Gettysburg's next superintendent specializes in museums and artifacts

The next superintendent at Gettysburg National Military Park and two affiliated sites has been with the National Park Service for 37 years and has experience in museum collections.

The agency on Thursday announced Stephanie Stephens will take over the park, Eisenhower National Historic Site and Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument in the fall. All three sites are in south-central Pennsylvania.

Stephens currently serves as the acting regional director for the Midwest region of the NPS. She will replace Kris Heister, who retired a few months ago.

 “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.”

Stephens grew up in Twentynine Palms, California, where a military installation and a national park were central to her community.

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.

The Picket asked the NPS to comment on whether Stephens has any near-term objectives but has not yet received a response.