Leah Baker

Leah Baker became the Acting Assistant Director for Resources and Planning in January of 2026. Leah previously served as the Associate State Director at Eastern States, overseeing hundreds of parcels of public land and 40 million subsurface acres in 31 states east of and bordering the Mississippi River. During her 18-year BLM career, Baker has held various positions including State Director for BLM Eastern States; Acting Assistant Director, Resources & Planning; Division Chief, Decision Support, Planning and NEPA; and Planning & Environmental Analyst. Baker also served as a BLM Congressional Fellow, working on the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources. Baker began her public service career as a community development volunteer in Bolivia with the United State Peace Corps. She holds a master’s degree in environmental policy from American University and a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Arizona.