NEWS RELEASE

Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands

2113 Osuna Road NE

Albuquerque, NM 87113

(505) 346-3900

www.fs.usda.gov/cibola

www.facebook.com/cibolanf

twitter.com/cibola_nf

Leadership Announcements for the

Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands  

Albuquerque, NM – January 15, 2025 – The Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands (NF&NGs) is excited to welcome the following individuals to our forest leadership team. In their leadership roles, they will be responsible for the overall management of the unit they are assigned to, including oversite of recreation, timber, fire, and other land management activities. Along with leading personnel, they will also serve as liaisons with community members, local leaders, and elected officials.

Ken Born, District Ranger - Sandia Ranger District, Tijeras NM

Ken Born comes to the Sandia Ranger District from the US Forest Service’s Southwestern Regional Office in Albuquerque where he has worked since 2018, primarily as the region’s Recreation Special Uses Program Manager. In this role, he supported administration of commercial permits which authorize ski areas, resorts, marinas, outfitters and guides, and recreation events on National Forest System lands. He has more than 15 years of federal service and has also served in local government, spending his early career working as land use planner. He began his time with the Forest Service as the Forest Planner for the Tonto National Forest in Phoenix, AZ and has been a District Ranger previously on the Coronado National Forest near Tucson, from 2015-18. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in environmental planning from Northern Arizona University, and a Master of Arts degree in public policy from Stony Brook University.

Ken follows Sandia District Ranger Crystal Powell who has accepted a position as the Regional Developed Recreation Program Manager for the US Forest Service Southwestern Region. Prior to the selection of the permanent District Ranger, the Sandia Ranger District was led by Acting District Ranger Amanda Ginithan who has accepted a position as the Lincoln NF Deputy Forest Supervisor.

Shawn Martin, District Ranger - Mountainair Ranger District, Mountainair NM

Shawn is a graduate of Humboldt State University in 1992 with a degree in Forestry. Shawn worked 6 years for the Intermountain/Rocky Mountain Research Station collecting Forest Inventory Data in all 4 corners states. He worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in UT and AZ for 8 years and became a certified Silviculturist in 2004. Shawn returned to the Forest Service in 2005 and served as a District Silviculturist on the Uinta NF & Coconino NF&NGs. In 2014 he started as the Forest Silviculturist on the Cibola NF&NG. Shawn served in detail positions as a Deputy District Ranger on the Flagstaff RD and District Ranger on the Lakeview/Bly RDs on the Fremont-Winema NF.

Shawn follows the retirement of Mountainair District Ranger Ernie Taylor. Prior to the selection of the permanent District Ranger, the Mountainair Ranger District was led by Acting District Ranger Christian Larson who has accepted a position with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The staff wishes to extend their gratitude to Crystal Powell, Ernie Taylor, Amanda Ginithan and Christian Larson for their leadership commitment and exemplary service to the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands.

Cibola NF & NGs District Leadership: https://www.fs.usda.gov/contactus/cibola/about-forest/contactus