News Release

Lauren Blacik Selected as Superintendent of Pipestone National Monument

Lauren Blacik announced as new superintendent of Pipestone NM

NPS Photo

News Release Date: May 10, 2018

Contact: Alexandra Picavet, 402-661-1840

Midwest Regional Office News Release

Date: May 9, 2018
Contact: Alexandra Picavet, Midwest Region Chief of Communications    Phone: [phone]    Email: [e-mail]      

Lauren Blacik Selected as Superintendent of Pipestone National Monument

Omaha — National Park Service (NPS) Midwest Regional Director Cam Sholly announced the selection of Lauren Blacik as superintendent of Pipestone National Monument in Pipestone, Minnesota.  Blacik is the Special Assistant to the Midwest Regional Director and is currently serving as the Acting Superintendent at Pipestone National Monument.  She assumes her new role effective immediately.
“Lauren brings a strong background in park operations, tribal engagement, and building partnerships,” said Regional Director Cam Sholly. “She is an outstanding communicator and manager with a proven record of accomplishment at both the park and regional levels.”

"I am humbled to be selected as the superintendent of this special place that is sacred to so many,” Blacik said.  “I look forward to working with Tribes, park staff, volunteers, partners, and the local community in stewardship of the unique natural and cultural resources that have drawn people here for thousands of years.”

Since 2015, Blacik has served as the Special Assistant to the Midwest Regional Director, including a focus on coordination for the National Park Service Centennial in 2016.  She led efforts to expand internal communications, develop new tools for management accountability, and build new partnerships.

Prior to moving to Omaha, Blacik managed the Visitor Services Division at Aztec Ruins National Monument in New Mexico, where she worked closely with Tribal and local leaders and educators, including on the development of an annual Youth Cultural Exchange, the New Mexico Youth Summit, and many other collaborative efforts.  She began her National Park Service career at Chaco Culture National Historical Park in 2009.

Blacik is originally from Maple Grove, Minnesota and has enjoyed visits to Pipestone National Monument and the surrounding area since childhood. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and anthropology from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. Blacik and her husband Adrian Jones are looking forward to relocating to the area and exploring the many outdoor opportunities it has to offer.

NPS

The Midwest Region encompasses 61 park areas in 13 states (Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, and North and South Dakota), and has been headquartered in Omaha since the mid-1930s.