Talken-Spaulding, a life member of ANPR and a former board member, came from National Capital Parks–East, where she served as chief ranger for interpretation, education, recreation, and visitor services. She had previously worked at Prince William Forest Park, Mojave National Preserve, the Washington, D.C., Human Resources Office and other NPS posts. Smith was the district interpreter for Grand Canyon Village at Grand Canyon National Park for the last four years. His previous experience included stints at the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail and several parks in the Intermountain and Pacific West Regions.

Talken-Spaulding will spend 2010 working for the Subcommittee on National Parks of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Smith will work for the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands of the House Natural Resources Committee. In 2011, they will work in the NPS Washington office.

The Bevinetto Congressional Fellowship was established in 1988 to improve mutual understanding and cooperation between NPS and Congress. It was named in honor of Tony Bevinetto, a former NPS employee who served on the staff of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee from 1979 until his untimely death in 1988. Three years ago the program was expanded to allow two new fellows to be chosen each year.

Talken-Spaulding and Smith will be the 23rd and 24th Bevinetto Fellows since the program’s inception. The fellowship is widely considered one of the most effective developmental programs in the NPS. Most of its graduates currently serve as park superintendents or program chiefs or in other leadership positions. By helping build a cadre of managers with legislative experience, the program has been successful in improving the knowledge base of NPS leaders in working with Congress and members of the executive branch of government who affect the work done in our parks in numerous ways.

Rick Kendall, one of the 2008-2009 Bevinetto Fellows, recently moved to New Hampshire to begin his new position as superintendent of Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. During 2009, Kendall, also an ANPR life member, worked in the office of the assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks, serving as liaison between NPS and the assistant secretary. Karl Cordova, the other 2008-2009 fellow, served as a legislative affairs specialist in the NPS Legislative and Congressional Affairs office and is now superintendent of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Arizona.

The two Bevinetto Fellows for 2009-2010, Mike Gauthier and Jim Ireland, finished their year on the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks and the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, respectively, in December. Ireland is now a legislative affairs specialist in the Legislative and Congressional Affairs office and Gauthier is the liaison between NPS and the assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks.

The next opportunity to apply for the Bevinetto Fellowship will be in July when the job announcement for the 2011-2012 fellows will be posted.