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Contact: Patricia Turley, 303-969-2701
NPS Photo DENVER - Leah McGinnis, a 23-year veteran of the National Park Service (NPS), has been named superintendent of Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. McGinnis is currently the chief of staff at Grand Canyon National Park. She reports for duty at Capitol Reef on June 16, replacing Al Hendricks, who retired in 2012. "Leah has the ability to formulate and execute effective strategies that will help guide Capitol Reef into the next century," said John Wessels, Intermountain Region Director for the NPS. "Her diverse background in partnership building, employee safety, workforce management, and leadership makes her the ideal person for this position." McGinnis recently served as the interim deputy superintendent at Grand Canyon for a four-month period. She is currently serving as the interim superintendent at the Flagstaff, AZ area national monuments, which includes Sunset Crater Volcano, Walnut Canyon and Wupatki National Monuments. McGinnis also served as interim superintendent at Tonto National Monument in Arizona, and as interim deputy superintendent at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Arizona and Utah. McGinnis arrived at Grand Canyon in 2000 as the fee program manager, and rapidly advanced to other leadership positions in the park including management assistant to the superintendent, chief of partnerships and employee programs. Her role in these positions accommodated a myriad of responsibilities including public affairs, partnership building, employee safety, workforce diversity, leadership development, and the park's volunteer program. In 2012, McGinnis was appointed as the park's chief of staff, overseeing a multitude of critical challenges facing Grand Canyon. McGinnis joined the NPS in 1988 at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, where she worked in the communications center. In 1993, McGinnis accepted a position at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area as the dispatch supervisor. She later initiated the park's fee collection procedures, pursuant with the NPS's Fee Demonstration Program. "Capitol Reef NationalPark is an amazing resource with a rare beauty and I am honored to have been selected as Superintendent," said McGinnis. "I am excited about the opportunity to work with park staff and collaborate with local communities, park partners, and state and federal entities on the many challenges we all face." McGinnis is a native of Montana. She graduated from Montana State University in 1993, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business management. She is married to Mike McGinnis who currently serves as the deputy chief ranger at Grand Canyon National Park. They have one adult son, Justin |
Last updated: February 24, 2015