank you to Leisa, Duane, and Nicole, as well as all of those who have and are filling acting roles in Region 6. Your service is greatly appreciated and we are stronger because of all of you!