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John Waconda Regional Forester, Southwest Region |
John Waconda (Isleta/Laguna Pueblos), tribal member of Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico, was raised on the Isleta reservation and graduated from New Mexico State University in 1985 with a B.S. degree in Natural Resource Economics. He later graduated from Colorado State University in 1992, with a Master's of Forestry degree obtained through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, "Bridge to Profession" training program. Currently, John is employed as the BIA Southwest Regional Forester. He previously was the Regional Woodland Management Forester between the years 1994 to 1996. Other relevant Bureau forestry experience includes work in forest development at the Northern Pueblos Agency and fire management staff positions with the Southern Pueblos Agency. He also worked on tribal economic development projects dealing with agricultural enterprises for several Pueblo tribes in New Mexico.
John currently is an associate member of the Intertribal Timber Council, member of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society, and Society of American Foresters. He also serves as a member of the New Mexico State Forest Stewardship Program Coordinating Committee, Four Corners Sustainable Forestry Initiative Coordination and Steering Committees, and the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Health Plan Steering Committee.
