BLM’s Dillon Field Office welcomes new field manager

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Bureau of Land Management

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(DILLON, Mont.) – The Bureau of Land Management’s Dillon Field Office greeted its new manager during an outdoor swearing-in ceremony under sunny, blue skies June 24.

Socially-distanced field office employees watched as Amanda James was sworn in by Montana/Dakotas BLM State Director John Melhoff.

James, a 20-year veteran of federal land management, replaces Cornie Hudson who retired in September 2019.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to help manage such a special place in southwestern Montana,” James said after the ceremony. “I particularly love the collaboration process and look forward to working with the community on important public land management issues.”

A Montana native, James returns to her home state after a four-year stint as the Ukiah Field Office Manager in the BLM’s Central California District.

“Amanda has a strong background in and understanding of our rangeland management and forestry programs, as well as experience managing special and sensitive public lands highly valued by the American public,” said Western Montana BLM District Manager Katie Stevens. “She has a real aptitude for collaborative, partnership-focused public lands management. For all these reasons, she’s a great fit as the next Dillon Field Manager.”

James has worked for the BLM for more than two decades, previously serving as the manager of the BLM’s Agua Fria National Monument near Phoenix, Ariz. Among her other positions in the Bureau, she has worked as a natural resource specialist in Montana for the Missoula and Miles City field offices, where she began her federal career. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana in 2000.

The Dillon Field Office manages more than 900,000 acres of public lands and 1.3 million acres of mineral estate within Madison and Beaverhead counties.


The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.