LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) announced the promotion of staff member Paul Nielsen to the role of Chief Planning Officer and Deputy Director at its Governing Board meeting yesterday.

Nielsen has served TRPA for 30 years in myriad positions and was selected through a competitive recruitment process that included multiple qualified candidates, according to TRPA. Nielsen takes the place of Deputy Director John Hester, who is retiring, and will work alongside Chief Partnerships Officer/Deputy Director Kim Caringer.

“Throughout his career at TRPA, Paul has demonstrated a deep understanding of the complex issues facing the Lake Tahoe Basin and has consistently shown a collaborative, thoughtful approach to advancing the agency’s work,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “His knowledge, dedication, planning expertise, and passion for protecting and restoring Lake Tahoe make him an outstanding choice for this leadership role.”

Nielsen has held multiple roles at the agency, from managing the Environmental Improvement Program division to developing incentives for environmental redevelopment during the 2012 Regional Plan Update to managing large projects such as the Tahoe Blue Event Center project on the South Shore. Most recently, he led the collaborative process to amend the Homewood Mountain Resort Master Plan that ensured the resort will remain open to the public.

“Lake Tahoe is a very special place, and this agency has provided me the opportunity to apply my experience in natural resource and land-use planning to help protect it,” Nielsen said. “I look forward to continuing to help TRPA advance its mission by strengthening partnerships and encouraging environmental redevelopment projects that deliver important water quality, transportation, and other environmental benefits.”

Nielsen is an avid backpacker and fly fisherman and served as a volunteer firefighter and captain for Eastern Alpine Fire/Rescue Department in Alpine County, Calif. for 13 years.