Gifford Pinchot gets a new park manager, named Jennifer Park

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced the appointment of Jennifer Park to serve as the park manager for Gifford Pinchot State Park in York County.

Park will manage the 2,338-acre park located in northern York County along Route 177 between Rossville and Lewisberry. The park consists of reverting farm fields and wooded hillsides, with the 340-acre Pinchot Lake serving as a prime attraction.

"Jen has succeeded in every one of her previous roles with the department and we are confident she will provide exemplary leadership in this new role at Gifford Pinchot," Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. "Her passion for the outdoors and her desire to continue in Pennsylvania's rich history of conservation make her a great fit for one of our most popular parks in the region."

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Park previously served as the manager at Cowans Gap State Park. She replaces Brian Heath, who is now the park manager at Delaware Canal State Park.

A native of Fredonia in Mercer County, Park holds a bachelor's degree in Park and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University. Her service at DCNR includes spending time as an environmental education specialist at Chapman State Park, a program specialist within the Bureau of State Parks central office, an assistant manager at Nockamixon State Park and as the manager at Washington Crossing Historic Park.

"I'm honored to be managing the Gifford Pinchot Park complex and look forward to being a part of this new chapter and community," Park said. "My love of parks and passion for resource management began early for me growing up in western PA. I want to continue that legacy so other 'state park kids' and Pennsylvanians can have similar experiences growing up loving parks and becoming stewards of our natural spaces."