Monday, January 12, 2009

NEW SUPERINTENDENT SELECTED FOR HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK

January 7,2009
Sarah Creachbaum, a 15 -year veteran of the National Park Service (NPS), is the next superintendent of Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui in Hawaii. She replaces Marilyn H. Parris who is retiring January 31.

Creachbaum is expected to move from Guam, where she is superintendent of War in the Pacific National Historical Park and, on Saipan, the American Memorial Park.

“Sarah is committed to working collaboratively with communities, native peoples, and other government agencies,” said NPS Regional Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “She’s an innovative manager who consistently finds thoughtful approaches to extremely complex challenges.”

Creachbaum has served as superintendent at War in the Pacific and American Memorial during a pivotal point in the development of these two World War II areas. She opened a state of the art visitor center on Guam, addressing the complex cultural interaction between the Chamorran, Japanese and military interests. She also championed several educational programs at these parks for the schools on Guam and Saipan.

She arrived on Guam in 2006 and has worked to improve the quality of working life for employees and visitors, while also working with the U.S. Marines on the impact to the park of its anticipated move from Okinawa to Guam.

Prior to her superintendency, she served in the coveted Bevinetto Fellowship, a career development program working for a year each on the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, chaired by Senator Daniel Akaka, and in the Washington, D.C. office of the NPS.

“I am delighted to be returning to Haleakala,” Creachbaum said in accepting the appointment. “I worked at the park on resource issues in 2003 and am looking forward to working with the community and staff.”

Creachbaum also has worked in Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Saguaro and Grand Canyon National Parks.

She and her family are expected to arrive at Haleakala in mid February.

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Pacific West Region
1111 Jackson Street, Suite 700, Oakland, CA 94607-4807
510-817-1320 phone
510-817-1325 fax
Pacific West Region News Release