Mike is originally from southeastern Minnesota and graduated from Mankato State University, Minn., with a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation and Park Administration. He began his NPS career in Yellowstone National Park where he worked for 11 years in a variety of positions. He has also worked at Mount Rushmore NM, Midwest Regional Office, Keweenaw NHP, Pictured Rocks NL, and Badlands NP, with significant temporary assignments in several other park areas. He has held positions in interpretation, telecommunications, resource and visitor protection, resources management, and park management at grade levels from GS-3 to 15. Mike retired from the NPS at the end of 2021 after more than 41 years of service. He first became a member of ANPR in 1987 and has been a Life Member since the mid 1990s. Mike and his wife, Barbara, currently split time between residences in Rapid City, S.D.,  and Hancock, Mich. They enjoy travel, hiking, photography, events with family and friends, attending Ranger Rendezvous’, and exploring the great public lands of our nation. 

Donald “Chris” Burnette is a former National Park Service professional, attorney, and educator with extensive experience in workforce development, training, and organizational leadership across the Department of the Interior. He is a member of the Association of National Park Rangers (ANPR) and is committed to strengthening the professional pipeline for park rangers and those entering or advancing within the field.

Chris most recently served as the National Park Service Active Transportation and Trails program manager in the Washington Support Office, where he led national-level strategy, built servicewide communities of practice, and coordinated cross-agency training and technical assistance. In that role, he routinely worked with regional offices, park staff, and partner agencies to identify skills gaps, develop shared resources, and improve access to training related to planning, compliance, accessibility, and program delivery.

Previously, Chris held senior leadership and supervisory roles at Grand Canyon National Park, including Acting Branch Chief of Planning and Support and Supervisory Outdoor Recreation Planner. In these positions, he supervised multidisciplinary teams, recruited and mentored staff, set performance expectations, and supported career development across planning, transportation, compliance, communications, and logistics functions. He also served in executive management and budget roles at both the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management, giving him a deep understanding of federal hiring processes, workforce planning, and career progression within DOI.

In addition to his federal service, Chris is a licensed attorney with a background in administrative law, public-sector governance, and nonprofit management. He holds a Juris Doctor, a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Administration and Public Management, and a Bachelor’s degree in American Political Studies with a law and policy focus. Earlier in his career, he served as an adjunct professor and has designed and delivered training programs for students, professionals, volunteers, and nonprofit boards.

Chris brings a practical, systems-level approach to education and training. His interests align closely with ANPR’s 2026 Strategic Plan priorities, including supporting career transitions, improving access to hiring and resume resources, expanding mentorship opportunities, and developing scalable virtual trainings on USAJobs, interviews, off-season employment, and professional development. He is particularly interested in helping ANPR serve both early-career rangers and mid-career professionals navigating a changing federal workforce landscape.

Chris is eager to contribute his experience to the ANPR Board of Directors and to help strengthen education and training opportunities that support the next generation of park rangers while sustaining those currently serving the profession.

Tom Banks is a wilderness guide who teaches outdoor recreation and environmental science at colleges in the Pacific Northwest. For 37 years, he worked as a field ranger with the U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and state parks, including in New Hampshire, Colorado, Montana, California, Washington, and Alaska, in a variety of functions: interpretation, backcountry/wilderness, protection (EMS/SAR/LE/Fire), and trail crew. Tom has served four times as an ANPR board member (seasonal concerns; treasurer; education & training; internal communications). He’s hiked the Appalachian Trail and nearly half of the Pacific Crest Trail and, during retirement, is working on writing a series of children’s books on nature and conservation, and a film on John Muir.

