2022 Director's Awards for Natural and Cultural Resources

The recipients in each category will receive an award certificate and a unique engraved sculpture as well as a monetary award.

NPS Photo

The Natural and Cultural Resource Awards Programs recognize the outstanding contributions of National Park Service staff in understanding, protecting, and managing park resources and in lands adjacent. Awardees are selected annually in a spring call for nominations and honored bi-annually.

Award recipients come from across the country and US territories and represent the diversity in landscapes in the National Park System.

The National Park Service’s Natural Resource Stewardship and Science and the Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science accomplishments are communicated widely through the Director’s Awards ceremony. These awards celebrate individuals in variety of categories.

Recipients for the 2022 year are below. An award ceremony will be conferred in Fall 2024.

Awards in Cultural Resources

The Director’s Awards for Cultural Resources recognize expertise and outstanding contributions in cultural resource stewardship and management to employees of the National Park Service. The three awards were created to encourage creativity in cultural resource stewardship and management practices and projects, particularly those that may serve as examples or models for programs across the service.

Cultural Resources Management & Stewardship by a Superintendent

Tom Leatherman

Superintendent, Pearl Harbor National Memorial

Tom has led the newly recognized Japanese American Confinement Sites (JACS) Working Group to full implementation. Through his inclusive, visionary, and strategic way of leading; he has ensured that the JACS Working Group carried out its mission of providing leadership and promoting a consistent level of superior stewardship and management of NPS sites, resources, and programs associated with the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. Leatherman has ensured that the JACS Working Group is the go-to NPS organization for subject matter expertise on national and regional policies, practices, and key issues regarding the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. Tom’s leadership is not bound by a single park unit. His work has increased awareness of the wrongful incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII both among NPS employees and the public.

Cultural Resources Management & Stewardship by a Facility Maintenance Specialist

Joseph Leihiwahiwa Kaiama Jr.

Facility Management Specialist, Kalaupapa National Historical Park

From 2022-2023, Joseph spearheaded a project to restore the historic buildings of Molokai Light. Using his experience as historic preservationist and carpenter, Joseph led a seven-person crew made up primarily of Native Hawaiian employees. In addition to his unparalleled craftsmanship, Joseph used this opportunity to educate and inspire his crew, holding them to the highest standard of excellence. As part of the project, Joseph trained his young crew on preservation skills, passing along his knowledge to the next generation of stewards. Now, thanks to his leadership, the restored buildings can be used as much-needed housing for Kalaupapa residents. When rounding the hill to the Kalaupapa Light Station, park visitors are greeted with the restored lighthouse keeper’s quarters, just as they were in 1909. Joesph’s relatives were former residents at the Hansen's disease settlement on Molokai; now Kalaupapa National Historical Park. For Joseph, his position as preservation crew leader is not just a job; it’s been a way to honor his culture and preserve his family’s history.

Cultural Resource Management & Stewardship by a Cultural Resource Specialist

Rebecca Cole-Will

Cultural Resource Specialist, Acadia National Park

Rebecca Cole-Will has led in the development and implementation of the co-stewardship of cultural and natural resources at Acadia National Park with the Wabanaki people, which include four federally recognized tribes (Maliseet, Micmac, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy). Rebecca led three projects in collaboration with Tribes, which culminated in 2022: (1) the restoration of access for a traditional sweetgrass gathering, (2) An Indigenous-led study and reinterpretation of archeological sites and material culture, and (3) the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in the development of the park’s Resource Stewardship Strategy (RSS). These projects span both cultural and natural resources; but the bulk of the co-stewardship work and funding has been culturally-resource focused. These achievements represent important steps in rehabilitating relationships between the NPS and the Wabanaki people and in restoring Indigenous relationships with landscapes in Acadia. The projects reflect tireless effort by Rebecca to overcome complex policies and relationships and the long history of exclusion of Indigenous knowledge from science and decision making in national parks.

Awards in Natural Resources

Natural Resource Management

Sarah Dewey

Wildlife Bioloist, Grand Teton National Park & John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway

This award recognizes an employee for their significant contribution to natural resource management in parks, particularly a contribution that resulted in the adoption of a new or improved resource management practice and/or approach by the National Park Service.

This award is in recognition of Sarah Dewey’s high level of performance as a wildlife biologist at Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. As the lead for Grand Teton’s ungulate program, Sarah has advanced the park’s ability to make decisions on complex issues. These issues include, but are not limited to ungulate migration, wildlife disease, declining moose populations, reduction of invasive mountain goats, and conservation of the unique Teton bighorn sheep population. Sarah has been instrumental in building relationships both within and outside the park. Specifically, her skill in forming 3 strong collaborative relationships with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the USFW, USFS, and local and regional organizations has been critical for the success of Grand Teton’s ungulate management program. Most recently, Sarah has led the highly successful Teton Bighorn Sheep Stewardship Campaign, an integrated effort to best manage the competing needs of backcountry recreationists and wintering bighorn sheep. Sarah used creative and novel approaches to secure funding to increase the ungulate program’s capacity, furthering the reach of her work. Her scientific credibility, dedication to the park’s wildlife, and recognition that you need strong partners has made Sarah a leader in ungulate conservation for the NPS.

Natural Resource Research

Rebecca Weissinger

Ecologist, Norther Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network

This award recognizes a federal employee or non-federal researcher for their outstanding contributions to natural resource research benefiting national parks.

