Secretary Norton Appoints New Members to
National Park System Advisory Board

WASHINGTON-- Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton today announced the appointment of seven new members to National Park System Advisory Board. The new members are William Baker, Ph.D; John Francis, Ph.D; Marie Greene, Larry Rivers, Ph.D; William Walters; Lajuana Wilcher; and George Willeford III, M.D. Secretary Norton also announced the reappointment of the Honorable Jerry Hruby.

"I am delighted with the willingness of these new board members to take on this important challenge," Norton said. "I look forward to their recommendations and advice for shaping the future of our national parks."

The Board advises the Director of the National Park Service and the Secretary of the Interior on issues concerning the national parks and programs managed by the NPS and makes commendations concerning national historic landmarks, national natural landmarks and proposed national historic trails.

Members appointed to the 12-member board serve a term no longer than four years. They represent various geographic regions, including each of the administrative regions of the NPS.

Members of the National Park System Advisory Board [*denotes new member]

*Robert Baker, Ph.D., President and CEO of public television station Thirteen/WNET New York; author, lecturer; formerly president of Westinghouse Television; New York.

*John Francis, Ph.D., Vice President for Research, Conservation and Exploration, National Geographic Society; Washington, D.C.

*Marie Greene, President of NANA Regional Corporation, Inc; member of the Alaska Federation of Natives; Alaska.

Honorable Jerry Hruby, Mayor of Brecksville, Ohio, adjacent to Cuyahoga Valley National Park; active and influential on issues pertaining to regional planning, parks, open space, and recreation; Ohio.

Michael Kammen, Ph.D., Professor of History and Culture, Cornell University; past president, Organization of American Historians; New York.

Jay Parmer, Principal Managing Director, American Strategies, Inc.(public affairs consulting firm); expert in corporate public affairs pertaining to local, state and federal issues; Nevada.

Daniel Ritchie, Chancellor, University of Denver; previously, Chairman and CEO of Westinghouse Broadcasting Corporation; Colorado.

*Larry Rivers, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History at Florida A&M University, Acting Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; specialist on African-American, Southern and Florida history; Florida

*William Walters, National Park Service (retired); formerly Associate to the Director; previously Indiana State Park Director; Indiana

Douglas Wheeler, Hogan and Hartson LLP (Environmental Section); former Secretary of California Resources Agency; Washington, DC

*LaJuana Wilcher, Secretary, Kentucky Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet; expert on environmental and natural resources issues; Kentucky

*George Willeford, MD, Private Practice, Gastroenterology; member, American College of Physicians; member, Managed Health Care Committee for the State of Texas; Texas