American Memorial Park welcomes new rangers

American Memorial Park welcomes two new rangers to the Interpretation Division of its National Park Service site. Interpretive Rangers Vanessa Latham and Kyle Podziewski, who began duty here the last week of August, both bring Marine Corps service backgrounds to American Memorial Park. We are proud of this added dimension to our program.

Latham comes to us from Valley Forge National Historic Site in Pennsylvania where she served three seasons in the Interpretation division. Among other duties there, she specialized in 18th century Revolutionary War-era black powder weaponry. Latham’s contributions to American Memorial Park will include her determination to develop media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to enhance social media outreach. Please drop by the visitor center at American Memorial Park and introduce yourself to Latham. (Phone: 670-234-7207 Ext. 2020 or email Vanessa_Latham@NPS.GOV)

Podziewski joins us from Saipan where he has been living for the past three years with his family. Podziewski has a rich background in education, proven both on the island and in Japan during his 15-year residency there. His commitment to education and his proficiency in Japanese will be great assets to American Memorial Park. Please drop by at the Visitor Center to meet Podziewski or to greet him for the first time as a National Park Service ranger (234-7207 Ext. 2020 or email: pending)

Rangers Latham and Podziewski will be joining Ranger RosReeAnn Leon Guerrero, a long-time and dedicated employee at American Memorial Park, and Ranger John Furey, whose knowledge and understanding of the Marianas has been greatly valued and appreciated during his current 60-day appointment, as well as in previous appointments at the site.

Also, now serving at American Memorial Park is Interpretive Lead Ranger John Kepford, who came to Saipan on Aug. 1 from Manzanar National Historic Site, a World War II Japanese Internment Camp unit of the National Park Service. He has also served at Olympic National Park, Denali National Park and Bering Land Bridge National Preserve.

All members of the Interpretation Division are deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve with the dedicated staff of American Memorial Park’s Maintenance, Law Enforcement, Cultural and Natural Resources, and Administrative Divisions. We would also like to thank the local island communities and CNMI governmental organizations without whose support fulfilling our National Park Service mission would be impossible. (NPS)