As the aquatic ecologist for the Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network, Rebecca Weissinger’s passion for science, problem-solving, and collaboration routinely broadens the scope, scale, and value of her work—leading to new scientific methodologies and new discoveries about park systems. Rebecca led a multi-year interagency project on contaminants of emerging concern with national relevance for park water quality; pioneered methods for long-term monitoring of hanging gardens on the Colorado Plateau; helped reveal the impacts of human visitation on the formation of cave features; identified connections between climate, geology, and temporal patterns of spring flow; and conducted interdisciplinary evaluation of stressors on riparian systems—all in addition to her “routine” studies of long-term water quality at network parks. Rebecca is also a highly productive contributor not only to the scientific literature and NPS body of knowledge, but also to public understanding of park systems and the impacts of climate change. She cares deeply not only for the places she studies, but also for the people she works with and those who benefit from her work.

Professional Excellence in Natural Resource Stewardship

Dr. Patricia (Patti) J. Happe

Wildlife Biologist (retired), Olympic National Park

This award recognizes an individual who significantly contributes to resource management successes by employing a high degree of technical excellence in a narrowly focused, professional role.

Dr. Patti Happe has supported wildlife management and conservation in Olympic National Park and nearby NPS units by developing and implementing scientifically rigorous projects using innovative approaches. Patti’s accomplishments include completion of multidisciplinary, and politically sensitive projects that have restored ecological balance on the Olympic Peninsula. Fiscal year 2022 marked the successful completion of the removal of non-native mountain goats (>500) from the park with over 300 successfully re-introduced to their native habitat in the North Cascade Mountain Range. Patti initiated, developed, and implemented this multi-decade incredibly complex wildlife removal and relocation project involving tribal, federal (Olympic National Forest, USFS, USFWS), state (WA Department of Fish and Wildlife), non-profit (zoo) and volunteer partners. In addition to mountain goats, Patti continued to monitor the recent highly successful international fisher re-introduction project, led park efforts on visitor wildlife interactions, trained NPS staff on wildlife handling and reporting protocols, supported scientific research, and provided exemplary leadership for her eight dedicated wildlife division staff.

Excellence in Natural Resource Stewardship Through Maintenance

John Torrence

Maintenance Worker, Congaree National Park

This award recognizes an employee for outstanding contributions in natural resource management by a Facilities Management employee.

The exceptional dedication and hard work of John Torrence allowed Congaree National Park to accomplish objectives far and above expectation. In addition to his tireless work in cutting, preparing, and maintaining fire lines that allowed the park to safely burn over 450 acres to support threatened longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) restoration, improve near threatened red-cockaded woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) and southern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) habitat, and reduce invasive plant species, John provided excellent communications and logistics. He coordinated the delivery and recovery of drip torchs, hand tools, and other equipment and was a key spotter for calling out hazards to the holding team. In addition, John was essential in the park successfully implementing an improved visitor experience for the world-famous synchronous fireflies (Photuris frontalis). By providing and installing improved lighting, a corded off walking path that was properly cleared, and improved services such as guided parking the park was able to welcome visitors to 4 the park while reducing risk to critical resources. Finally, John is essential to the maintenance and repair of the boardwalk, the number one feature visitors look to use at Congaree National Park to get them safely into the floodplain to view our bountiful natural resources.

Natural Resource Management in a Small Park

C. Elaine Furbish

Biologist, Klondike Goldrush National Historical Park

This award rewards achievements in natural resource management in small parks.

Elaine Furbish recognized the threat to significant natural and cultural resources posed by accelerated erosion of the Taiya River at the Dyea townsite within Klondike Goldrush National Historical Park. The river was eroding land that supports priceless artifacts from the townsite, which is a National Historic Landmark, as well as impacting wildlife habitat and a popular recreational trail. Elaine, the sole biologist at this small park, advocated for study of the problem, obtaining support from Servicewide Comprehensive Call funds and assistance from hydrologists at USGS. She developed multiple key partnerships to investigate watershed-scale changes that were impacting the site. Based on study results, she implemented adaptive resource management to guide park planning efforts into the future. This work will generate knowledge that will have additional benefits to the entire 33-mile Chilkoot National Historic Trail, which is increasingly experiencing flood damage, and will guide the park in considering climate change and hydrology in future planning and remediation efforts.

Superintendent of the Year for Natural Resource Stewardship

David E Hallac

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

This award recognizes a Superintendent for their outstanding contributions, creative leadership, and direction and support in natural resource management.

This nomination recognizes Superintendent Dave Hallac for his outstanding leadership in protecting the natural resources at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Over the last 18 months, four houses located in one of the unincorporated villages adjacent to the seashore have fallen into the Atlantic Ocean leaving an aftermath of debris scattered along miles of the national seashore. Dave's efforts to manage this crisis included educating about the impacts of climate change and sea level rise; meeting with state and local governments, community members, and stakeholder groups; and working internally with solicitors on system unit protection act cases to seek recovery of damages to the seashore have demonstrated an outstanding level of engagement and problem solving for an issue that is unprecedented. While he is managing this unfolding issue externally, Dave is also co-leading an internal work group to develop a Coastal Investment Decision Framework that will provide parks a tool that will enable the Investment Review Board to make better informed decisions about facility investments in coastal parks that have increasing vulnerabilities given the changing climate. Dave's leadership and tireless work are resulting in changes to North Carolina state policies and protection of resources in America's first National Seashore and also impacting policy and the protection of resources nationwide.