News Release
NPS Photo/ Kelsey Graczyk
News Release Date: April 16, 2024
Contact: NCR_Communications@nps.gov
WASHINGTON— Tanya Gossett has been selected to serve as the new superintendent for Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. She currently serves as the associate regional director for Resource Stewardship and Science for the National Park Service (NPS) National Capital Region. Gossett begins her new role May 19.
“Tanya brings 30 years of experience and has demonstrated unwavering dedication to historic preservation, meticulous research and passion for sharing history," Regional Director Kym A. Hall said. "Beyond the countless projects she’s championed, it’s her genuine care for and commitment to her colleagues and her ability to foster community bonds that make her a terrific leader. Tanya’s professional philosophy and expertise will be an asset to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in her new role as superintendent.”
“Throughout my career, I've been fortunate to work at all levels of the National Park Service and to learn from expert colleagues and partners who have diverse perspectives and professional experiences,” Gossett said. “I look forward to applying this depth of understanding to preserving and sharing the important history at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park alongside the excellent team of NPS and partner professionals.”
Gossett began her NPS career at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park (Virginia) as a seasonal ranger. After graduate school, she joined the office of the National Register of Historic Places, then the American Battlefield Protection Program, and finally the Statewide Preservation Planning Program at NPS headquarters. In 2014, she returned to the field as the integrated resources program manager at National Capital Parks-East in Washington, D.C. Gossett then served as the superintendent of Prince William Forest Park in Virginia for four years, before joining the National Capital Regional Office in her current position.
For Gossett, a native of Virginia, the history and natural and cultural landscapes of the Shenandoah Valley have always held special meaning; working at Harpers Ferry will be like coming home again. Gossett has a master’s degree in historic preservation planning from Cornell University and a bachelor’s in history from James Madison University. In her free time, she looks forward to finding new tennis teammates and exploring more trails with her trusty black Labrador retriever.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 429 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 16, 2024