ARCADIA, Calif. — On Wednesday, Jerry Perez officially reported to the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, where he will serve as the new Forest Supervisor, replacing Jeff Vail, who accepted the position of deputy director for Recreation, Heritage and Volunteer Resources in the Forest Service’s Washington Office.

“I am excited to be here and meet the Angeles National Forest employees, volunteers, and partners,” stated Supervisor Perez. “What this forest means to the communities of greater Los Angeles that rely on it for recreation, water, and so many other resources is an enormous responsibility and one I look forward to embracing and advancing in the months and years ahead.”

Jerry served as the BLM State Director for California from January 2016 until now. Previously he served as the State Director for BLM in Oregon and Washington and as the Deputy Regional Forester of the U.S. Forest Service’s Intermountain Region. His previous positions with the Forest Service include Forest Supervisor of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky, Deputy Forest Supervisor of the Stanislaus National Forest in California, and National Litigation Coordinator in Washington, D.C. He has served as a Brookings Institution Fellow in the U.S. Senate and with the Peace Corps in Ghana. Jerry started his natural resources career in the Student Conservation Association.

A native of Hopewell Junction, NY, he holds a Juris Doctor degree from The Catholic University of America and a Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources Management from West Virginia University.