<< Back to Newsletter

The High Desert District Hires Two New Resource Advisors

By Lorraine Keith, Public Affairs Specialist, High Desert District

The High Desert District welcomed two new resource advisors to the District this year. They will work out of Pinedale and Rock Springs and support the Kemmerer, Pinedale, Rawlins and Rock Springs Field Offices.

Bill Lanning, Resource Advisor for Lands and Minerals

Bill Lanning.

Bill was born in Buffalo, Wyo., and grew up in the Salt Creek Oil Field near Midwest. Bill began his government career as a seasonal with the USDA Forest Service on the Big Horn National Forest in June of 1967. He attended Casper College and then transferred to the University of Montana where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry Management in 1973.

Bill’s BLM career started at the Kremmling Field Office in Colorado in 1973 as a forestry technician, and then converting to the staff forester. In 1979, he moved to Pinedale where he continued his work as a forester. Since coming to the Pinedale Field Office, Bill has transitioned from forester to natural resource specialist to supervisory natural resource specialist to associate field manager for Minerals and Lands in 2006, to his current position as resource advisor for Minerals and Lands for the High Desert District.

Bill’s hobbies include hunting, fishing, boating and snowmobiling. He is a member of the Pinedale Snow Explorers and he serves as the Congregational President for Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.

Jake Vialpando, Resource Advisor for Resources

Jake Vialpando.

A Wyoming native, Jake graduated from the University of Wyoming with a degree in Range Management/Rangeland Ecology in 1995. Jake started his career with the BLM in 1993, as a cooperative education student - range conservationist with the BLM Boise District Office in Idaho. Jake worked as a rangeland management specialist with the Boise District for 16 years, specializing in sheep and livestock grazing management, permit renewals and litigation; and wild horse herd management.

From 1993-2000, Jake worked on a Boise District's initial attack wildland fire crews in addition to his rangeland management responsibilities. Staying involved with Idaho's wildfire program, Jake served as a wildfire resource advisor and one of Boise's wildfire rehabilitation program team leads. Prior to his departure from Idaho, he served as a member of Idaho's wild horse state core team as the wild horse handler/sorter leading and assisting wild horse gathers/adoptions statewide.

Jake transferred to the Owyhee Field Office in 1999 as the range/wild horse program lead in Marsing, Idaho. In 2006, Jake was promoted to supervisory rangeland management specialist. Jake also served as the assistant field manager between 2007-2008.

Jake enjoys fishing, hunting and other outdoor activities.