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Contact: Mike Gauthier, 760-252-6103
BARSTOW, Calif. – Mojave National Preserve Superintendent Mike Gauthier announced the selection of Debra Hughson as Deputy Superintendent of Mojave National Preserve and Castle Mountains National Monument in California. Debra will become the fourth Deputy Superintendent at the preserve and the first for the monument.Debra started at the preserve in 2001, first as Science Advisor and then for the past nine years as Chief of Science and Resource Stewardship. Prior to joining the National Park Service, Debra was a Senior Research Scientist at the Southwest Research Institute Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses where she was involved in the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository project. Debra received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology at Arizona State University, a master's degree in Hydrogeology at San Diego State University, and a Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Science with a dissertation in Hydrology at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Debra has a strong interest in science, biodiversity, conservation, and endangered species protection. She has also served as the preserve’s acting deputy superintendent and superintendent and is respected for her ability to work cross divisionally and lead staff in the field.
“I've had a love for the Mojave Desert since early childhood,” said Hughson. “The preserve and monument offer some of the most important habitat for conservation in the California Deserts, especially since they are surrounded by wilderness and new national monuments managed by the Bureau of Land Management. I look forward to working with the BLM, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, other agencies and NGOs to ensure these ecosystems remain intact."
Debra starts her new assignment in July.
Last updated: July 11, 2023