Kristen Brengel

She has years of experience working to ensure National Park Service laws and policies are upheld and implemented to best protect all national park units. From recreation management to establishing new park units, Kristen is passionate about land conservation and ensuring future generations can enjoy our spectacular public lands and cultural sites. For many years, Kristen led the conservation community’s national effort to fight attempts to authorize counties, states, and private interests to carve unnecessary and environmentally-damaging roads in National Parks, National Monuments, and potential wilderness areas. She also spearheaded The Wilderness Society’s national policy and legislative work on recreation management and policy issues in National Parks, Forests, Wildlife Refuges, and BLM lands.

She received the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees’ “1872 Award.” CNPSR Executive Council Chairman Bill Wade said, “Yellowstone, the world’s first national park was established in 1872. This set in motion a worldwide effort to preserve special places. In the United States, over 390 of the nation’s significant heritage areas have been included in the National Park System. Constant vigilance is required to assure that the resources of these areas are protected as the American people expect. Few people work harder at this than Kristen Brengel, who has worked tirelessly for a number of years to preserve the values of the National Park System.” She also served on the board of Winter Wildlands Alliance, the first national organization of its kind for human-powered snow sport enthusiasts and winter wildland conservationists.

Kristen served as the Policy Director for the Office of the Mayor in Cherry Hill, NJ. Kristen was also the Board Chair and Transportation Advocate for New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG). Kristen received her B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University.