Bureau of Land Management Names New Deputy State Director for Energy and Minerals for Nevada
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RENO, Nev. – Justin Abernathy has been named the Deputy State Director for Energy and Minerals for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Nevada. He replaces Brian Amme who retired in 2020.
“We welcome Justin back to Nevada and look forward to him leading the Division of Energy and Minerals into the future,” said State Director Jon Raby. “His professional and high-level experience in both the Federal Government and private sector, coupled with his leadership, knowledge and skills, make him a valuable addition to the BLM Nevada team.”
Abernathy received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Indiana University in 2004, and a Juris Doctor degree from Michigan State University College of Law in 2007. While pursuing his undergraduate and law degrees, he worked as an intern for a U.S. Senator and as a legal intern for a county prosecutor. After graduating from law school he worked as a contracted attorney for the Huron Consulting Group in Houston, TX, focusing primarily on energy and natural resources law. In 2010, Justin began his federal career as a land law examiner with the BLM Nevada State Office (NVSO) and he subsequently served in a variety of supervisory and managerial positions within the NVSO Minerals Division. After leaving Nevada, he served in various management and program leadership roles with the BLM in Utah and Colorado. In 2017, he moved to Washington D.C. to join BLM headquarters where he served as the senior policy analyst in the Energy, Minerals, and Realty Management Directorate, before becoming the Deputy Director for Policy for the Office of the Executive Secretariat and Regulatory Affairs within the Office of the Secretary for the U.S. Department of the Interior.
“I’m thrilled to be back with the BLM family and in Nevada,” said Abernathy. “I’m very grateful and excited for this opportunity to join and work with BLM Nevada’s incredible team and all of our partners as we continue to develop and implement innovative ways for managing Nevada’s public lands, energy, mineral and natural resources to benefit current and future generations of Nevadans and the Nation.”
Justin and his wife Khristine (“Khrissy”), their two-year-old daughter Abigail (“Abby”), German shepherd dog “Jafar” and two cats, “Jasmine” and “Rajah,” recently completed their relocation from the Washington, DC area to Reno, NV. Justin enjoys participating in various sports and outdoor activities with his family and friends and is an avid skier.
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The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.