Greater Sacramento
I am an environmental and cultural resources professional with nearly two decades of experience leading complex environmental review, compliance, and stewardship efforts. I am particularly interested in leadership roles that strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, improve public-sector decision-making, and advance thoughtful stewardship of public lands and cultural heritage. Since 2006, I have served in cultural resources and environmental program management roles, coordinating across agencies, Tribes, consultants, and leadership on technically complex and often high-stakes projects. I bring deep experience with NHPA, ARPA, NAGPRA, NEPA, and CEQA, along with a reputation for sound judgment, strategic coordination, and clear communication in challenging regulatory and intergovernmental environments. In addition to preparing and peer reviewing numerous technical and professional reports, I have published peer-reviewed articles, presented at regional and national conferences, delivered public lectures, and received professional recognition for my work. My broader interdisciplinary background includes cultural and natural resources, air and water quality, hazardous materials and waste, storage tank compliance, and toxics management.
Provides National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 compliance support, using the 36 CFR 800 implementing regulations, the BLM California State Protocol, or the DRECP PA, on large, complex land use and development actions involving multiple field offices in the California Desert District or multiple states. This includes determining survey needs, reviewing reports and other documents submitted by contractors, making findings and eligibility determinations, leading consultation efforts and writing the consultation agreements. Develops cultural resource portions of major long-range planning documents and controversial decisions affecting overall long‐range management of cultural resources. Makes recommendations to management, ensuring that program activities are consistent with all applicable laws, regulations, national policies and priorities. Serves as the BLM CDD Section 106 Lead for seven BLM California priority projects including: SCE Ivanpah to Control Transmission Line Rating Remediation Project, Castle Mountain Mine Phase 2 Expansion Project, and five Middle Mile Broadband Initiative projects (CACA106709787 D10/A11; CACA106367578 1P179 - Baker to Primm. Span 9, Bugsy 2B-2; CACA106366255 1P174 - Roadrunner Ludlow to Goffs Rd. EP184, Span 4; CACA106366354 1P175 - Goffs Rd. to Needles Span 5; and CACA106367595 1P176 - Roadrunner Needles to Vidal Jct Span 6). She's also providing reachback support for the Needles Field Office covering their archaeologist position while the position is vacant. Landscape-level conservation planning efforts include leading Section 106 consultations with 50 Tribes for the development of the DRECP PA* Appendix F (Cultural Resources Predictive Model-draft), Appendix G (Compensatory Mitigation Fee for Cumulative Effects, final completed in January 2025), and related Landscape Study Plan (draft). *Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) Section 106 Programmatic Agreement (PA)
This remote position was located in BLM Headquarters, Directorate of National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships, Division of Education, Cultural and Paleontological Resources (HQ420). Ms. Garcia-Herbst provided technical direction and advice on all aspects of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and the treatment of NAGPRA materials. Ensured that supporting documentation, public notification, and consultation take place with federally recognized Tribes regarding the cultural affiliation and repatriation of human remains and affiliated materials. Conceives, develops, coordinates, and presents national level leadership in implementing NAGPRA rules, policies and guidance. Conducted or facilitated training, lectures, and other instructional assignments related to museum collections management and NAGPRA compliance at BLM/DOI offices and at professional conferences and events. Provided authoritative knowledge of the Federal and State laws, regulations, and policies relevant to NAGPRA and museum collections management. Provided authoritative professional and technical direction to BLM State, District, and Field Offices in evaluating and planning for the appropriate use, exhibition, interpretation, management, documentation, and storage of museum collections. Authored BLM IM 2025-029, coordinating the NAGPRA with Section 106 of the NHPA for Energy Projects advancing Secretarial Orders 3417 and 3418. Served on the Federal NAGPRA Network steering committee that plans and hosts sessions on topics relevant to Federal agency staff working in repatriation and NAGPRA compliance. Also served on the DOI NAGPRA Coordinators Committee that determines which compliance metrics are tracked and reported on by DOI bureaus to the Secretary of the Interior.
Temporary 120+ day supervisory detail managing the SCE O&M Master Agreement support team and GIS team. Monitored the program budget, developed short- and long-range program plans, goals, objectives, and milestones, and assisted with the hiring process for two new staff members. Coordinated and aided BLM Field offices in their development of environmental analyses and decision making.
