News Release

Karen Cucurullo Named Southeast Deputy Regional Director

News Release Date: October 18, 2018

Contact: Mike Litterst, 404-507-5612

Karen Cucurullo Named Southeast Deputy Regional Director 

Atlanta – Today, National Park Service Southeast Regional Director Bob Vogel announced the selection of Karen Cucurullo as deputy regional director for the Southeast Region of the National Park Service. Cucurullo currently serves as the deputy superintendent for National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington. She begins her new role in January, succeeding current Southeast Deputy Regional Director Sarah Craighead, who is retiring at the end of the year. 

Cucurullo will oversee operations for approximately 35 national parks and other associated sites in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Florida, and the Caribbean, as well as visitor protection activities throughout the region. The Southeast Region has a budget of more than $250 million and more than 2,500 employees. 

“Having previously worked with Karen at the National Mall, I know first-hand her leadership skills and passion for national parks and I am pleased that she is joining the Southeast Region management team,” said Vogel. “Her wealth of experience in all aspects of park operations over the course of her career makes her uniquely qualified for this exciting and challenging assignment.” 

“I am honored to join the management team of the Southeast Region, whose parks protect so many nationally significant resources and tell compelling and diverse stories of our nation’s history and culture,” said Cucurullo. “I look forward to working with the region’s outstanding staff, partners and volunteers in support the national parks in the southeast region and helping our visitors of all ages find their park.”

Cucurullo has nearly 35 years of experience in the National Park Service, and has held positions in park operations and management, interpretation and education, law enforcement, maintenance, resource management and partnerships. She has previously worked at Manassas National Battlefield Park, President’s Park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Death Valley National Park and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Before joining the National Park Service, Cucurullo worked for the National Forest Service and the California State Parks.

 The National Park Service’s Southeast Regional Office provides localized policy, leadership, and technical support to parks and communities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as parks Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The region includes 3.8 million acres of national park land, including more than 1.3 million acres of designated wilderness, 115 federally listed threatened and endangered species, over 6,500 archeological sites, 93 national natural landmarks, 416 national historic landmarks, and more than 17,600 properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 

NPS