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Contact: NPS Pacific West Public Affairs
LAPWAI – The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Stephen Thede to serve as the superintendent of Nez Perce National Historical Park and oversee operations at Big Hole National Battlefield and Whitman Mission National Historic Site. He will report on May 9, 2021.
Thede became a park ranger in 1981 and has worked at 12 NPS sites across the country including Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Badlands national parks, the National Park Service Headquarters in Washington D.C., Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, and Missouri National Recreational River. He currently serves on the National Park Service Wild and Scenic Rivers steering committee.
“Steve brings 37 years of National Park Service experience to this new role,” said Acting NPS Regional Director Linda D. Walker. “His commitment to conservation and experience working with tribal partners make him a great fit for this position.”
Thede holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a minor in psychology, geophysics and volcanology from the University of Hawaii. He also completed post-graduate work in biomedicine and business administration at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Hawaii.
“I am honored to have been selected for this position,” said Thede. “These park service sites tell remarkable stories and are an important part of the history we share as Americans.”
Thede will be joined by his wife of 30 years, Cheryl who is a former park ranger. The two enjoy all aspects of outdoor recreation and look forward to becoming active members of the community.
Nez Perce National Historical Park preserves a continuum of at least 11,000 years of Nez Perce culture. The park was established in 1965, and in 1992 Congress expanded the park to include 14 sites in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. As part of this expansion, Big Hole National Battlefield was added to Nez Perce National Historical Park. Learn more at nps.gov/nepe and www.nps.gov/biho/
Whitman Mission National Historic Site was established in 1936 to preserve a portion of the Weyíiletpuu homeland, interpret the tragic events surrounding 19th-century Christian missionary activities there, and seek healing together with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Learn more at the park’s website: www.nps.gov/whmi/
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Last updated: March 19, 2021