Margaret L. Goodro has been named the new superintendent of Lake Mead National Recreation Area. She replaces Lizette Richardson, who retired last year.
Goodro, who has been superintendent of Biscayne National Park in Florida since October 2016, is expected to begin her new role in mid-May.
This move marks Goodro’s return to Lake Mead, where she served as a district ranger earlier in her career.
“I am honored to be selected and to serve as the superintendent of Lake Mead National Recreation Area,” Goodro said. “I love Lake Mead, and I look forward to continuing the great work of providing amazing recreational opportunities for visitors while also protecting and preserving 1.5 million acres of America’s public lands and waters.”
“Margaret is a proven collaborative leader who is passionate about bringing people together to protect America’s national parks while providing for recreational opportunities,” said National Park Service Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith. “Margaret is a trailblazer who has created opportunities to hire youth, minorities and disabled staff throughout the Department of the Interior. She has also been successful making our national parks more accessible for our nation’s disabled visitors and veterans.”
According to her LinkedIn profile, Goodro was disabled in 2007.
She has a bachelor’s degree in outdoor recreation management from Central Washington University and graduated from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School Executive Potential Leadership Program in 2006.
Goodro’s 26-year career in public service includes park ranger positions in county, state and federal parks.
Prior to her work at Biscayne National Park, she was the superintendent of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Anchorage, Alaska. Goodro’s National Park Service experience includes posts at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, North Cascades National Park, Glacier National Park, Yosemite National Park, Crater Lake National Park and Glacier Bay National Park.
She also served as the El Centro field manager for the Bureau of Land Management in El Centro, California.
“Improving park experiences and recreational opportunities will be a top priority for me, and this will include building on efforts to improve facilities such as launch ramps, picnic areas, campgrounds and the visitor center. We also need to be ready to swiftly respond to adjusting water levels and ensure that we have the plans in place to take action.”
Goodro spent her youth camping and boating on the lakes and coasts of her native Washington. Goodro comes from a long line of public servants. She, along with her spouse, Melinda, and their dogs, Qynn and Moose, will move to Nevada in late April.
Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.