Jason Taylor/NPS

Jason Taylor, Regional Chief of Natural Resources for the National Park Service, Alaska Region, has been selected as Superintendent for Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, in Skagway, Alaska.

At the end of the 19th century, gold in the Yukon drew thousands of men and women to Alaska, many of whom settled permanently.  Today, the "Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park preserves the trails, historic structures, artifacts, landscapes, and stories associated with the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-1898."

“Jason brings to Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park a proven leadership capacity; a strong commitment to team, and a positive, inclusive work environment; and a passion for the National Park Service mission and public service,” said Regional Director Bert Frost. “His focus on building partnerships and his familiarity with National Park Service operations, and Alaska, well position Jason for his new role.”

“I consider it an honor to serve the staff, resources, community, and visitors of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park,” said Taylor. “I have heard so many positive comments about park staff, and about the community of Skagway. I’m excited to be a part of the team, and to become a contributing member of the community.”

Currently, Jason leads the regional office Natural Resource Science and Management Team, supporting the National Park Service by providing technical expertise and capacity to parks and national programs, conducting and provisioning science to support informed decision making, providing policy interpretations, facilitating collaboration with partners and between parks, and managing the regional wilderness program. Taylor also serves as a member of the National Park Service Natural Resource Advisory Group, is an instructor for the National Park Service Interdisciplinary Resource Protection and Law course, and recently served as U.S. co-lead for the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program, an international organization that addresses Arctic biodiversity conservation.
  
Prior to joining the National Park Service in Alaska, Jason served as Chief of Natural Resource Management and Science at Cape Cod National Seashore. During his time at Cape Cod, a coastal park with over four million visits annually, Taylor was a core member of the park’s senior leadership team. He led and managed people, programs, and budgets; collaborated with commercial service organizations; engaged communities, visitors, and the local media; and worked on innovative solutions for managing the park’s resources and cultural landscapes and integrating science and resource management objectives into interpretive and educational programs.
 
Taylor has also held several positions with the Bureau of Land Management, including posts in Alaska and Colorado. All told, he has fifteen years of combined federal and local government service. He learned a Ph.D. and M.S. in Natural Resources and Environment from the University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources and Environment; and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Michigan—Flint. He enjoys traveling, photography, fly fishing, and most of all, spending time with his family in majestic settings with a strong sense of place.