News Release

Eric Breitkreutz Named Superintendent of Roger Williams National Memorial, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park

News Release Date: April 15, 2020

Contact: John Harlan Warren, 215-908-3159

PHILADELPHIA - National Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Gay Vietzke has named William “Eric” Breitkreutz as the new superintendent of Roger Williams National Memorial and the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. He will begin his new assignment in late May to early June.

“In managing both a brand-new park and an old favorite, Eric gets the best of both worlds,” said NPS Region 1 Director Gay Vietzke. “I know he will be able to encourage visitors to explore the Blackstone River Valley as well as the home of a great spiritual leader.”

“I am humbled by this appointment,” Breitkreutz stated, “as well as excited to return to my professional roots in developing partnerships between government and nonprofits. Having been part of the process for creating the Blackstone River Valley park’s Foundation Document, it is great now to be able to set this plan into action. I am further honored to work at Roger Williams, where freedom of religion is such an important interpretive theme and a significant part of Rhode Island’s, and our nation’s, history. I look forward to working with the many community partners and stakeholders at Blackstone River Valley and Roger Williams to enhance the visitor experience at both unique parks.”

Over a 24-year career, Breitkreutz has served in management and executive director positions with historic preservation nonprofit and municipal government organizations in Indianapolis, Northern Virginia, Boston, and the Boston suburbs. Prior to joining the National Park Service in 2011, he worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a historic preservation specialist and acting federal preservation officer.

Breitkreutz holds a B.A. in History and American Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a M.S. in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. He participated in the Foundation Document drafting sessions for Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park in 2018 and helped oversee the drafting of the Historic Structure Report for the Slater Mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island as part of his duties as Chief of Historic Structure Research and Documentation for Region 1 of the National Park Service.


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