The Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced several promotions and new staff appointments aimed at strengthening its leadership in policy, energy innovation, and forest health. The changes include Aaron Ray as Director of Policy, Alison Lerch as Assistant Director for Forest Health & Wildfire Mitigation, and Jennifer Walker Graf as Assistant Director for Energy Innovation.
Dan Gibbs, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, commented on the new appointments: “I am proud to welcome new staff and celebrate important promotions to my team at the Department of Natural Resources. I am particularly pleased we have highly qualified candidates to promote from within DNR and to bring on exceptional new staff. These promotions and staff will enable us to meet new challenges, provide better services for Coloradans and forge deeper relationships with key stakeholders to help fulfill our mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources.”
Aaron Ray steps into the role of Director of Policy after previously serving as DNR’s Assistant Director for Energy Innovation. His background includes leading the Energy Program at the National Conference of State Legislatures, working as Deputy Director for Policy in the Colorado Governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting, and serving as a Program Examiner in the White House Office of Management and Budget. He also teaches graduate courses at the University of Denver.
In his new position, Ray will oversee policy areas such as water, parks, wildlife, lands, outdoor recreation, energy, climate issues, forest health initiatives, federal affairs coordination, and tribal relations.
Alison Lerch has been appointed Assistant Director for Forest Health & Wildfire Mitigation after joining DNR in 2021 as Program Administrator for wildfire mitigation efforts. Her experience spans roles with tribal governments, state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and municipal fire departments. Lerch will continue managing programs related to forestry analysis and wildfire risk reduction while supporting shared stewardship projects with other government partners.
Jennifer Walker Graf joins DNR as Assistant Director for Energy Innovation following nearly twenty years in subsurface science and federal energy policy. She previously managed CarbonSAFE investments at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management and held senior technical roles in private industry across North America. In her current role she will advise department leaders on emerging technologies like renewable energy development, geothermal initiatives, carbon management strategies, oil-and-gas operations oversight, and integrated cross-division planning.
The department expects these leadership additions will help advance its mission by providing expert guidance across key resource management areas.
