Tan Hayat serves as the Northeast Program Manager at the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), where he works to protect national parks in the Northeast by building support among local communities, partners, and decision makers.

A New York City native from Queens, Tan comes to NPCA with a background in government relations and advocacy. He has spent most of his career in New York’s nonprofit sector, building coalitions and working with elected officials and government agencies to move budget and policy priorities. Tan holds a degree in Political Science and International Relations from SUNY Geneseo.

Tan currently lives in Upper Manhattan, a short walk from Inwood Hill Park and the island’s last stretch of old-growth forest. His favorite national parks are technically national lakeshores: Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks, both discovered on a road trip around Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. As a lifelong East Coaster, he did not expect lakes to rival the ocean and has since convinced several people in his life to visit the Great Lakes. An avid skier and snowboarder, Tan has ridden from the Rockies to the Pacific Northwest and in (nearly) every state in the Northeast. In the summer, he can be found at the beach, sailing the Hudson, or camping and hiking across the Adirondacks and New England.

My Favorite Parks