James T. Reynolds (JT) started his NPS career during the summer after his junior year in college majoring in Recreation and Parks Management and minoring in Wildlife Management at Texas A&M University.  He worked at Everglades National Park as a seasonal park ranger, performing “anti-alligator-poaching patrols.  His first permanent NPS job after graduating was Natchez Trace Parkway.  After serving his military obligation in the Army in 1972, JT returned to the NPS as an environmental education specialist in Washington, D.C., taking inner city youth to NPS areas to camp and experience the outdoors. The next year, JT was hired as the supervisory park ranger of the Yosemite Valley Mall Patrol, where he also served in supervisory roles in the back country and the Wawona District. For the next twenty three years, JT served in ranger activities, training and management in places ranging from Wrangell St. Elias to Albright Training Center to Petrified Forest National Park. In 1987, he trained rangers at Lake Malawi National Park in Africa. JT also worked in the North Atlantic and Rocky Mountain Regional Offices, the Colorado Plateau Support Office. In 1997, he became deputy superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park; in 2001 he became the superintendent of Death Valley National Park. JT remained focused on youth and educational outreach throughout his career; his Death Valley tenure resulted in the development of the exemplary Death Valley ROCKS program. After 41 years of federal service, JT retired in January of 2009. In addition to serving on CNPSR’s executive council, JT is also on the board of directors of the NPCA, and a youth-advocacy organization, Quiet Storm Foundation. James Thomas (JT)'s current appointment expires December 31, 2013. Contact JT at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .