Troy Waskey, who has been district ranger for the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia since 2013, will start his new job on June 8. Waskey will take over from Mike Wilkins, who announced in July 2019 that he would retire after 29 years in the post. 

Like Wilkins, Waskey is a graduate of Virginia Tech, holding a degree in natural resources recreation and forestry from the school as well as a master’s in outdoor recreation management from Arizona State University. He grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and has worked at U.S. Forest Service properties in New Hampshire, Maine, Arizona, New Mexico and West Virginia. 

“Western North Carolina is a special place for me,” said Waskey. “It’s where I cut my teeth as an outdoor recreation enthusiast, trained as a wilderness first responder and worked with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.”