A ranger selfie from a trail that runs along the coast of bright blue Lake Michigan.
Park Ranger with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
From April 2019 to September 2019, I worked as a Park Ranger with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. As a representative of the National Park Service, I led formal and informal programs about park history, ecology, geology, and more! I also wrote content for the website, created social media content, and captured photos and videos for the park.
“How do the skills of a writer fit into the ‘Park Ranger’ role?”
Park Rangers need to be good writers! Interpretive Park Rangers are the professional communicators of the NPS. It was my job to share with visitors all the amazing reasons why Sleeping Bear Dunes is designated as a national lakeshore—all with the goal of promoting each visitor’s unique personal connection with the park or NPS in general. I traveled all over the park to speak with visitors, answer questions, and prepare and present programs.
The majority of my work involved public speaking, but I also designed Bright Sign graphics to advertise programs and wrote copy and took photos for the park’s social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
Design Samples — Program “Bright Signs”
I created these designs in Adobe Photoshop to advertise ranger programs for the public. These designs were posted as Facebook Events, displayed on screens in the Visitor Center and campground offices, and printed and posted at trailheads and bulletin boards throughout the park.
Photos from the Season
