Chattanooga native named first female Chief Ranger of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

GSMNP officials say Lisa Hendy will oversee employees in the Resource and Visitor Protection Division who perform law enforcement duties, wildland fire operations, emergency medical services, search and rescue operations, backcountry operations, and staff the emergency communications center.

The GSMNP says Hendy brings a wealth of experience to the position after serving at several parks with complex ranger operations including Yosemite National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Arches National Park, and Rocky Mountains National Park.

She is currently the Chief Ranger at Big Bend National Park where the GSMNP says she has fostered interagency partnerships with local, state, federal, and international organizations to manage law enforcement and wildland fire operations.

Hendy grew up in Chattanooga, and had her first backcountry experiences in the Smokies where she backpacked as a youth. The GSMNP says she continues to be a tremendous outdoor enthusiast and enjoys kayaking, climbing, hiking, and canyoneering.

In addition to her Federal law enforcement commission, she is also a certified paramedic and has certifications as a structural firefighter, wildland firefighter, aviation manager, technical and swiftwater rescuer, and several leadership roles for incident management teams.

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