DAVE UBERUAGA In a decision that has many in Yosemite shocked, the National Park Service has named Don Neubacher as the new superintendent of Yosemite National Park. Neubacher takes over from David Uberuaga who has been acting superintendent since Mike Tollefson retired last year.

“Don is a seasoned manager who has proven himself time and time again to be an exceptional leader,” said National Park Service (NPS) Director Jon Jarvis.

“He brings a thoughtful approach to the vast range of issues faced by a modern park manager in protecting park resources, providing quality experiences to our visitors, and motivating a highly professional staff,” Jarvis said. “Yosemite is a high priority position, and I appreciate Don taking on this new challenge.”

Uberuaga has been in Yosemite for nearly 14 months. He was previously the superintendent at Mt. Rainier National Park and has extensive experience in working with gateway communities. He had become an integral part of the Gateway Partners group in Yosemite and Mariposa County.

“I also want to commend Dave Uberuaga for his stellar work leading Yosemite during this year-long transition,” said Jarvis. “Dave stepped into one of most complex assignments in the National Park System and never missed a beat. He got up to speed quickly, moved negotiations along on the largest concession contract in the system, and provided the day-to-day leadership that our partners and employees need to care for Yosemite.”

Uberuaga has had a busy tenure in Yosemite, dealing with all manners of disasters. There have been significant rock falls in Yosemite Valley in the past year, and the Big Meadow Fire caused quite a stir after the controlled burn got outside its containment lines and scorched some 7,500 acres in the Park last summer.

The newly-appointed superintendent anticipates his time in the Park. “Yosemite National Park has an inspired staff that has been a leader in preserving one of the nation's most sacred treasures,” said Neubacher. “I look forward to working with Park staff and the many partners and interested groups to ensure Yosemite's future is unimpaired for generations to come.”

Neubacher has been superintendent at Point Reyes National Seashore for the past 15 years. During his tenure, he was responsible for completing a number of important initiatives including the Giacomini Wetlands Restoration Plan/EIS, the Fire Management Plan, the Coastal Watershed Restoration Plan/EIS, and the implementation of the park’s Land Protection Plan.

A 28-year veteran of the National Park Service, Neubacher has previously served as deputy general manager of the Presidio of San Francisco, chief of visitor services at Point Reyes, education program administrator at Point Reyes, seminar coordinator for the Coastal Park Association, natural resources lecturer for Humboldt State University, and park ranger at Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska.

Neubacher is a 2006 graduate of the Senior Executive Service training. Honors and awards include: the Sierra Club Resource Conservation Award in 2008, the NPS Director’s Award for Wilderness Stewardship (2005), the Department of the Interior Environmental Achievement Award (2002), Superintendent of the Year/ Pacific West Region (2001), Meritorious Service Award, Department of the Interior (2000); and Superintendent of the Year, Natural Resource Management, Pacific West Region (1998).

Neubacher is a graduate of the University of California Davis where he received a bachelor of science degree in planning and management and Humboldt State University where he received a master’s degree in natural resource management.

Yosemite National Park is one of the icons of the National Park System. Set aside as a national park in 1890 because of the spectacular tract of mountain-and-valley scenery in the Sierra Nevada, the park preserves stunning waterfalls, meadows, and forests that include groves of giant sequoias, the world's largest living things. Yosemite National Park welcomes more than three million visitors annually and is home to one of the most complex ecosystems in the world.