Current Position: Park Manager
How long have you been with New Mexico State Parks?
Four years. Started as a park ranger for 1 1/2 years and then park manager for 2 1/2 years.
How did you become interested in working as a a park ranger?
Being a park ranger was a job that I felt would be interesting due to the many hats they wear and non-routine job duties.
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.)
No such thing as a typical day. Primary duties include management of the following park programs: administrative, interpretive, maintenance, law enforcement, volunteer, seasonal, special events, and safety.
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
40 hours.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
Working with the volunteers. They are the backbone of every park and each volunteer brings a whole new personality and prior life experience that is unique and fun to learn.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
Trying to accomplish certain tasks and goals that require more money and manpower than we currently have on hand.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
Initially, each law enforcement park ranger must pass the law enforcement academy within one year of hire. After that, law enforcement training is a mandatory requirement to maintain our New Mexico State Department of Safety certification.
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
Construction experience and mechanical experience is a very valuable asset for this job.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
The execution of the Recreational Trails Program grant has been the most challenging and rewarding so far.
If someone were interested in working in your position, what advice could you give them?
Number 1: Be humble. If you don’t think it’s a fair expectation that a certified law enforcement officer should have to clean bathrooms once he graduates from the academy, this job isn’t for you. Last year the Regional Manager, my immediate boss, cleaned portable toilets during the Fourth of July weekend. The year before that, the Director himself worked the boat ramp. No one employee is better than anyone else. But that is what makes us special. We respect each other and treat each other like family. We work hard and play hard and try to enjoy every day at work.
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