Desiree Edwards, '23 BS

My name is Desiree Edwards, and I am a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe. I was raised on and continue to live on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, a place that means a great deal to me. The land, forests, and traditions of my community have always been an important part of my life, and today I have the opportunity to help protect those same lands through my work in wildland fire and GIS.

I graduated from Arizona State University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Geographic Information Science through ASU Online. During my senior year fall semester, I began an internship and as a part of my degree I started an internship with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Fort Apache Agency in Fire Management. My journey with the agency began when I started working with the Fort Apache Agency Forestry Department assisting with presales. Soon after, I transitioned to the Fire Management where I supported the fuels program by creating maps for prescribed burns and assisting wildland fire personnel with GIS products used for planning and operations.

What helped prepare me for this role was my experience through the BIA Pathways Program. During 2021-2022, I worked remotely with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Geospatial Support, collaborating with GIS analysts and contributing to projects across Indian Country. Working with different tribes and landscapes helped me understand how GIS can support land management and decision-making in Indigenous communities.

After graduating from ASU in the spring of 2023, I continued working with Fort Apache Fire Management as a Pathways intern. I began training as a Geographic Information Systems Specialist (GISS) on wildland fire incidents, and my first fire assignment took place on my own reservation. That experience was especially meaningful to me because I was able to support fire operations that protect the land and community I grew up in. 

I continued developing my incident qualifications by training as a GISS trainee with the White Mountain Zone Incident Management Team which is a structured team mobilized to provide command, coordination & operational management during complex emergencies like an wildland fire incident. With the BIA Pathways Program, my position was converted from student trainee to permanent GIS Specialist in September 2023. 4 months after graduation I was a full-time permanent federal employee. 

Today, I am proud to support wildland fire management and prescribed fire operations that help maintain the health of our forests and reduce wildfire risk. Being able to use GIS to support the protection of our lands and community is something I care deeply about. My educational journey through ASU helped prepare me for this career, and I am grateful for the opportunity to apply what I learned to serve my community and the lands of the White Mountain Apache Tribe.