Meet Linda Rancourt
Vice President, Communications
Linda Rancourt has seen nearly every spectacular historic or natural landscape protected in the park system-through the photography in National Parks magazine. Yet even the best photography cannot capture the feeling of actually being in a national park, such as the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which Linda visited several years ago.
"I realized the extraordinary experience of standing in a place like the Grand Canyon and being awestruck by the landscape," says Linda.
For NPCA's members, National Parks is an essential reminder of the power of place. Linda joined NPCA in 1991 as associate editor and has served as managing editor, becoming editor-in-chief in 1998. Linda considers the magazine NPCA's most important communications vehicle with members and a vital tool for environmental education. Before coming to NPCA, Linda, an avid sailor and birdwatcher, worked as a newspaper reporter and started the first environmental beat for a daily newspaper in Southeastern Connecticut.
In addition to the magazine, Linda oversees production of NPCA's annual report and other publications. "One of our challenges will be to continue to try and reach more diverse audiences and younger audiences," Linda says.
"The most rewarding aspect of being at NPCA is hearing from members who either have shared an experience covered in the magazine or had a 'eureka' moment in a national park," Linda says. "We are their voice, but they give us the power to speak, and that's important for us to remember."