Owner of an environmental conservation and compliance woman- and minority-owned small business enterprise (DBE, SBE & WMBE). As the sole owner of the company, Ms. Garcia-Herbst's duties include setting policy for company direction/scope of operations; bidding and estimating; major purchasing decisions; marketing and sales; supervising and conducting field operations; attending bid openings and lettings; performing office management (billing, accounts receivable/payable, etc.); hiring and firing management staff, as well as field staff or crew; designating profits spending or investment; obligating the business by contract/credit; purchasing equipment; and signing business checks.
As a civilian employee, served as Station Environmental Program Manager advising leadership on all issues related to conservation (cultural resources and natural resources) and compliance (air quality, water quality, hazardous material, hazardous and universal waste, aboveground and underground storage tanks, and toxics [polychlorinated biphenyls, asbestos, and lead-based paint]). Made sure that programs and projects are in compliance with federal environmental laws and regulations, as well as USAF instructions and manuals, by reviewing project designs and specifications at 35, 60 and 100 percent and providing comments. Planned, coordinated and implemented the station’s annual and multi-year management documents (ICRMP, INRMP, AMOP, ISWMP & QRP) updates. Scoped and created Government Estimates (GE) for programming to cover environmental programming and compliance gaps. Served as the Station’s NEPA Program Manager processing NEPA requests for environmental review and led environmental program task management. Supported Air Forces’s Installation Restoration Program for CERCLA remediation projects on Station by reviewing technical documents and answering community member questions related to non-CERCLA issues at Restoration Advisory Board meetings. Created first Bellows AFS Commander’s “Environmental Policy Statement”. Created a public-facing Air Force Public Notices web page where general information about environmental conservation and compliance is posted, as well as project specific public notices. Assisted the Commander in appointing Unit Environmental Coordinators (UEC) and HazMat Monitors, their training and support. Represented Air Force Environmental Program in several high visibility events, including state and US Congressional Distinguished Visitor facility tours covering complex, sensitive public land tenure concerns. Created first installation wide Section 106 Programmatic Agreement and NAGPRA Comprehensive Agreement as well as coordinated two reburials.
Recruited to serve as a civilian employee installation Cultural Resource Manager advising installation senior leadership on all historic preservation reporting, issues, consultations, and outreach. Ensured the preservation and management of historic properties in accordance with legislation, regulations, and accepted theories, practices, and principles of history and anthropology. Served as installation Curator maintaining pre-historic and historic-period collections according to 36 CFR 79 requirements. Made sure that programs and projects were in compliance with federal laws and regulations, as well as USMC orders and directives, by reviewing project designs at 35, 60 and 100 percent and providing comments; conducting historical research and composing Section 106 consultation letters to the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO); reviewing testing and archaeological monitoring plans (AMP), and technical reports; and preparing/presenting PA reports at annual meeting with historic partners. Conducted historical research for installation leadership on broad topics, and provided expertise in locating, inventorying, evaluating, and protecting historic properties. Planned, coordinated and implemented the installation multi-year ICRMP major update, including developing specifications for climate adaptation and resilience planning. Assisted with scoping and creating GEs for programming to cover data gaps identified in ICRMP recommendations. Maintained records of compliance efforts for each MILCON, M2R2 and other projects by maintaining NEPA request for environmental review records, internal Section 106 tracking log, SHPO correspondence, AMP tracking logs, and tracking all historic preservation tasks in MS Teams. Assisted the NEPA Program Manager with processing NEPA requests for environmental review, environmental program task management, research for training requirements, Facility Impact Report environmental reviews, and environmental documents.
As a civilian employee, assisted in the preservation and management of historic properties in accordance with legislation, regulations, and accepted theories, practices, and principles of the history and anthropology. Duties included providing expertise in locating, inventorying, evaluating, and protecting historic properties. Ensured programs and projects were in compliance with federal laws and regulations, as well as Army regulations and directives. Maintained records of compliance efforts including general information and specific information for each project. Planned, coordinated, completed and implemented the installation multi-year ICRMP major update.