News Release
NPS photo
News Release Date: July 21, 2022
Contact: NewsMedia@nps.gov
WASHINGTON – The National Park Service (NPS) today announced the selection of Mark Foust as regional director for the South Atlantic-Gulf — America’s most visited NPS region, effective August 14. Foust previously supported the region as incident commander in response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in South Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"Mark is a trusted leader and collaborator in the National Park Service. I have had the honor to recently work closely with him while he served as acting deputy associate director for visitor and resource protection. His extensive experience in park operations as well as his skills in relationship building will serve our busiest region well and I look forward to him joining our leadership team,” said NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge.
As regional director, Foust will oversee a $252 million base operating budget spanning 75 national parks, four million acres, and multiple programs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The region employs 2,700 people and, in 2021, hosted nearly 71 million visitors contributing $6.5 billion to local economies.
“The natural and cultural resources protected in the region’s nine states and two U.S. territories represent many of our country’s greatest and most compelling stories,” Foust said. “I am honored to share the responsibility to care for these places, provide for their enjoyment and ensure our collective history is told forever. Caring for the public’s National Park System is a noble calling and I am honored and humbled to join NPS employees, Tribal nations, communities, partners, stakeholders and visitors in the work of collaborative conservation in the Southeast.”
Foust is a third generation NPS employee who began his career as a seasonal firefighter more than 35 years ago and assumed increasing responsibility as park ranger, chief ranger and superintendent across 10 national parks. He has led Buffalo National River in Arkansas as superintendent since 2018 and Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah for four years prior. Foust also completed temporary assignments as deputy associate director for visitor and resource protection with NPS headquarters and deputy regional director for operations in the intermountain region.
Foust has a Bachelor of Science in resource science from the University of California, Davis and is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute and FBI National Academy.
He and his wife, Lori, of almost 28 years have three adult children.
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Last updated: July 21, 2022