Eastern Regional Forester Gina Owens has announced the selection of Shannon Rische as the forest supervisor for the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where she has served as acting forest supervisor since January 2023.
“Shannon is an excellent fit for the collaborative work that lies ahead,” Owens said. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her new position and will continue to provide valuable leadership and dedication.”
Shannon started her Forest Service career as a civil engineer, then spent eight years as the Forest Engineer on the Huron-Manistee National Forests before moving into a Staff Officer position for nine years on the same unit. Then in 2021, she accepted the Deputy Forest Supervisor position on the Superior National Forest in Duluth.
“As acting forest supervisor on the Hiawatha, I have been impressed with the forest’s staff – including their dedication to the overarching vision that guides our work. I’m really excited to continue working with the employees, ecosystems, and communities of the Hiawatha National Forest,” said Ms. Rische.
Shannon earned a B.S.E. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from University of Michigan, and a B.S. in Surveying from Michigan Technological University.
Rische began her permanent role at the Hiawatha National Forest’s headquarters office in Gladstone, Michigan, on June 4, 2023, following several months of serving as the Hiawatha’s Acting Forest Supervisor.
Former Forest Supervisor Mary Moore (who served as Hiawatha Forest Supervisor from 2021-2023) has accepted a new Forest Service leadership position focused on oversight and improvement of onboarding processes for new Forest Service employees.
Hiawatha National Forest includes five districts managed at Ranger District offices in Munising, Rapid River-Manistique and St. Ignace-Sault Ste. Marie. For more information about the Hiawatha National Forest, visit our webpage http://www.fs.usda.gov/hiawatha.
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