News Release

Bob Vogel Named Director of National Park Service’s Southeast Region

Bob Vogel will be the new regional director of the NPS Southeast Region

NPS photo

News Release Date: May 23, 2018

Contact: Office of Communications

WASHINGTON -- Today, National Park Service (NPS) Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith announced the selection of Robert “Bob” Vogel to be the regional director of the National Park Service’s Southeast Region based in Atlanta. Vogel currently serves as the regional director of the NPS National Capital Region in Washington, D.C.

In his new role, Vogel will oversee operations for 70 parks and multiple programs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. National parks in the Southeast Region host 65.5 million visitors each year and contribute $6 billion to local economies.

“Bob’s extraordinary ability to think strategically and implement a vision that enables parks to meet and exceed visitor expectations make him the perfect choice to lead the National Park Service’s Southeast Region,” Deputy Director Smith said. “His steady hand and commitment to partnerships are particularly important as many of the region’s parks continue to recover from last year’s devastating hurricanes. I am confident that Bob is the right person to lead the important work of the Southeast Region.”

Vogel has served since December 2014 as the NPS National Capital regional director, where he led more than 700 park locations in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

During his tenure leading the National Capital Region, Vogel helped secure funding for the complete $227 million rehabilitation of Arlington Memorial Bridge, created business efficiencies in the regional office, and emphasized employee development and well-being by supporting a regional workforce advisory group, creating a Civil Rights internship program, signing a new collective bargaining agreement, and leading the region’s response to sexual harassment. He has focused on serving and engaging communities, celebrating Anacostia Park’s centennial and cleaning up the Anacostia River. He celebrated the addition of Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument to the National Park System and the opening of Carter G. Woodson’s home to the public. Recently he served in a temporary capacity as the NPS deputy director for operations.

“I started my career in the Southeast Region and have many fond memories -- from an internship at Shiloh National Military Park, to my first permanent job at Vicksburg National Military Park, and my first superintendency at Guilford Courthouse and then at Cape Lookout,” Vogel said. “I look forward to returning to work with the skilled, dedicated staff and passionate partners to care for America’s treasures in the Southeast.”

Prior to his tenure at the National Capital Region, Vogel was the superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks for three and a half years.

He served for four years as the deputy superintendent of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, as superintendent at Cape Lookout National Seashore in North Carolina, as superintendent at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in North Carolina, as chief of visitor services at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site and Johnstown Flood National Memorial in Pennsylvania and at Fort Frederica National Monument in Georgia, and as assistant chief of interpretation at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. He began his NPS career as a seasonal park interpreter at Ozark National Scenic Riverways in Missouri.

Vogel is a native of Cape Girardeau, Mo., and is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a bachelor of science degree in natural resource management. Vogel and his wife, Janice, who met at Fort Frederica National Monument in Georgia, have one adult daughter, Sara.
 

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