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Jennifer Carpenter will become the new chief of the Yellowstone Center for Resources (YCR).
Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk announced the news earlier today.
According to a Yellowstone press release, Carpenter has been the acting chief since her predecessor, David Hallec, resigned in 2014. Hallec left the Center to assume the role of superintendent of the Outer Banks Group in North Carolina. From a Yellowstone press release:
As YCR Chief, Carpenter is responsible for overseeing more than 100 permanent and seasonal employees. YCR was created in 1993 and is responsible for managing all park science and resource management operations—wildlife management, aquatic resources, vegetation, cultural resources, geology and physical resources, social science, environmental compliance, science communications, and research programs. YCR works to promote scientific research within the park and integrate that research into management decisions.
“Jennifer has an incredible connection to the resources and the long term preservation of Yellowstone.” said Wenk. “She will be a strong leader for natural and cultural resource protection with surrounding states and tribal governments.”
Jennifer has worked in Yellowstone since 2012, where she served as the Branch Chief for Compliance and Science Communications until 2014. Prior to arriving in Yellowstone, Jennifer worked at Grand Teton National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Bandelier National Monument.
Before joining the National Park Service in 2004, Jennifer worked as a biologist for several environmental consulting firms and for the Arizona Game & Fish Department. Jennifer obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona and a Master of Science in Applied Ecology and Environmental Resources from Arizona State University.
Carpenter currently lives in Mammoth Hot Springs, along with her husband (ranger Dan Kowalski) and their daughter Estelle.
