CELEBRATING 37 YEARS
Michelle Reugebrink has worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 37 years and she is moving to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as part of the faculty of the HR Solutions, Federal Executive Institute, to support the development of Mindful FED and coaching.
Michelle started working for the USFS under a program called Golden Sierra in 1987 for the summers on the Tahoe in 1987 in Sierraville on Engine 631. The week she graduated from Loyalton High School in 1989, she was doing fire training (Basic 32) and from there, she calls it “off to the races.”
She and husband, Bob, who is Road Manager, COR, ER on the Tahoe, have two grown sons.
In 1994 she worked on the Redding Interagency Hotshot crew fighting the fire at Storm King Mountain and were missing in action on that terrible day. When she returned to the Tahoe after the Hotshots she worked for Timber and Silviculture making maps, laying out units and GPSing, while still providing fire support. After the birth of her second son in 1998, Michelle took on the Captain 6 (Sierraville hand crew) position for several years.She attended college in the fall and winter months and got her degree in Fire Science. Her second week on the job for Office of Personnel Management she went to the Federal Executive Institute, 1301 Emmet Street N., Charlottesville, VA.
Husband, Bob, told how she “loved fire,” and was “surprised when she decided to take a detail as the Tahoe Forest Safety Officer. She did such a good job she ultimately ended up in that position permanently.
“Serving in that position she acquired the skills, knowledge and training to become a Chief Accident Investigator for serious accidents and fatalities. She carried all those skills and duties onto the Region when she left the Tahoe for the Regional Safety Officer position in Vallejo in 2008. She served the Region well in that position and was doing accident investigation across the nation at that time.
“After setting up the Region up for success in the Safety arena, she accepted a position at the Washington, D.C. Office in 2018 and continued to create new and exciting programs for the Forest Service, one of which was her offerings for Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, which is what brought OPM to come knocking on her door.
“Michelle has taken an opportunity to expand her endeavors to a broader audience and accepted a position with the Office of Personnel Management. She will now have the opportunity to spread her knowledge, skills and talents to all Federal Agencies. She has been asked to start up a new program called Mindful Fed.”
Michelle has had a long successful career at the Forest Service and has made it a priority to help support Forest Service employees’ well-being for many years. She spearheaded many significant changes within the Forest Service that will positively impact future employee for years to come.
Michelle’s career was celebrated on November 8 from 3-4:30pm EST. Friends are encouraged to sign the kudoboard or virtual card. For more information, please contact Dixie Porter at [email protected]
Michelle Reugebrink has worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 37 years and she is moving to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as part of the faculty of the HR Solutions, Federal Executive Institute, to support the development of Mindful FED and coaching.
Michelle started working for the USFS under a program called Golden Sierra in 1987 for the summers on the Tahoe in 1987 in Sierraville on Engine 631. The week she graduated from Loyalton High School in 1989, she was doing fire training (Basic 32) and from there, she calls it “off to the races.”
She and husband, Bob, who is Road Manager, COR, ER on the Tahoe, have two grown sons.
In 1994 she worked on the Redding Interagency Hotshot crew fighting the fire at Storm King Mountain and were missing in action on that terrible day. When she returned to the Tahoe after the Hotshots she worked for Timber and Silviculture making maps, laying out units and GPSing, while still providing fire support. After the birth of her second son in 1998, Michelle took on the Captain 6 (Sierraville hand crew) position for several years.She attended college in the fall and winter months and got her degree in Fire Science. Her second week on the job for Office of Personnel Management she went to the Federal Executive Institute, 1301 Emmet Street N., Charlottesville, VA.
Husband, Bob, told how she “loved fire,” and was “surprised when she decided to take a detail as the Tahoe Forest Safety Officer. She did such a good job she ultimately ended up in that position permanently.
“Serving in that position she acquired the skills, knowledge and training to become a Chief Accident Investigator for serious accidents and fatalities. She carried all those skills and duties onto the Region when she left the Tahoe for the Regional Safety Officer position in Vallejo in 2008. She served the Region well in that position and was doing accident investigation across the nation at that time.
“After setting up the Region up for success in the Safety arena, she accepted a position at the Washington, D.C. Office in 2018 and continued to create new and exciting programs for the Forest Service, one of which was her offerings for Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, which is what brought OPM to come knocking on her door.
“Michelle has taken an opportunity to expand her endeavors to a broader audience and accepted a position with the Office of Personnel Management. She will now have the opportunity to spread her knowledge, skills and talents to all Federal Agencies. She has been asked to start up a new program called Mindful Fed.”
Michelle has had a long successful career at the Forest Service and has made it a priority to help support Forest Service employees’ well-being for many years. She spearheaded many significant changes within the Forest Service that will positively impact future employee for years to come.
Michelle’s career was celebrated on November 8 from 3-4:30pm EST. Friends are encouraged to sign the kudoboard or virtual card. For more information, please contact Dixie Porter at [email protected]