Megan Crandall

About Megan Crandall

After nearly a decade in the U.S. Marine Corps, Megan earned a bachelor’s degree in archaeology at the University of Maryland in College Park. It didn''t take long for her to realize that archaeology only pays well if one truly enjoys eating ramen on a daily basis or if one''s career ambitions include living in studio apartments or family members'' basements. After re-evaluating the utility of an archaeology degree, she accepted a position as the public information officer for Alachua County Fire Rescue in Gainesville, Fla., and returned to school—this time pursuing a more useful master’s degree in natural resources communications at the University of Florida. While working as the PIO for a structural fire agency, she saw firsthand how incredibly important public affairs and communications are for the public, whether during a hurricane, a wildfire or following a tragedy like a mass casualty incident.

In 2008, Megan moved west to work for the Bureau of Land Management where she has held numerous roles, from public affairs officer to communications director, division chief and currently, director of the BLM’s national communications strike team. The team provides traditional public affairs support to the BLM Headquarters communications directorate and crisis communications work whenever and wherever needed—from Burns, Ore., during the takeover of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge to Area 51 for the very interesting “Alienstock” event. Megan has also enjoyed working on crisis communications planning and vulnerability audit design and implementation for both the BLM and the Department of the Interior.

Megan is married to another former Marine and their 28-year-old daughter lives in the northeast where she routinely proves that being out of the house and gainfully employed does not sever ties to mom's bank account.