News Release
News Release Date: July 21, 2017
Contact: Tom Crosson, 202-208-6843
WASHINGTON – Today, acting National Park Service (NPS) Director Michael T. Reynolds announced the selection of Gay Vietzke as regional director for the Northeast Region of the NPS. Vietzke currently serves as the superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, D.C.In her new role, Vietzke will oversee operations for 83 national parks, 22 national heritage areas, 1,102 national historic landmarks, 154 national natural landmarks and many other associated sites within the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The Northeast Region has a budget of nearly $320 million and more than 3,000 employees.
“Gay’s expertise and experience leading one of the NPS’s most visible and complex parks and her familiarity with the Northeast Region makes her the right choice for the role of Regional Director,” said Reynolds “Gay’s strong stewardship of the National Mall and Memorial Parks earned her the respect and admiration of her colleagues and park supporters in D.C., and I am confident that her commitment to strong partnerships and parks will serve her and the Northeast Region well.”
Vietzke served as the Northeast Region’s deputy regional director from 2011 to 2015, leading the region’s park operations, resource stewardship and science, and external affairs and partnerships programs.
Among her many other NPS assignments, she served as the superintendent of Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, and Hampton National Historic Site in Maryland, where she was instrumental in creating a Baltimore-based youth employment program. She managed the design and construction of the eco-friendly Fort McHenry Visitor and Education Center; a $15 million partnership-funded facility. Additionally, she served as superintendent of Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay, N.Y., where she oversaw the park's general management plan, strengthened relationships with partners and opened the newly rehabilitated Old Orchard Museum.
Vietzke holds a bachelor of arts in art history from the University of Connecticut and a master of science in historic preservation from the University of Pennsylvania.
Vietzke will begin her assignment with the Northeast Region in early September. An announcement regarding leadership of National Mall and Memorial Parks after Vietzke’s departure will be made soon.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
About the Northeast Region. The Northeast Regional Office supports the parks and program areas in the northeast states, from Maine to Virginia. The role and function of the regional office is to provide employees with specialized expertise and tools that will foster growth, development, and safety of regional park service employees, volunteers, and partners. The regional directorate provides employees with current information and policy, filtering and interpreting necessary information to and from the Washington office.
Last updated: July 24, 2017