New Superintendent Selected for Gettysburg Area National Parks
Aug 6, 2026
Gettysburg Foundation acknowledges the appointment of Stephanie Stephens as superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park, Eisenhower National Historic Site and Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument. As the nonprofit philanthropic and educational partner of the National Park Service at Gettysburg, Gettysburg Foundation looks forward to working with Stephens when she assumes her new role this fall.
Gettysburg Foundation Interim President & CEO Barbara Sardella welcomed the announcement.
"In support of our partnership with the National Park Service at Gettysburg, we look forward to welcoming Stephanie Stephens,” said Barbara Sardella, interim president and CEO of Gettysburg Foundation. “We are grateful for the opportunity to learn from her extensive experience as we work alongside each other towards our mission of preservation and education of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site."
The following announcement was issued by the National Park Service today.
Stephanie Stephens has been selected as superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park, Eisenhower National Historic Site and Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument. Stephens currently serves as the acting regional director for the Midwest Region of the National Park Service and will assume her new role this fall.
Stephanie Stephens,
NPS photo
“Stephanie’s extensive experience in cultural resource stewardship, museum and curatorial leadership, collaborative planning and community engagement is perfectly suited for this position,” said acting Northeast Region Deputy Regional Director Brandon Bies. “Her curatorial knowledge is especially relevant at Gettysburg, home to the National Park Service's largest Civil War museum collection, where the preservation, care and interpretation of these meaningful artifacts is a central mission.”
“Growing up in Twentynine Palms, California, where a military installation and a national park were central to my community, instilled in me a deep commitment to public service and preserving our nation’s stories,” said Stephens. “It is an honor to serve at places where the stories of sacrifice, resilience, leadership and reflection are preserved and shared. I look forward to working closely with our staff, Tribal Nations, partners, volunteers and the communities we serve to ensure these nationally significant places continue to educate and inspire future generations.”
Stephens has been with the National Park Service for 37 years, in a variety of leadership positions focused on the preservation and stewardship of National Park Service museum collections and cultural resources. In 2016, she was selected as the National Park Service chief curator. Since then, she has served as the national deputy associate director for Park Programs and National Heritage Areas, the Midwest Region associate regional director for Cultural Resources, Land and Water Conservation Fund, and Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance programs, and as a deputy regional director for the Midwest Region.
Stephens holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from California State University, San Bernardino and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, with an emphasis in Museum Studies and Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma. She also attended the Harvard Kennedy School, is a graduate of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Federal Executive Institute – Leadership for a Democratic Society program and is currently enrolled in OPM’s Senior Executive Development Program.
Read the National Park Service press release.
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