Gov. Tina Kotek has chosen Oregon’s next top forestry executive.

If approved by the state Senate, Kacey KC would be the first woman to permanently lead the Oregon Department of Forestry.

KC has worked in forestry for more than two decades, most recently as the boss of the Nevada Division of Forestry. She was tapped as the President of the National Association of State Foresters in 2023.

“While I am not from Oregon, my experience at both the national and state level equips me to deepen key relationships while leading and supporting the strong work and mission of the Department,” KC said in a statement Thursday.

Kotek tapped KC for the job after state forester Cal Mukumoto resigned in January 2025 amid rising wildfire costs and controversy over multiple workplace conduct investigations into state employees. Kate Skinner, a longtime Tillamook district forester, served as the interim forester after Mukumoto’s resignation.

KC would lead an agency that manages 745,000 acres of Oregon forestland, including by helping fight wildfires. The agency is also responsible for implementing rules that seek to balance the state’s logging interests with the protection of vulnerable species.

“KC brings tenacity and a get-it-done style to her management approach and knows how to build strong partnerships across all levels of government to tackle complex challenges,” Kotek said.

The Senate Committee on Rules will take up KC’s appointment during the February legislative session.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/01/22/oregon-governor-tina-kotek-selects-new-forestry-director/