About the Commissioner
Hannah Freeze
Great Salt Lake Deputy Commissioner
[email protected]
Hannah Freeze, the Commissioner of the Great Salt Lake, possesses over 15 years of extensive experience in conservation work. Most recently, she served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Great Salt Lake under Brian Steed. In that role, Freeze collaborated closely with various stakeholders to advance legislation offering enhanced conservation tools to water users across the basin. Additionally, she built strong relationships with numerous state and federal agencies that contribute vital expertise to conservation initiatives for the Great Salt Lake.
A significant portion of her career was spent at the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, where she established and oversaw multiple conservation programs, including the Agricultural Water Optimization Program. Through this program, Freeze guided initiatives to assist producers in maximizing water efficiency using new technologies and upgraded irrigation systems. Her professional journey has been defined by building solid relationships with agricultural producers across the state, helping to unify and amplify their perspectives in conservation dialogues.
Freeze holds a bachelor's degree in animal science from Utah State University and entered the conservation field shortly after her graduation.
Deputy Commissioner
Strategic Coordinator
Aspen Johnston (Southern GSL Basin Coordinator)
Prior to joining the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner, Aspen Johnston managed the adjudication program of Utah’s Division of Water Rights. Aspen is passionate about the Great Salt Lake, as with all of Utah’s unique and beautiful natural features. As a born-and-raised Utahn, the decline of the lake is a matter that is very close to home, as it is for many others who live in the Great Salt Lake Watershed. As a result, Aspen is highly dedicated to improving the health and levels of the Great Salt Lake as part of the Commissioner’s Office.
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (801) 645-1392
Water Coordinator
Micah Safsten (Northern GSL Basin Coordinator)
Micah Safsten has spent his career working on problems related to growth and water scarcity. Prior to working in the Great Salt Lake Commissioner’s Office, Micah was a Senior Policy Analyst for the Cache County Council. After moving to Utah in 2014, Micah worked as a Water Meter Reader for a local municipal water provider and as a Communications and Outreach Coordinator for the Utah Water Research Laboratory. Micah lives in Logan with his wife and four kids and enjoys spending time exploring and climbing the mountains of the West.
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (801) 648-0305
Address
Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner
1594 W. North Temple, Suite 3710
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Media Inquiries
- Morgan Keller ([email protected]), (801) 644-5852
- To join our media distribution list, contact Kim Wells ([email protected]), (801) 803-0336o