The Public Lands Foundation (PLF) grants Elaine Zielinski its Lifetime Service Award for excellence in public land management.  The Foundation provides this award to deserving members who have perpetuated and enhanced the proud tradition of public service.  Elaine, you have exemplified that tradition through a lifetime of service in managing and protecting America’s National System of Public Lands.

Your education included a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado in Denver.

Your Federal career experiences spanned 36 years, of which 32 years were with the Bureau of Land Management.  This career all started with employment in the General Services Administration and then on to a planning and environmental coordination position in the BLM’s Colorado State Office.  The legacy began, and many milestones followed that recognized your performance and leadership as acknowledged by such assignments as State Director in two widely diverse locations—Oregon/Washington and Arizona. As a graduate of the Department of the Interior’s Management Development Program, you served 16 years in the Senior Executive Service.

Upon retirement, you continued your support of the Nation’s National System of Public Lands as a volunteer and Chair of the Public Lands Foundation’s History Committee and served as General Manager of two major events commemorating the 200^th anniversary of the establishment of the General Land Office and the 150^th anniversary of the Homestead Act in 2012. Your vision and foresight were most significant in assuring the success of these commemoration events.

Your dedication to public service is reflected in the two Presidential Rank Awards, the Department of the Interior’s Meritorious Service Award and the numerous performance awards you received throughout your career.  Through a career of tireless work and perseverance, you have contributed solidly to natural resource policy and programs and influenced the next generation of leaders.

The Public Lands Foundation is honored to recognize you with this Lifetime Service Award.