Leah Baker

Leah Baker stepped into the acting Assistant Director for Resources and Planning position in January 2026. For the previous 7 years, Baker served as the Associate State Director for Eastern States, overseeing hundreds of parcels of public land and 39 million subsurface acres in 31 states east of and bordering the Mississippi River. During her 18-year BLM career, she has held various other positions, including acting Eastern States Director; acting Assistant Director for Resources and Planning; Division Chief for Decision Support, Planning, and NEPA; and Planning and Environmental Analyst. Baker also was a BLM Fellow on Capitol Hill, working with the Congressional Western Caucus. She earned a master’s degree from American University and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Arizona.