Governor’s Office introduces Stacia Berry as nominee for State Lands director

The Agriculture, State & Public Lands & Water Resources Committee heard from Governor Gordon’s office on the nomination of Stacia Berry to lead the Office of State Lands and Investments. Randall Luthy, policy director for Governor Gordon, introduced Berry and described the qualities the governor sought in the position.

Luthy said, “My name is Randall Luthy. I'm policy director for Governor Gordon,” and described the job as requiring “someone that's got to understand the agricultural industry” and “knowledge of Wyoming communities” and experience with land leases, oil and gas, and grants administered through the State Loan and Investment Board. He concluded, “So once again, it's my pleasure to introduce you to Stacia Berry.”

Berry told the committee she is a “fourth generation Wyomingite” whose family homesteaded near Cheyenne in 1910 and said her upbringing and years in 4‑H and FFA shaped her perspective. She described her academic background, noting a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Wyoming and a master’s degree from Colorado State University, and said she later attended law school and practiced water and natural resource law.

Berry said she previously served as deputy director at the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and worked on the state hemp program and an ARPA‑funded Wyoming meat processing expansion grant. She said she currently practices at the Cook Law Firm and continues to handle water law matters. “I was invited to serve as the deputy director at the department of agriculture… where it provided me a peek behind the curtain,” she told the committee.

Committee members asked how she would work with the agricultural community and with federal partners. Berry said relationships are central: “Fostering an open door that says, send us your feedback. Let's have a conversation.” On federal agencies she said, “Sometimes it feels like a dictatorship. Sometimes it feels like we're not being heard,” but added she would work on collaboration and watch for changes in federal leadership that could alter relationships.

Berry also said, when asked about a recent Supreme Court ruling and its tax implications for state lands, that the appropriate path would be to follow the court’s interpretation and the legislature’s response. “As a member of the executive branch, I'm prepared to take the interpretations of the court and the law of the legislature and try and implement them as correctly as possible,” she said.

Berry summarized three priorities she discussed with the Appropriations Committee: “customer service, collaboration and common sense.” Committee members thanked her for appearing; there was no formal vote on the nomination recorded in the committee transcript.

If confirmed by the full Senate, Berry would oversee the State Lands office and interact with the State Loan and Investment Board on grants and land management issues.