Ray McPadden, SuperintendentRay McPadden has been superintendent of Yosemite National Park since spring of 2025, leading operations during one of the busiest periods in the park’s history. Ray is a seasoned leader in national parks, specializing in building high-performing teams, leading complex operations and developing productive partnerships across boundaries. His National Park Service career includes time serving as a backcountry and climbing ranger, project manager, resource manager, planner, and superintendent of some of the largest park units in the nation. Ray is also a former U.S. Army Ranger, serving with the elite 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, and 10th Mountain Division. During four combat tours Ray was decorated for valor, wounded in action and received two Bronze Stars. Ray is a graduate of the Senior Executive Fellows Program at Harvard University and earned an Executive Certificate in Public Leadership from Harvard. Ray holds a Masters in Community and Regional Planning from University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M. 
Jennifer Hardin, Deputy SuperintendentJennifer Hardin joined Yosemite as the Deputy Superintendent in September of 2026. Jennifer has nearly 20 years of federal service with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She most recently served as Superintendent of Salem Maritime National Historical Park and Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts, where she led the preservation and operation of two nationally significant historic parks. Prior to that, Jennifer served as Chief of External Affairs at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, overseeing planning and compliance, commercial services, tribal relations, congressional and public affairs, and a broad portfolio of partnerships. Earlier in her career, she worked as a cultural anthropologist and American Indian liaison at Yosemite National Park, where she collaborated with Tribal communities and supported ethnographic research and consultation. She also served in leadership positions with the Office of Subsistence Management, helping guide federal subsistence policy in Alaska. Throughout her career, Jennifer has focused on collaborative leadership, operational excellence, stewardship of resources, and fostering strong partnerships across organizations and communities that advance park operations, enhance visitor experiences, and strengthen local communities. She was recognized with the Director's Award for Excellence in Cultural Resource Stewardship by a Park Superintendent for her leadership in preserving nationally significant historic resources. |
Last updated: October 15, 2026