Yellowstone National Park gets its first ever female chief ranger

Sarah Davis has become the first woman to serve as chief ranger at Yellowstone National Park, according to the Billings Gazette.

The feat makes Davis the 18th chief ranger to work at Yellowstone since it was established as a national park by Congress in 1872, the park said in an announcement.

{mosads}Prior to the her new role as chief of the Resource and Visitor Protection division at the park, Davis worked as chief ranger at Natchez Trace Parkway for nearly seven years. There, she oversaw search and rescue efforts and was awarded the first Southeast Region Excellence Award for professional leadership among chief rangers in 2016.

She also worked as the acting superintendent at Vicksburg and Guilford Courthouse National Military Parks and National Park Service branch chief of law enforcement operations before landing her new position. 

Davis will manage over 275 employees performing “law enforcement and emergency medical services, search and rescue, wildland and structural fire, dispatch, fee collection, special use permitting, trails, corrals, and backcountry operations” at Yellowstone, according to the park’s statement.

Cam Sholly, superintendent of the park, called Davis “an outstanding leader with a track record of high performance, strategic thinking, and collaboration.”

Davis said in the statement that she is excited to be selected for the position.

“I’m excited to join the Yellowstone team, and work together to protect our first national park and its visitors, and ensure the health, safety, and wellness of our employees,” she added.