News Release
NPS
News Release Date: April 7, 2023
Contact: NewsMedia@NPS.gov
WASHINGTON - The National Park Service has selected Kate Hammond to serve as the next Intermountain Regional Director. Hammond brings almost 30 years of experience in park administration and strategic planning to the regional office and its parks and programs. She has served as the deputy regional director since 2016. Hammond begins her new role on April 10.
“Kate brings broad and deep experience in national park management with three decades of demonstrated success,” said NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge. “She is a problem solver who is respected for her strategic thinking and ability to develop good working relationships with interagency partners and colleagues. I know the region and its parks are in excellent hands with Kate at the helm.”
As regional director, Hammond will provide leadership for 85 parks and around 5,700 employees in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma and Texas.
“The resources and parks in the eight states of the region are truly inspirational. I am honored to collaborate with our employees, Tribes, communities, visitors, and stakeholders in stewarding these resources so they can be preserved and enjoyed,” said Hammond. “I also look forward to working with the parks to help address the complex challenges they face, including maintenance and facility needs, changing visitation, workforce engagement, and climate change resilience.”
Hammond began her career with the NPS in 1990 and has served in a wide range of roles, including as a Bevinetto Congressional Fellow, superintendent at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument and at Valley Forge National Historical Park, acting superintendent of Glacier National Park, deputy regional director and chief of staff for the NPS intermountain region, and acting regional director.
Hammond has a bachelor’s degree in history and environmental studies from Yale University and a master’s degree in environmental management from the Yale School of Forestry. She served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Argentina working for the Argentine National Park Service. Hammond lives with her husband and two children in the Denver area where she enjoys mountain biking, cooking, hiking, and Latin music.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 424 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: April 7, 2023