Cuyahoga Valley National Park News Release
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Pamela Barnes 440-241-5857 (cell), or pamela_barnes@nps.gov
National Park Service selects Lisa Petit as new Deputy Superintendent of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, James A. Garfield National Historic Site, and First Ladies National Historic Site
Brecksville, Ohio - Craig Kenkel, Superintendent of Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP), James A. Garfield National Historic Site, and First Ladies National Historic Site, announced the selection of Dr. Lisa Petit as the new Deputy Superintendent of the three parks. She began her National Park Service (NPS) career at CVNP in 2000 as a Wildlife Biologist, and in 2006 became Chief of the CVNP Resource Management Program. During her time at CVNP, Petit oversaw all science, engineering, design, planning, environmental compliance, and resource stewardship activities for the park.
When announcing the selection, Kenkel said "From our time working together last summer during Dr. Petit's temporary assignment as deputy superintendent, through her strategic leadership for restoration of and recreation on the Cuyahoga River, and with her experience as division chief and park senior staff member, Lisa has proven she is a strong leader. And because she already has extensive operational and partnership experience for these parks, she can quickly transition into her new role."
Petit led the park’s efforts to restore and improve the condition of natural and cultural resources to drive the ecological recovery of the Cuyahoga River watershed, expand public access, and enhance the visitor experience within the park. In addition to fostering several international park relationships, Petit and her team developed numerous productive partnerships with federal and state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and metropolitan park districts, leveraging more than $20 million in external funding for restoration over the past five years.
“We’ve worked alongside Lisa and have appreciated her stellar leadership in protecting park resources as well as her commitment to engaging partners and the community in the park. Deb Yandala, CEO of Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park said. “I look forward to working with her and believe that the park will be even more successful with Lisa in this critical leadership position," added Yandala.
Petit holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Arkansas, during which time she spent a year as a Doctoral Scholar at Cambridge University in England. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Biology from Bowling Green State University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from The Ohio State University. She grew up in northern Virginia where her first national park experiences were in the National Capitol Region and the national battlefields of Virginia and Maryland.
“I am honored to be selected to serve this amazing group of parks as their Deputy Superintendent," Dr. Lisa Petit said. “Our passionate, creative, and dedicated park and partner employees are second to none across the entire national park system. I look forward to helping expand our excellent public service to new audiences, communities, and future generations of park stewards," Petit added.
Prior to joining the National Park Service, Petit was a Research Biologist for eight years with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Her research is widely published in peer-reviewed journals and focused on impacts of human land use on wildlife ecology and understanding the role of protected areas in resource conservation. This research was conducted primarily in national parks and other protected areas in Latin America and across the eastern United States, including within Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
CVNP encompasses 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. Managed by the National Park Service, CVNP combines cultural, historical, recreational, and natural resources in one setting. For more information, visit the park’s website or Facebook page, or call 440-717-3890.
-NPS-
Tags: new employee employees leadership park administration deputy superintendent petit superintendent kenkel
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
