Howard Gross
Assistant Commissioner for Surface Resources
Howard Gross has spent the last 30 years immersed in Western natural resources and public lands work. He has a diverse background including field research related to hydrology and aquatic resources, natural resource management and policy, wildlife monitoring, outdoor recreation, organizational leadership, philanthropy, collaboration, and communications.
Howard has lived in New Mexico since 2006. Before coming to the State Land Office, he worked for nearly 10 years as a Senior Program Manager at the Western Conservation Foundation, which works to build leaders for the West’s land, air, and water. Prior to that, Howard served
as the Executive Director of the Forest Stewards Guild, a national professional membership organization that promotes Excellent Forestry. He also spent four years representing the National Parks Conservation Association in the California Desert, working with desert community leaders and stakeholders.
Howard also spent 11 years in Utah where he worked as the Executive Director of HawkWatch International, an organization that monitors and protects birds of prey and their habitats, and also as an ecologist for SWCA Environmental Consultants, primarily managing Great Salt Lake wetland mitigation, enhancement, and planning projects.
Howard received an M.S. in Watershed Science from Utah State University in 1995 and a B.S. in Mathematical Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1984. He is the lead author or co-author of 13 peer-reviewed journal articles and has presented at scientific conferences on a wide range of topics.
Dana Strang, Director for Surface Resources
Dana has served as the Assistant Division Director over the southeast part of New Mexico since January 2014 and served in several State Land Office positions between 2001 and 2008.
Strang has over a decade of experience managing staff in a variety of natural resource and educational experiences both at the State Land Office and beyond, including Audubon New Mexico. “It is a privilege to work for the New Mexico State Land Office and I am very appreciative of the opportunity to lead the Field Operations Division and work with Commissioner Dunn. The staff of the Field Operations Division works very hard for the beneficiaries, and as Director, I look forward to building on the successes of this amazing team,” said Strang.
Dana grew up on a ranch in Glenwood, NM and graduated from the University of New Mexico. She enjoys mountain biking and rock climbing. She is an avid bird watcher and can recognize many Santa Fe resident birds. She loves camping with her family, husband Ed and son Nate.
