Vicki Christiansen

Vicki Christiansen served as the 19th Chief of the Forest Service before retiring in 2021. Her career began as a forester and wildland firefighter and spanned more than forty years. In this conversation, Christiansen will reflect on her career and the major changes in forest management over the past several decades, as well as how her experiences have shaped her perspective on the future of forestry.

Speaker Biography

Vicki Christiansen – 19th Chief, United States Forest Service

Vicki Christiansen retired in 2021 as the 19th Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.  Leading a workforce of about 30,000 employees who work to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands for the benefit of current and future generations. Over her 40-year career, she accumulated a wealth of experience in natural resource and wildland fire management. As USFS Chief, Christiansen led agency efforts to improve the conditions of America’s forests and grasslands by modernizing how the Forest Service delivers landscape conservation through shared stewardship with local, state, and national partners and tribes. Christiansen’s focus on relationships inside and outside the agency is reflected in the Forest Service’s dedication to caring for the land, communities, and the people they serve. Christiansen joined the Forest Service in 2010 as the Deputy Director of Fire and Aviation Management. Prior to serving as Chief, she was Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry overseeing Forest Service wildland fire and working with partners to sustain the health and productivity of non-federal forest lands. Prior to joining the Forest Service, she was the Arizona State Forester and director of the Arizona Division of Forestry. Christiansen also served as the Washington State Forester, where she had a 26-year career with Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). She started as a wildland firefighter while still in college. She held many different positions at Washington DNR, with a strong emphasis in operations, managing state trust and aquatic lands, and regulating forest practices on state and private lands. In her first permanent position as a forester, she was responsible for the reforestation of state trust lands in the Mt. Saint Helens' blast zone. Christiansen has a Bachelor of Science in forest management from the University of Washington (cum laude 1983).

In retirement Christiansen serves on the Board of the American Forest Foundation and the Forest History Society.  She was also appointed by Governor Inslee to the Puget Sound Restoration Partnership Leadership Council.