Deputy Forest Supervisor Chris Stubbs will serve as interim forest supervisor until a permanent replacement is selected for Kevin Elliott, who retired Oct. 30 following a 43-year career with the agency, Los Padres National Forest officials have announced. Stubbs accepted the position of Los Padres deputy forest supervisor in October 2019.

A native of Virginia, Stubbs holds a BA in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and a master of science in forestry with a concentration in outdoor recreation planning from Virginia Tech. He began his federal land management career in 1992 with the Bureau of Land Management and later worked for the National Park Service prior to his arrival on the forest.

“I am thrilled to serve in this interim role and work alongside the dedicated Los Padres employees who work each day on behalf of the American people,” said Stubbs, who lives in Santa Barbara.

A new permanent forest supervisor will likely be announced early next year.

For more information on Los Padres National Forest, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf.