News Release

New Superintendent of Capitol Reef is deputy manager for four national parks in SF Bay Area

Date: March 19, 2018
Contact: James Doyle, 303-969-2321

Susan “Sue” Fritzke, deputy superintendent of four National Park Service (NPS) sites in the San Francisco Bay Area, has been named superintendent of Capitol Reef NP in Utah by NPS Intermountain Region Director Sue Masica.

Fritzke, who served a detail in 2016-17 as acting superintendent of nearby Bryce Canyon NP, assumes her new post on April 15.

“Sue is an accomplished park manager and strong communicator who knows how to foster a positive workplace and build relationships with local communities and elected officials,” Masica said. “I am confident she will be a great asset for Capitol Reef as she furthers the NPS mission to preserve park resources for the enjoyment of everyone.”

Fritzke, a 33-year veteran of the Park Service, has been the No. 2 manager since November 2011 for four Northern California parks, all in the East Bay: Eugene O’Neill and John Muir National Historic Sites, Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, and Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. She also served as acting superintendent of these parks for four months in 2015.

“I am honored to have been selected to serve as superintendent of Capitol Reef, and I am excited to return to the wonderful resources of southern Utah,” Fritzke said. “I look forward to strengthening our relationships with the park’s partners and local communities to protect Capitol Reef's resources and provide quality experiences for all visitors, from local residents to international guests.”

A natural resources professional by training and experience, Fritzke began her NPS career in 1985 as an interpretation ranger at Yosemite National Park. She also served at Mount Rainier National Park before moving into biological science, prescribed fire and vegetation ecology posts for the next 11 years at Yosemite and then Redwood National and State Parks.

Fritzke next served as supervisory resources manager at Yosemite (1998-2003) before moving to the Bay Area to be branch chief for vegetation management at Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument and Fort Point National Historical Park (2003-2011).

Since 2015, she has been a participant in the NPS Superintendents’ Leadership Roundtable. She earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and physical geography from UC-Santa Barbara and her master’s in physical geography and plant ecology from Oregon State University in Corvallis. A master gardener, Fritzke also taught a course in park horticulture at West Valley Community College in Saratoga, CA.

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