New BLM Montana-Dakotas Associate State Director on Board
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Kate Kitchell is the new associate state director of the Montana/Dakotas Bureau of Land Management. She replaces Howard Lemm, who retired in July 2010.Kitchell began her federal career in 1975 with the National Park Service and joined the BLM in 1989 in Colorado. She's held BLM management positions in Colorado, Utah, and Idaho in field and state offices. In 2005, she moved to the U.S. Geological Survey where she was most recently director of the Southwest Biological Science Center in Flagstaff. Kitchell has natural resources degrees from the University of New Hampshire (B.S.) and Utah State University (M.S.).According to Montana/Dakotas State Director Jamie Connell, "Kate's lifelong passion for the outdoors and public natural resources stewardship, in addition to her leadership experience, make her an excellent choice to help guide our three-state organization."Kate and her husband, Mike Eldred, enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities.
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.