"The time is right for me to hand the reins over to the next person who will continue this proud legacy of leading what NPCA’s founder called the ‘fearless and outspoken defender of the people’s parks’” -- Theresa Pierno
WASHINGTON – After 21 years with the organization, including a decade at the helm, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) President and CEO Theresa Pierno announced she will step down from her role at the end of this year. Pierno is the first woman to serve as President and CEO of the century-old organization.
During her tenure as CEO, NPCA helped to secure billions of dollars in national park funding including the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020 which represented the largest investment in national parks and public lands in more than 50 years. She championed the expansion of the National Park System to protect sacred lands and tell the American story, ultimately helping to secure the designation of 20 national park sites. She has been a strong proponent for clean air and water and a fierce advocate for National Park Service staff. She is also one of the founding Board members of the Park Institute of America, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that seeks to maintain the integrity and vibrancy of America’s parks and ensure that the country’s valuable cultural and environmental resources endure.
“Leading this organization has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” said Pierno. “I am endlessly proud of the work NPCA has done to protect and strengthen our national parks. We’ve done it with passion, integrity and an unshakable belief in the power of our parks to inspire and unite. The choice to step down from this role comes with a full heart and after careful reflection. But in the end, I know the time is right for me to hand the reins over to the next person who will continue this proud legacy of leading what NPCA’s founder called the ‘fearless and outspoken defender of the people’s parks.’”
Pierno joined NPCA in 2004 and spent the next several years growing the organization’s regional operations and impact, opening its Midwest and Southwest Regional Offices, among others. In doing so, she doubled NPCA’s field offices and staff. To further strengthen NPCA’s on-the-ground presence and impact, she greatly expanded Regional Councils, harnessing the skills and passion of volunteers in national park advocacy. To bolster the place-based programmatic work, she hired additional staff with research, technical, cultural resources, and scientific expertise. And she grew the organization’s water program, co-founding the Great Waters Coalition and expanding partnerships in the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay and Everglades.
Named CEO in 2015, Pierno began building a culture of diversity and inclusion both at the staff and volunteer level. She worked with programmatic staff to focus on stories centering on Human and Civil Rights which helped lead to the creation of several national park sites including Stonewall National Monument, Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, Pullman National Historical Park and Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. She also focused on strengthening Tribal work and relationships, bringing on Indigenous staff and Board members to advance programmatic work including supporting the designation of several national park sites and national monuments sacred to their communities.
Pierno also understood the importance of introducing national parks to the next generation of park goers and advocates, establishing the Next Generation Advisory Council. The Council brings together 18–34-year-old people across the country who are passionate about national parks, conservation and the power of advocacy. Together they work closely with staff to engage young people in critical park protection work while also building a pipeline for staff and volunteer recruitment.
During her tenure she also strengthened NPCA’s financial health, successfully leading a $300 million capital campaign to protect America’s national park legacy, strategically using the effort to invest in additional key staff positions. During the campaign, NPCA hired 42 expert staff members, and increased its annual member and donor support by more than $12 million. Pierno added significant resources and capacity to NPCA’s programmatic work and expanded communication efforts, scaling up NPCA’s breadth of park protection.
Pierno also focused on NPCA’s workplace culture, believing the organization’s greatest asset is its staff. She institutionalized a caring, people-first culture and became a strong proponent for a range of benefits. These include a four-day, 32-hour work week, improving work-life balance, flexible telework options and paid sabbaticals. This investment earned the organization a USA Top Workplace award in 2022.
“NPCA and the larger national park community have been fortunate to have Theresa’s leadership skills and vision at the helm for the past decade,” said Sändra Washington, Chair of NPCA’s Board of Trustees. “I am filled with gratitude for her stellar service to NPCA and her commitment to a smooth leadership transition.”
National Parks Conservation Association’s Board of Trustees will conduct a formal search for the next President and CEO of the organization. Pierno will remain in her role for the remainder of the year, ensuring a smooth transition to the next leader.
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
