RAMONA CHINN, Deputy State Director for Alaska Lands, has reinvigorated the Alaska Land Transfer Program.  Her fiscal year 2008 accomplishments almost quadrupled typical productivity from 1997-2003 in terms of acres of land transferred to the State of Alaska and Alaska Native Corporations.  More importantly, under Chinn’s leadership, the Division’s productivity has steadily and sustainably grown.  In addition to her land transfer accomplishments, Chinn has integrated Alaska’s lands and realty function into the Division and led BLM’s initial efforts for an Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.

In early 2003, when BLM’s land transfer effort was struggling and meeting only minimal annual goals, the Secretary of the Interior and Congress called for improvements to the transfer program.  Ms. Chinn was tasked to help turn this around.  She was promoted to co-director of the Division of Alaska Lands.  The Division’s productivity almost immediately doubled.  Chinn sustained and built upon this productivity.  She achieved equally impressive results with Native Allotments.  When she became co-director, 3,600 Native Allotment parcels remained to be adjudicated.  Today, less than 800 parcels remain.

In late 2004, Ms. Chinn helped craft the proposed statute that became the Alaska Land Transfer Acceleration Act.  Ms. Chinn was named Deputy State Director in 2004 and charged with implementing this Act.  The results of her leadership are quantifiable.  Ramona Chinn’s work and dedication have rightly earned her the Public Land Foundation’s 2008 Outstanding Public Lands Professional Award in the Managerial/Administrative category.