Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic

Christopher Abbett

Berthoud,CO

Summary

I have 35+ years of experience with the National Park Service. The first half of my NPS career was invested in community partnerships where I helped develop local parks and trails throughout the Southeast. The second half of my NPS career was spent working with philanthropic partners to support park units throughout the Southeast. I have a long history of working with a variety of sophisticated partners to accomplish very complex projects.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience

Work History

Associate Regional Director

National Park Service
03.2015 - 01.2025
  • Oversaw a portfolio that managed park partnerships, land acquisitions, park planning and compliance, community partnerships, interpretation and education, new park development and Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units at four universities.
  • Worked closely with the National Park Foundation to establish new parks, obtain more than $10 million for park facilities projects and acquisition of key park properties.
  • Worked closely with the National Park Friends Alliance to support existing park philanthropic partners at over half of regional parks and to establish new park philanthropic partners.
  • Managed numerous high profile complex projects including development of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Memorial, acquisition of numerous properties related to the Forks of the Road Slave Market at the Natchez National Historic Site, expansion of the NPS Cooperative Management Authority to support parks and partners and acquisition of Dr. King's Birth Home and Family Home for addition to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park.
  • Developed national templates for NPS for General Agreements and Cooperative Management Agreements.

Assistant Regional Director for Partnerships

National Park Service
02.2007 - 03.2015
  • Served as the Southeast Region Partnerships Coordinator and supported existing park philanthropic partners and established new park philanthropic partners.
  • Managed the region's community assistance programs to provide funds and technical assistance to agencies and organizations to build new local parks and protect natural and recreational resources.
  • Managed a variety of complex partnerships including obtaining $2.5 million worth of digitization of important NPS documents in partnership with Clemson University, managing the NPS's 100th anniversary at Southeastern parks and programs and managing the NPS Urban Initiative for Jacksonville, FL.
  • Served as the Acting Superintendent of Jimmy Carter National Historical Park for six months

Education

Bachelor of Science - Wildlife Managment/Forest Resources

University of Georgia
Athens, GA
04-1991

Skills

  • Working with philanthropic partners
  • Collaboration with a variety of organizations
  • Organization and project management
  • Mentoring
  • Use of Microsoft software - Word, Powerpoint and Excel

Timeline

Associate Regional Director

National Park Service
03.2015 - 01.2025

Assistant Regional Director for Partnerships

National Park Service
02.2007 - 03.2015

Bachelor of Science - Wildlife Managment/Forest Resources

University of Georgia
Christopher Abbett