Vela nominated to head National Park Service

President Trump has nominated Grand Teton National Park Superintendent David Vela to serve as director of the National Park Service.

Vela has served as superintendent of the park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway since 2014. Prior to that, he was associate director for Workforce, Relevancy and Inclusion in the National Park Service Washington headquarters offices. He also served for over four years as the NPS Southeast Regional Director and as superintendent of Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, and the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

“David Vela has demonstrated all of the ideals that the National Park Service stands for, and his long track record of leadership on behalf of the people and places of the National Park Service distinguish him as the right man for the job,” said Secretary Zinke. “Our extraordinary national parks will be in the best of hands with David at the helm.”

“Few people have the knowledge, passion and appreciation for our amazing national parks as David Vela,” said Wyoming Governor Matt Mead. “He has been a good partner to Wyoming and an effective leader at Grand Teton National Park. I am excited to see his name move forward. National Parks will be in great hands with David at the helm.”

“I am deeply humbled by the President’s nomination to serve as the 19th Director of the National Park Service, and if confirmed, I look forward to working with Secretary Zinke to address the NPS maintenance backlog, protect our national treasures, and serve all who come to enjoy the parks,” said Mr. Vela. “Having worn the uniform of the National Park Service for more than 28 years, I greatly value all that it represents and the importance of ensuring that we build a next generation workforce that is ready to take on the challenges and opportunities facing our agency.”