Last updated: November 8, 2024
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Staff Spotlight: Anna Tripp
NPS Photo
Meet Anna Tripp, a Visual Information Specialist at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts!
What was your pathway to the NPS? Did you participate in an internship program?
NPS Photo / Jules Yerovi
After graduating from Jacksonville University in 2020 with a B.S. in Marine Science and minor in Photography, I spent some time gaining field research experience with various aquatic species, including sea turtles, native salmon, and black bass in Florida, Alaska, and Alabama. Two years passed from my graduation and as much as I loved moving to different jobs in different states, I wanted to find an employer who would allow me to mix my love for photography, conservation, and traveling. In my head, I doubted there would be such an opportunity (clearly, I was wrong)! Since I had such a positive experience as a Student Conservation Association (SCA) Fishery Technician Intern for the US Forest Service in Sitka, Alaska, I decided to apply for a 10-month SCA Social Media internship at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Virginia, which began January 2023. Shortly after, I also began working part-time as a Visitor Services Assistant. My goals were to get my foot in the door with the National Park Service, earn the Public Lands Corps hiring authority, and decide which agency would be the best fit for me right now.
While I had the most incredible time in stunning, bear country Alaska, the things missing for me were the opportunities to interact with the public and participate in large public events. I had not thought of those things being important before, but during my NPS SCA internship, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Cherry Blossom Festival; march at the D.C. Pride parade and the 4th of July parade; work the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at The White House and President’s Park; and shadow the Shenandoah National Park media team (I also appeared as a special guest on their fall live broadcast). My first year immersed in the National Park Service was filled with all kinds of incredible opportunities that, when offered a permanent position at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts as the Visual Information Specialist, with the opportunity to detail during the summer (work at another park temporarily), and conduct marine field work, I just had to say yes!
What do you find most rewarding about your job?
NPS Photo
Being able to make an immediate impact in someone's life! Whether in person or through our social media, I feel honored to be part of an organization where our voice matters. Whether we are talking about cultural, historical, or natural resources, people want to listen to what we have to say, and to me, there is nothing more beautiful than to have a voice in this loud, loud world.
What does it mean to you to represent your community?
I feel proud to be a Hispanic woman working for the National Park Service and the only permanent Hispanic woman working at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. I love that in my current role I have the opportunity to create content in Spanish and make our park more inclusive. Additionally, I love being able to communicate with other Hispanic people who may not speak English well. Last year, a few schools from Maryland came for a ranger-led hike. The children and teens barely understood English, so I was thrilled to lead the hike in Spanish. I remember how excited the kids were when they realized I spoke Spanish. Their curiosity and interest in our park grew and their questions became never-ending. Similarly, one of the local elementary schools of Vienna asked if I would read a Spanish book to the kids in the Spanish Book Club (a club with a few children whose primary language is Spanish). Naturally I said yes and again, had the most heartwarming experience!
Photo courtesy of Marshall Road Elementary School
What do you do for the NPS?
Currently, I work as Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts’ Visual Information Specialist. My main responsibility is managing and creating fun educational content for the park’s Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) accounts, as well as for the park’s website. I also design print and web content, including maps, posters, signs, and our employee newsletter! If I am being honest, I never in a million years would have guessed this position would exist, let alone that I would be in it. Growing up, I was always filming funny skits, and in high school, I was enrolled in the Television Production Career Academy at Paxon School for the Advanced Studies. There, I really learned the proper techniques to creating successful video content: from storyboarding, to screenwriting, to directing, to acting, to filming with professional equipment, and editing on Adobe Premiere Pro. So, I absolutely love being able to apply everything I learned to what I do now! Additionally, I will continue to take on duties a Park Ranger typically does, including leading hikes and tours, tabling at events, supporting Junior Ranger Programs and B.A.R.K. rangers, and staying involved at other parks when needed. With the experience I gained as a former Visitor Services Assistant (VSA) during last year’s concert season, I will assist in the training of incoming VSA’s on our Filene Center concert parking operations, inclement weather protocols, lost and found procedures, and radio communications. I will also occasionally participate in the parking operations myself.What advice do you have for youth and young adults thinking about a career at NPS?
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Look into youth or young adult conservation programs! I personally was only told about SCA after I graduated from college, and while I love everything about the organization and the amazing opportunities I have had thanks to them, there are many other agency or partner-based programs. Personally, I feel it is never too early to get your foot in the door, so having the opportunity to volunteer or intern at an early age is awesome. Just ensure to make the most of your time by learning as much as you can, networking, and of course by having fun! It is truly the best way to find out how you fit within the NPS and what opportunities are available for you and your interests.
What are your hobbies?
My hobbies include film and digital photography, traveling, hiking, scuba diving, and making short YouTube videos from my travels and adventures. Really, I am interested in any outdoor activity. Last year, my siblings and I successfully completed our first via ferrata (the “iron path”), a protected climbing area consisting of ladders, bridges and cables) in West Virginia, and I dove my first kelp forest off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, which has been on my bucket list since the age of 12 when I first began scuba diving. This year, I look forward to hiking Shenandoah National Park's most difficult hike, Old Rag and visiting my wonderful abuelos and extended family in Quito, Ecuador!
2) Anna and her sister climbed via ferrata in West Virginia
3) Anna photographs coastal brown bear sow and cubs as they cross the Redoubt Lake fish weir in Sitka, Alaska
1) Bianca Wong-Rodriguez, 2) NROCKS Guide, 3) Eileen Henry