Brian Steed
Gov. Spencer Cox has named Brian Steed as the state’s new Great Salt Lake commissioner. Steed is currently executive director of the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water and Air at Utah State University, a position that he will retain in addition to his duties as Great Salt Lake commissioner. As part of that role, he has served as co-chair of the Great Salt Lake Strike Team, a cooperative effort by Utah State University, the University of Utah, the Utah Department of Natural Resources and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality that provides up-to-date data and analysis of the lake and policy recommendations to the governor and legislators to help restore the lake to healthy levels. Steed previously served as executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, deputy director of policy and programs and the official exercising of the director of the Bureau of Land Management, and chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart. Steed’s education includes a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in political science from Utah State University and a juris doctor and certificate in natural resources and environmental law from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah.