Los Padres National Forest officials Friday announced the selection of Douglas Dodge as its new Santa Barbara District ranger.
Dodge is currently the district ranger of the Harlowton District of the Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana. On Aug. 3, Dodge will replace John Bridgwater, who has overseen the Santa Barbara District since the departure of Cindy Chojnacky last year.
Also Friday, Los Padres officials announced that Sherry Tune has been named Monterey District ranger. She serves as Santa Catalina deputy district ranger on the Coronado National Forest in southeast Arizona.
She will assume her new position July 20 and replace John Bradford, who is retiring after 31 years of federal service.
“Doug brings a wealth of experience from his years as a manager with the Bureau of Land Management and more recently in his five years as a district ranger with the U.S. Forest Service,” Los Padres Forest Supervisor Peggy Hernandez said. “His work as an outdoor recreation planner will serve him well in his new role as Santa Barbara District ranger.”
During his nearly 27-year career in federal service, Dodge held a number of positions with the BLM, including assistant field manager, archaeologist and outdoor recreation planner, before joining the U.S. Forest Service more than five years ago as the Harlowton District ranger.
“I am looking forward to joining the Los Padres and working with the people of Santa Barbara and the many visitors who come each year to enjoy these stunning public lands,” Dodge said.
Dodge earned a degree in history from UC Davis and did post-graduate work in anthropology at the University of Utah. He also has a strong background in human resources and plays an active role in mentoring employees under his supervision.
“One of my greatest pleasures at work is helping my employees grow and advance in their careers,” he said. “Mentoring and coaching people is rewarding to me.”
Dodge comes to the Los Padres with his wife, Leslie, and two daughters, Sarah, a recent graduate of Montana State University, and Gwen, a sophomore at MSU.
— Joe Pasinato is a spokesman for the Los Padres National Forest.