Tongass National Forest

Tongass Home » Newsroom » News Releases

Former Petersburg Resident Named Head of Forest Service

Contact: Merrily Jones, 907-772-3841

Petersburg, Alaska, January 12 - Abigail Kimbell, formerly Forest Supervisor of the Stikine Area of the Tongass National Forest, was named the 16th Chief of the Forest Service in an announcement today. She will succeed Dale Bosworth when he retires February 2 and will be the first woman to hold the position.

Kimbell led the Stikine Area from 1992 through 1997, living and working in Petersburg. Her husband, Ed Stryker, an engineer and pilot, flew with a local charter company. Her tenure here saw the development and finalizing of the current Tongass Land Management Plan.

After leaving Petersburg, she served as Forest Supervisor in Wyoming and Colorado and spent time in Washington as Associate Deputy Chief for the National Forest System, where she worked in developing the Healthy Forest Reforestation Initiative.

Gail will be leaving her current position as Regional Forester for the Northern Region, which encompasses northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and northwestern South Dakota. As Forest Service Chief, she will oversee an organization of over 30,000 employees and a budget of just over $4 billion.

Kimbell brings to her new job experience at district, forest and regional levels and across the West. She also brings with her a first-hand knowledge of life in Alaska.