Margie Steigerwald is originally from St. Louis where she worked as an interpretive seasonal at the Gateway Arch and graduated from Saint Louis University with degrees in Spanish, Ibero-American studies and a teaching credential. She went on to a seasonal interpretive position at the Castillo de San Marcos NM, intending to return to teaching after a couple of seasons with the NPS. One job led to another, and she went on to a 38-year career with the NPS at 15 parks, including JOMU, GRSM, EVER, YELL, DENA, HAVO, JOTR, KATM, WRST, YOSE, SAMO, GLAC, and WRST (again). In addition to an extensive career in interpretation and education, she has worked as a public affairs specialist and as an outdoor recreation planner. She also earned an MPPA at CLU. She retired in 2020 from Wrangell-St. Elias NP/P and lives in Newbury Park, Calif., with her spouse, Russell Galipeau, who is also retired from the NPS. They enjoy travel, birding, hiking, and having adventures with their two adult daughters.  

Rick is an emeritus professor at Texas A & M University where he taught Parks and Recreation courses. He has degrees in Parks and Recreation from Memphis State University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. For several years he served Tennessee State Parks as a law enforcement ranger, naturalist and Resource Management specialist. He has served as a volunteer at MORA, LEWI, TIMU, GRTE, Jackson National Fish Hatchery, and Alaska Peninsula/Becharof National Wildlife Refuges. A life member of ANPR, Rick is now a full-time volunteer and plans to continue serving the NPS and other land-managing agencies. Having visited all 63 "National Parks" and all seven continents, Rick enjoys sea kayaking, traveling, and volunteering.  

Mark Tezel joined the National Park Service in 1989 as an Interpretive ranger at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Over a 36‑year NPS career, he served the park and the NPS in a wide range of roles, gaining experience in interpretation, resource management, geographic information systems, contracting and purchasing, and special park use coordination. As an interpreter, Mark presented programs for diverse audiences, including visiting dignitaries such as First Lady Barbara Bush, developed numerous publications and wayside exhibits, and created innovative interpretive programs. He later became the lead interpreter at Mission San José, the park’s busiest site.

In 2003, Mark transitioned into facility management, specializing in the Facility Management Software System (FMSS). He eventually became the FMSS hub lead for parks in eastern Texas and Oklahoma, served as an FMSS trainer, and contributed to multiple national workgroups, including the Maintained Archaeological Site Workgroup and the Park Asset Management Plan Workgroup. For ten years, Mark served as the servicewide Mobile FMSS lead, supporting parks across the country.

In 2013, Mark joined the Asset Management Branch Training Team within the Park Facility Management Division, where he designed, developed, and delivered training for the NPS facility workforce. His work included the Facility Manager Leaders Program, FMSS training, and the Cost Estimating Software System. Following the 2023 merger of the Asset Management Training Team with the Historic Preservation Training Center training branch, Mark became Training Administrator for the Production and Design Team. In this role, he led a team of media and instructional design specialists responsible for producing high‑quality training for the NPS facility management community.

Mark retired from the National Park Service in December 2025. Prior to his NPS career, he worked in his family business, Tezel and Cotter Air Conditioning Company, and continues to help manage the family farm in San Antonio. A lifelong resident of San Antonio, Mark and his wife, Alicia, have four adult children and a growing number of grandchildren who all live nearby. In retirement, Mark remains deeply committed to the National Park Service mission and looks forward to continuing his service to the profession through leadership, mentorship, and education.

I am a life member of ANPR and have attended every RR except six, starting with RR#2. During the early years of ANPR, I served in several BOD positions, including regional representative and vice-president. For several years I coordinated and managed the RR conferences. I have also attended several World Ranger Congresses and represented ANPR at the IUCN World Parks Congress in Durban, South Africa in 2003. Since my retirement in 1997, I have had several international assignments, including Abu Dhabi and the Kingdom of Jordan, and have developed and presented numerous leadership training courses for NPS areas. I am also a founder of, and a past Council member of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks.

Melissa DeVaughn is a freelance writer, editor and designer focusing on the outdoors and adventure travel. She grew up in Virginia, graduated from Virginia Tech, and thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1993. She moved to Alaska in 1995 and has lived there ever since. She worked at the Roanoke (Va.) Times, Peninsula Clarion (Alaska), The Associated Press in Alaska, and the Anchorage Daily News before pursuing a fulltime freelance career in 2008. She is married to Andy Hall and has two college-age children in Colorado. She lives in Eagle River.