The Maryland Park Service graduated 21 new State Park Rangers following four weeks of training. The rangers were honored in a ceremony at Elk Neck State Park and NorthBay Adventure Camp.
“As I have visited our public lands across the state, I have been impressed by the preparedness and dedication of Maryland State Park Rangers,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. “The skills learned during the Ranger training program will be put into practice every day to protect our state’s natural places and help generations of Marylanders enjoy the outdoors.”
Since the Maryland Park Service’s modern ranger school program was established in 2009, this is the 14th class of new State Park Rangers.
“I am proud of the dedication, talent, and passion displayed by each and every graduating park ranger,” said Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw. “As guardians of our state resources, they are entrusted with not only preserving our parks but also ensuring the safety and enjoyment of all who visit. We eagerly anticipate the positive impact they will make in serving the public and safeguarding parks and natural areas for everyone.”
Ranger School focuses on the primary jobs of the Maryland Park Ranger – operations, maintenance, interpretation, and customer service. Students participate in intensive training consisting of practical exercises and written exams. Using real-world scenarios, the rangers-in-training execute emergency response, park operations, search and rescue missions, resource management and more.
In addition to this training, rangers must also complete one year of operational experience to become fully certified.
Maryland Park Service Ranger School 2024 graduates, by work region, are:
Eastern Region
Chris Danna – Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park
Joanna Trojanowski – Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park
Central Region
Sean Campbell – Gunpowder Falls State Park
Michael Hook – Gunpowder Falls State Park
Joseph Horner – Seneca Creek State Park
Emma Kehrman – Seneca Creek State Park
Robin Reed – Gunpowder Falls State Park
Ronald Ripperger – Patapsco Valley State Park
James Roberts – Elk Neck State Park
Samuel Voso – Patapsco Valley State Park
Dylan Wagner – Seneca Creek State Park
Southern Region
Keith Edelen – Cedarville State Forest (Southern Maryland Recreational Complex)
Kristina Soetje – Smallwood State Park (Southern Maryland Recreational Complex)
Myia Tariq – Sandy Point State Park
Samantha (Sam) Waby – Calvert Cliffs State Park (Southern Maryland Recreational Complex)
Western Region
Richard Caputo – Wolf Den Run
Kaitlyn Mitchell – Deep Creek Lake State Park
Thomas Schlauch – Cunningham Falls State Park
Cheryl Sedlak Seaver – South Mountain Recreational Complex
Jacob Younker – Fort Frederick State Park
Park Service Headquarters
Annalyn O’Grady – Corps Program Manager