Washington • President Donald Trump on Friday named the superintendent of Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park to head the National Park Service, a job that has been filled on an acting basis for nearly 20 months.
Vela is a 28-year career veteran who has worked at parks across the country and was director of the Southeast region for four years.
The agency has not had a Senate-confirmed director since Jonathan Jarvis retired in January 2017, days before Trump took office.
Vela said in a statement that he hopes to reduce the park service's multibillion-dollar maintenance backlog, "protect our national treasures and serve all who come to enjoy the parks.