Pinnacles National Park recently said goodbye to seven-year Superintendent Karen Beppler-Dorn, who transferred to a new role at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Ohio.
The 33-year Park Service employee came to Pinnacles in 2011, two years before the site gained national park status.
“Superintendent Dorn has been a dedicated leader through her years at Pinnacles and a great partner to work with,” said Jennifer Westphal, executive director of Pinnacles National Park Foundation.
According to a recent foundation press release, Dorn said she was honored to be selected as superintendent of Hopewell Culture National Historical Park.
“I am excited to be returning to my home state of Ohio and look forward to building on the strong foundations already established by park staff with community partners and the nine affiliated American Indian tribes,” said Dorn.
Dorn began her career as a law enforcement ranger in 1985 at Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area in Ohio. She has worked in several national parks from West Virginia to Washington state. Before arriving at Pinnacles National Park, Dorn served as superintendent of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Washington and Chief of Natural and Cultural Resource Management at Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.
The Pinnacles National Park Foundation hosted a reception to honor Dorn on Sept. 11 at The GardenShoppe in Hollister. Current and past Park Service employees and community members attended to give thanks for Dorn’s years of service at Pinnacles.