PUBLIC LANDS -- Tinelle Bustam, Public Services Staff Officer on the El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, is heading to Washington to become the Republic District ranger on the Colville National Forest starting June 5.

Bustam, has been with the Forest Service for four years. She has worked in recreation and social services in various capacities both within and outside the Forest Service, forest officials say. 

She has a B.S. degree in wildlife biology from the University of Montana, an M.S. in environmental and outdoor education from the State University of New York at Cortland, and a PhD in natural resource recreation management from the University of Florida.

Bustam succeeds Robert Sanchez, Republic District Ranger from 2011 to 2014. 

Bustam will be joined in Republic by her husband Sean Whitman. Bustam enjoys traveling, whitewater paddling and the outdoors in general.  Bustam has also lived and worked in Puerto Rico and Kenya, as well as having recently visited Aruba, Belize and the U.S. Virgin Islands.