#hatsoff2

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Judith Collins fondly recalls the summer trips her family took to national parks across the country: “I think those experiences allowed me to see our environment not just as natural or built, but as evidence of our shared history. I see the effect we have on it during our lifetime and understand the responsibility we have to protect it.” Today, Judith is the historical architect at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, where she oversees the preservation of more than 150 years of architectural history. Across Lake Michigan, on the south side of Chicago, she helps as the Acting Cultural Resources Specialist at the brand new Pullman National Monument. #HatsOff2 Judith!

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Sueann Brown is a historical architect with the Pacific West Regional Office. In her own words…

“It is such an honor and a privilege to have a role in the preservation of the amazing cultural resources in our national parks to help “…leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations”. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to share my knowledge of preservation with park management and maintenance staff to help them care for our historic structures and landscapes. What I love most are the opportunities I have to share my passion for preservation with students and interns. I was a student at a field school the first time I met a NPS historical architect. So, it feels great to be in that position now and possibly have a role in inspiring the next generation of cultural resource professionals.”

Sueann, we take our #HatsOff2 you and the amazing work you do in the Pacific West!

Watch what she gets to be a part of…

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This week, we take our #HatsOff2 the DEWA Preservation Team!

Reestablished in 2014, this small group has a large responsibility for the high priority historic structures throughout the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. They perform emergency stabilization, preservation, and rehabilitation work of all kinds.  The crew works under the direction of project leader and lead preservation carpenter Mark Segro who came to DEWA from the NPS Historic Preservation Training Center in 2012.

The crew proudly stands in front of the 18th century Van Gordon House, where they recently completed a comprehensive re-roofing and exterior envelope preservation project.  Pictured from left to right are Scott Predmore, Kent Cook, Mark Segro, and Cody Sumski.

Thanks for all of your hard work to save these structures for future generations to appreciate and enjoy!

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This week, we take our ‪#‎HatsOff2‬ Don Wollenhaupt, Chief of Interpretation and Education in the Southeast Region.

“What inspires me is providing support and advice to the park Chiefs of Interpretation and Education as well as those front line interpreters which inform and inspire our visitors day in and day out, whether it is in the park or online. I was a park chief at three parks earlier in my career before coming to the Southeast Region, so I understand both their needs and the desires of the park chiefs to create stellar educational opportunities for the audiences in their parks. I have also been inspired by the interpretive connections I have made in trips overseas for International Affairs with national park rangers in Germany, Guyana and the Ukraine. Throughout these assignments, I have had valuable conversations with historians, interpreters, and park visitors on the historical and cultural stories in our parks. History was my favorite subject in school and it continues to be a favorite subject of mine.”

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Alex Hernandez is the Assistant Program Manager for the Japanese American Confinement Sites Program and Regional Coordinator for the Intermountain Region of the Heritage Areas Program. While she may wear these two different hats, figuratively speaking, we’re taking our #HatsOff2 Alex in recognition of her contributions to the preservation of the story of Japanese Americans during World War II.

What does an Assistant Program Manager do? “As a historian with the National Park Service, I assist in managing federal grants that go towards preserving and interpreting U.S. confinement sites where Japanese Americans were forcibly detained during World War II. The grant projects offer opportunities for present and future generations to learn and gain inspiration from these sites.”

How do you feel about your work? “My work is incredibly fulfilling because the National Park Service and our many partners are committed to never forgetting this part of our nation’s history or the experiences of those who were incarcerated during World War II.”

Please join us in thanking Alex for her part in preserving this important American story.

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program, please visit: www.nps.gov/jacs

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This week we dig deeper into the preservation field as we salute‪ #‎HatsOff2‬ Mary S. Carroll!  Mary is Chief of Park Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (Park NAGPRA).

NAGPRA provides a process for museums and Federal agencies to resolve interests in Native American cultural items -- human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony -- among lineal descendants, Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and Native Hawaiian organizations.

Handling these most sacred items reminds us that preservation isn’t just about buildings.

As an archaeologist, Mary became interested early in her career in how information, in the form of digital data, is preserved for use and re-use by others studying the past. Her first job with NPS was at the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) overseeing information management grants and projects. Then she moved to working with the NAGPRA, where the focus is returning Native American ancestors’ remains and objects to their descendants. I spend a lot of time advising and training NPS staff on how to work through NAGPRA, building positive relationships with Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations in the process.

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‪#‎HatsOff2‬ James Bird!

As Chief of the Tribal Preservation Program, James has grown and strengthened our partnerships with the Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs). James understands the struggles faced by many trying to protect important culture with very limited resources based on his first-hand experience developing the Eastern Cherokee THPO program. This insight that has served him well in his tenure with the National Park Service.

James' reflections on successes of the program:

Helping new tribes succeed even if it takes years of negotiation and training. Bringing in new tribes to the THPO program even though it is tempered by depreciating funding.

Site visits such to projects like the Lac du Flambeau Boys School project are a rare but important opportunity to see first-hand the attitude of the people involved. The school was preserved so it can serve as an interpretive tool, remembering painful past can be controversial but it is important to have the structure remain as a learning tool.

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#Hatsoff2 Alesha Cerny!

Alesha is the National Historic Landmarks (NHL) Coordinator for Illinois and Minnesota. Together with her colleagues, Alesha works to preserve sites that embody our nation’s diverse and vibrant heritage. This includes the tomb of President Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, and the home of aviator Charles Lindbergh in Little Falls, Minnesota.

What’s the best part of her job? “Making site visits to potential and existing [landmarks],” Alesha says. “Site visits really open the lines of communication with NHL stewards.”

Thank you for all of your work, Alesha!