Melanie Barnes is the State Director for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in New Mexico, where she oversees the management of 13.5 million acres of public lands and 42 million acres of federal mineral estate in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. The BLM New Mexico organization manages a wide variety of resources in addition to the Federal Helium System, including renewable energy, transmission and pipeline rights-of-ways, solid minerals, oil and gas development, native habitats, cultural resources, recreation, wilderness, and national monuments.

In her 17 years with the BLM, Barnes has served in various roles where she has resolved complex issues. This includes roles in leadership, management, and as technical specialist on the National Environmental Policy Act, oil and gas leasing, hazardous materials, and habitat restoration. Barnes has been actively engaged with implementing the conveyance of the Federal Helium System since October 2020, and has been involved periodically since 2013.

Barnes received a Ph.D. in biology from the University of New Mexico and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Reed College.