Rhea Graham, ’74, Trustee, Golden, CO, USA

Rhea was a geology major with a background in environmental consulting and engineering geology. She was the first woman and first African American director of the United States Bureau of Mines (USBM) appointed by President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the US Senate in 1994. While she retired in 2016 from Federal service, she had devoted similar years in public service to each tribal and state governments. She provided the project management leadership for the $20M in preliminary studies conducted by a multidisciplinary and multi-agency Federal team that ultimately resulted in the successful recovery of salmon habitat after removal of four dams on the Klamath River in Oregon and California–the largest dam removal effort to date. She is passionate about ensuring continuing opportunities for those following in her footsteps.