Dianne Nielson was appointed as Energy Advisor to Governor Huntsman for the State of Utah in June of 2007. She has served the citizens of Utah for 25 years, including her prior appointment as the Executive Director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality and a member of DEQ's five policy Boards.
During her career in natural resources, Dr. Nielson directed the Utah Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining; served as a member of the Utah Board of Oil, Gas, and Mining; and worked as Senior Economic Geologist for the Utah Geological Survey. Prior to her work in state government, she conducted energy and mineral exploration with private industry.
She has chaired or worked on numerous state and federal commissions and advisory committees dealing with environmental quality and resource development.
Dr. Nielson is a native of Elgin, Illinois. She earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in geology from Dartmouth College, and her B.A. from Beloit College. She is a Licensed Professional Geologist, a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, and a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.