Employee Profile
Jan Bedrosian
Deputy State Director
External Affairs
California State Office
She was born a "Tennessee girl," but moved to Grass Valley when she was six months old, growing up in the Mother Lode country. No mistake, she is a northern "California girl." She is Irish with an Armenian name and loves people and lively discussions.
Jan ventured out of state, but not too far, to attend the University of Nevada-Reno, just up the road from Grass Valley. She achieved dual degrees in journalism and English and did a stint as a reporter for the Reno newspaper. Jan came to work for BLM in 1973 as the first public affairs person BLM-Nevada had ever had, thinking it would be great to tell Nevadans what BLM was all about. She found out Nevadans didn't like some of the things they were being told, leading to what a journalist friend of Jan's called the "Sagebrush Rebellion." Jan also worked in the Washington, D.C. office in the public affairs division before returning to California to work in the state office as a public affairs specialist and congressional liaison.
Having served with BLM for over 34 years, 20 of those in the California state office, Jan is well respected for her knowledge of topics and handling of issues. So well respected, she was called upon by former BLM Director Kathleen Clarke to act as her chief-of-staff until a new chief-of-staff could be selected.
For her dedication, expertise, and service, Jan was selected to receive the Department of the Interior Meritorious Service Award. The citation, signed by Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, in part reads, "Her knowledge of national policies, regulations, and legislation before Congress and the state legislature has greatly assisted the State Director, BLM Director and the Department of the Interior in forming positions on matters concerning public lands and natural resources policy...Ms. Bedrosian's strong relationship with the news media, along with her ability to develop rapport at all levels and handle complex issues, sets the California State Office apart from other state offices." The award was presented by California State Director Mike Pool and Associate State Director Jim Abbott at the state management team meeting held in Sacramento on October 15, 2007.
The Meritorious Service Award was established by the Department of the Interior in 1948 and is the second-highest departmental honor award that can be granted to a career employee (the highest is the Distinguished Service Award).
Outside the workplace Jan enjoys reading, politics, travel, exercise and the TV program "24". She says she is a big "Jack" fan. But mostly, she enjoys her family, husband Tod, son Sean and daughter Kate; and her 3 sisters, brother, mother and father, who all live in the Sacramento area.
>