Protecting lands and communities: Shaila Pomaikai Catan

The 2025 theme for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month is “A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience,” with a focus on how members of the AANHPI community “have transformed adversity into opportunities for public service, efficiency and innovation.” 

Shaila Pomaikai Catan (pronounced SHY-la poh-MY-ka-ee ka-TAHN), a Native Hawaiian and wildland fire dispatcher for the Bureau of Land Management Nevada’s Carson City District Office, proves the relevance of this theme in her daily work.  

A woman and man stand facing the camera and smiling, wearing matching baseball caps and hockey jerseys to mark Jersey Day at the Dispatch Center. A large map, duty schedule, and notices cover the wall behind them.
Shaila Pomaikai Catan and Dave Nelson, a U.S. Forest Service Aircraft Dispatcher trainee, at the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center in Minden, Nevada. (Photo credit: BLM Nevada)

She approaches the challenges of wildland fire as an opportunity for public service, contributing to the resilience of the BLM, its cooperators, and affected communities. By connecting personnel on the fire line with the critical resources they need, she makes the agency’s fire-response efforts more efficient and effective, helping to protect communities in Nevada and neighboring states.

Catan brings the same spirit of service to her winter work as a land law examiner for the district. In that role, she assesses project applications involving BLM-administered lands – for example, proposals to install fiber-optic cable or construct cell towers.  

This innovative dual role allows Catan to more effectively advance the BLM mission throughout the year. Through knowledge of local terrain that she has acquired as a dispatcher, she can better coordinate with subject matter experts, public safety officers, and public affairs specialists to ensure that projects follow agency guidelines and that their impacts are explained to the public. In turn, Catan’s work as a land law examiner enhances her effectiveness as a dispatcher because assessing projects gives her a detailed understanding of the hazards facing communities during fire events. 

A woman wearing waders and a baseball cap faces the camera and smiles while standing knee deep in the water near the riverbank. In the foreground are plants growing at the water’s edge and a white bucket used to gather crayfish. In the background, on the other side of the river, are green trees and brownish-green hills.
Shaila Pomaikai Catan participating in an educational program for Tree Day 2024 on the Truckee River near Patrick, Nevada. (Photo credit: Criz Miralles, BLM Nevada)

It’s no accident that Catan chose a career of public service protecting lands and the communities connected to them. Born and raised in Waimanalo (why-MAH-nah-loh), Hawaii, she learned about service from her parents, who were both veterans. She also learned that where you live shapes who you are.  

“Taking care of the land has always been a value deeply ingrained in the Hawaiian culture I grew up with,” said Catan. “The concept of Aloha ‘Āina [ah-LOH-hah EYE-nah], which means ‘love of the land,’ speaks to the deep respect and connection Hawaiians have for the land, culture, and community. It’s not just an environmental value – it’s cultural, spiritual, and personal. This mindset has shaped how I view stewardship and my responsibility to the communities we serve, and it's something I carry with me every day.”

Catan’s mother worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and her aunts and uncles served as park and recreation rangers. While growing up, she often helped family members maintain county parks; working in these outdoor spaces helped define her future endeavors and career goals.  

“I remember watching my aunt, completely focused as she worked, realizing that work didn’t have to be something confined to an office or disconnected from nature,” said Catan. “There was a beautiful balance in what they did: working outdoors, creating something lasting, and doing it all as part of a community effort.”  

Catan saw firsthand how small actions could grow into something meaningful for others to enjoy.  

“I learned that the best kind of work might just be the kind that lets you breathe fresh air, move with intention, and leave something better than you found it,” she said.  

Two women stand facing the camera and smiling near the entrance to a building with an overhang and a doorway framed by brown wooden support beams. They are flanked by two large, dark statues in bronze, which depict firefighters wearing uniforms and protective helmets and each carrying a fire-fighting tool called a Pulaski axe, which has a straight blade on one side and a curved blade, called an adze, on the other.
Shaila Pomaikai Catan and Abby White, a U.S. Forest Service Advanced Faller trainee, near the entrance to the Wildland Fighter Foundation in Boise, Idaho, for a BLM Support Dispatcher Training. (Photo credit: BLM)

Because of these early experiences, the mission of the BLM resonates strongly with Catan. She feels fortunate to be part of an agency whose objectives are so closely aligned with her own values.

“The Bureau’s work isn’t just about managing land – it’s about respecting it, understanding it, and ensuring it’s preserved for future generations,” she said. “I see a career with the BLM as not only a professional goal but also a way of continuing my lifelong connection to land and community."

Story by:

David Herman, Writer/Editor, BLM Experienced Services Program

Blog Topic:
Careers
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