Alaska NRCS Announces State Conservationist Transition

Palmer, February 17, 2005 – Alaska State Conservationist Shirley Gammon has announced that she will be vacating her position February 18, 2005, to become district manager of the Bureau of Land Management Lakeview District in Oregon. Gammon has served as the state conservationist in Alaska since 2002 and previously served as the Montana state conservationist.

During her tenure in Alaska, Gammon led the transition of the agency’s administrative, finance and contracting functions to Alaska from Washington, and managed an $11 million increase in the agency’s budget.

Febe Ortiz, the deputy state conservationist in Tennessee, will be serving as the acting Alaska state conservationist starting March 1, 2005. Febe has 18 years experience with NRCS and has served as operations manager for the West Region and as assistant state conservationist for strategic planning and accountability in New Mexico. She has bachelor’s degree in plant and soil science from Southwest Texas State University.

Alaska Assistant State Conservationist for Operations Phil Naegele will serve as acting state conservationist between Gammon’s Feb. 21 departure and Ortiz’s March 1 arrival.

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