Kotek taps top forester fresh off financial mess

Kacey KC's time as top forester in Nevada included failure to recover $32.7 in state funds due in part to "lack of oversight," according to audit

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek appointed Kacey KC to be Oregon’s state forester. KC is pictured here in her former role as Nevada State Forester. (Photo courtesy David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)

Gov. Tina Kotek tapped the third state forester in a row to face financial troubles – at her previous job, losing track of $33 million.

Kotek named Nevada State Forester Kacey KC as Oregon’s next state forester, the governor’s office announced January 22. During her time with the Nevada Division of Forestry, the agency failed to bill for $32.7 million in out-of-state wildfire expenses. The appointment is subject to Senate approval.

“Kacey KC brings tenacity and a get-it-done style to her management approach and knows how to build strong partnerships across all levels of government to tackle complex challenges,” Kotek said in a press release. “I am thrilled to welcome her leadership to support and strengthen the mission of the Department of Forestry.”

KC will replace former State Forester Cal Mukumoto, who resigned in January 2025. Under his leadership, per The Oregonian, the Oregon Department of Forestry racked up $350 million in firefighting costs before it could pay contractors – then took executives to a “training session” at Central Oregon’s luxurious Brasada Ranch.

Mukumoto filled the shoes of former State Forester Peter Daugherty, who resigned in May 2021. According to The Oregonian, his time was marked by “deep financial problems.” This sparked an investigation by the outlet called “Failing Forestry,” which found ODF was just seven months into a two-year budget in 2020 when it already used all its funding – and had to ask legislators for emergency cash.

Now, Kotek appointed KC to fill the role, but her time in Nevada included similar financial woes. Under her watch from 2020 to 2024, the Nevada Division of Forestry gave $32.7 million worth of fire equipment and services to other states without ever billing for the expenses, according to The Nevada Independent. KC’s agency had to seek $44 million from the legislature to fill the void.

“Somebody needs to make a list and check it twice and pay the darn bills so that we get money in this darn state,” said Democratic state Sen. Marilyn Dondero Loop at the time, per the outlet.

An audit found the unaccounted spending was due to a “lack of proper oversight.”

KC told The Nevada Independent at the time the agency had adopted a new billing system, and was working to bill for services and fix the error.

By mid-June 2025, the Nevada Division of Forestry had recovered roughly two thirds of the money identified in the audit — $21 million.

“I am extremely excited for the opportunity to join the Oregon Department of Forestry team,” KC said in the release in which Kotek announced her appointment. “While I am not from Oregon, my experience at both the national and state level equips me to deepen key relationships while leading and supporting the strong work and mission of the Department.”

Oregon Forest Industries Council President Chris Edwards told Oregon Roundup he personally looked into KC’s experience in Nevada – asking around his forestry network, and speaking with her personally.

“After talking directly with her about the wildfire billing issue, I am comfortable with how she identified the problems and implemented solutions prior to the audit even being released,” Edwards said. “OFIC supports Kacey’s appointment and pending Senate confirmation, we’re looking forward to getting to know her and welcome her to Oregon.”

Edwards said the OFIC has been “intimately involved” in wildfire funding reform in Oregon, and its members are familiar with the “complicated and complex nature” of wildfire funding and billing.

“Ideally the situation would have never arisen, but state IT projects don’t always go according to plans, and that often is not in the control of agencies when using outside contractors – as was the case in Nevada,” he said.

Edwards, a former Democratic state senator, blamed “untimely staff turnover” in a transition from a paper to a paperless system for putting the Nevada Division of Forestry “in a real bind” when it failed to bill for the expenses.

He said OFIC is grateful Kotek recruited a state forester with both experience in the position, and in wildfire management in the west.

“The Nevada Legislature was right to ask tough questions and it appears as though Kacey did a good job fixing the problems, catching up the billings and implementing processes to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Edwards said. “We are eager for her to begin her onboarding well in advance of the 2026 wildfire season.”

In 2024, the Oregon legislature had to send ODF an additional $47.5 million to cover unexpected costs from that year’s wildfire season, according to Oregon Capital Chronicle. As KOIN reported, by September 2025, that year’s wildfire season had cost the state $97 million.

Oregon Roundup reached out to Kotek’s office for comment, but did not hear back in time for publication.

Oregon Roundup Foundation created this article. ORF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to covering Oregon political and government news. Media outlets are welcome to use this article for free with attribution of the author and Oregon Roundup Foundation.