Current Position: Recreation Area Manager 3
How long have you been with Louisiana State Parks and in what capacity?
I started with the Louisiana Office of State Parks in May of 2003. My first position was Park Ranger at Fontainebleau State Park. From there I was promoted to Park Manager Trainee at Lake Bistineau. After my training was complete I was promoted to Recreation Area Manager 1 and given the privilege of overseeing the opening of South Toledo Bend State Park. From there I was promoted to Recreation Area Manager 3 and I transferred to Lake D’Arbonne.
How did you become involved in working as a Wildlife Specialist?
When I was a child living in Alaska my father was a bush pilot. When I was twelve years old my father won a contract with the National Park Service to fly biologist tracking wolf pack migrations in Denali National Park. I spent two summers playing in Denali, a park the size of the state of Massachusetts. During my time there I watched the Rangers doing their jobs and I decided then that working for the Parks Service must be the greatest job in the world.
Fast-forward a bit and I am living in Louisiana and pursuing a degree in Psychology. In one of my classes a professor suggested to the class that we think about alternative counseling for stress disorders. As I was thinking about this it occurred to me that what most people in America, perhaps in the world, really need is a good vacation. After a good vacation, most people return to their lives refreshed. In fact the very word recreation means to re-create oneself. That realization started me thinking about all the vacations that I had ever enjoyed most of which were camping or canoeing. I remembered my time at Denali and how much fun I had. After finishing out the semester I changed my major to Hospitality Management and Tourism and upon graduation I set out to get a job with the State Park service.
Describe a typical day at your job.
(If there is no such thing as a typical day, then please tell us about your primary responsibilities and duties.)
One of the best parts about working for State Parks is that there is no such thing as a typical day. While I have many responsibilities, I would say that my primary responsibilities are customer service and overseeing the operations of the park. As the park manager it is my responsibility to handle all customer service concerns, personally whenever possible but when I cannot go myself I try to instruct whichever employee that will handle it on how I would like it done. Overseeing park operations on a daily basis can include: scheduling, purchasing, reconciling monies collected by fee attendants, facility inspections, and submitting reports to our administrative offices in Baton Rouge. I should also be noted that when employees cannot come to work it often falls to the Manager to cover their shift, be it fee attendant, law enforcement or even maintenance. If it needs doing the Manager has to make sure it gets done even if he has to do it himself.
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
A typical work week is 40 hours. Occasionally situations arise that causes the Manager to work overtime and as I mentioned above, if an employee cannot come in it often falls to the Manager to cover that shift.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
The guests are the best part of the job. You meet the most interesting people working for State Parks. As I mentioned earlier, good vacations can help refresh you, but a good vacation will also give you memories that you will keep for the rest of your life. It makes me feel good to know that in some small way I helped to make those memories.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
I think the greatest challenges any manager faces are employee concerns. Without good employees any business is doomed to failure and keeping your employees happy and productive should be one of your foremost concerns as a manager. But no matter how hard you try, sooner or later you will be faced with employee concerns. There is no perfect solution to every employee problem and it is only through experience that you will learn to deal with the problems as they arise.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
A bachelor’s degree is required to become a Park Manager Trainee. To progress to a Recreation Area Manager you must successfully complete the Park Manager Trainee program.
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
I do wish I had learned more about maintenance. There is quite a bit that goes into keeping a park running, from plumbing to electrical to small engine repair.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
Lake D’Arbonne has been involved in a few large-scale programs over the last year. First, we held the Inaugural D’Arbonne Bar-be-Que Festival which brought in quite a crowd. And in late September of this year we are hosting the National Dutch Oven Gathering which will bring in guests from all over the United States and Canada. I find that big events bring about the most challenge but are often the most fun to be involved in.
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