"Alex brings a wealth of knowledge about New York City, its natural resources, and cultural history to NPCA," said Tom Kiernan, president of the nonpartisan national parks group. "We are delighted to have such a parks veteran head our New York office."

Brash will work to build local awareness of national park issues and develop public and congressional support for the federal funding needed to preserve and care for national parks in New York City and across the nation. Research has shown that national parks operate, on average, with only two-thirds of the needed funding--a system-wide shortfall in excess of $600 million annually.

The nine national parks in New York City include Castle Clinton in Battery Park, an immigration center that welcomed more than eight million people to the U.S. in the late 1800s; Federal Hall on Wall Street, built in 1842 on the site where George Washington was sworn into office as president; the beaches of Gateway National Recreation Area; Gen. Grant's tomb in Riverside Park; Teddy Roosevelt's brownstone birthplace in Gramercy Park; and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

A native New Yorker, Brash previously supervised the natural resources group of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, where he worked for 15 years in various capacities. He has also held positions with the American Museum of Natural History, World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. Brash holds a B.S. from Connecticut College and a graduate degree from Yale University's School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. He studied quantitative ecology at Rutgers University.

"I am delighted to join NPCA-the recognized leader of national park advocacy," Brash said.

In an effort to increase public awareness of national parks in New York City, NPCA last summer launched a regional television public service campaign featuring Jerry Seinfeld, Walter Cronkite, rehabbing New York Knicks guard Allan Houston, and Univision talk show host Cristina Saralegui. The PSAs encourage local audiences to visit New York City's national parks.