John J. Reynolds, former Deputy Director NPS

Born a park ranger’s son in Yellowstone, he has dedicated his life to parks, conservation and historic preservation.

During his 40-year career with the National Park Service he served as a visionary and leader, leading planning for complex and controversial national parks including Cape Cod and Yosemite and proposals for two new national parks in Alaska (Bering Land Bridge National Preserve and Kobuk National Park), park manager at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and North Cascades National Park and executive leadership at the Denver Service Center, the Mid-Atlantic and Pacific West Regions, the Presidio of San Francisco, and Deputy Director NPS.

He championed international conservation and preservation in the NPS, advised on park issues in 12 countries, and was US Delegate to the World Heritage Committee for five years.

In retirement he worked for the National Park Foundation and the Student Conservation Association. He served on the boards of nonprofits including the Student Conservation Association, Landscape Architecture Foundation, George Wright Society, Partners for Public Lands, Shenandoah National Park Trust and as a founding board member of the Chesapeake Conservancy, Global Parks and the Friends of Flight 93.

He represented the Secretary of the Interior on the board of the Presidio Trust and chaired federal advisory commissions for Flight 93 National Memorial, John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and Fort Hancock, NJ. He was a member of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the California State Parks Forward Commission and on the Board of Trustees of the Fort Monroe Authority. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of ICOMOS-USA

He is a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, and holds Bachelor and Masters degrees in Landscape Architecture (Iowa State University and State University of New York at Syracuse University).

Honors include Fellow, American Society of Landscape Architects, Design Service Award from Iowa State University, Distinguished Service Award of the Department of the Interior, Alfred E. Lagasse Award of the American Society of Landscape Architects and American Academy for Parks and Recreation Cornelius Amory Pugsley Award.

He lives in Crozet, VA with his wife Barbara.