MOOSE, Wyo. — Grand Teton National Park Public Affairs Officer Denise Germann retires today Aug. 27, after 34 years of government service. She has spent 17 years each with the National Park Service and USDA Forest Service.
Before her service, Germann grew up in Elgin, Nebraska and graduated from Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School. She attended Northeast Community College and Kearney State College. Days after graduation with a journalism/public relations degree, she began working at Mount Rushmore National Memorial as a seasonal interpreter. She believed it would be a fun summer job before getting a “real” job.
But little did Germann know, public land management would be her career.
Germann’s seasonal career also included the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site and the National Park Service Rocky Mountain Regional Office in Denver before she accepted a permanent position at the Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri as an interpreter and public affairs specialist. While in St. Louis she transferred to join a small team to set up the newly established Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site.
She then went to work in a full-time public affairs position for the Forest Service in Denver with the Rocky Mountain Regional Office. She started working on a fire team and traveled the west as a fire information officer, as well as helping with a variety of incidents and events. One of her stand-out memories from that time was working a Rainbow Family Gathering in western Colorado.
Germann went on to work as a public affairs officer for the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, based out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado and Laramie, Wyoming. It was here where she met her husband Dave, a USFS IT specialist, and had twin boys. In addition to beginning a family, she is proud of her work in Steamboat.
Germann helped create and was a founding member of Yampatika, one of the first Forest Service interpretive associations, and was recognized with two national awards: Forest Service National Interpreter of the Year for her work using the web to communicate and share information and the National Bronze Smokey Bear Award for her work in wildfire prevention efforts and community partnerships.
Wanting to be closer to family, they moved to Beatrice, Nebraska and Germann joined the staff at Homestead National Historical Park as chief ranger supervising a variety of functions and partnerships, as well as detailing as public affairs officer for the bicentennial celebration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Missing the west and mountains, they moved to northwest Montana and she worked as the forest public affairs officer for the Flathead National Forest. She then moved next door to Glacier National Park as the park’s management assistant focused on public affairs, lands and FOIA.
During her time at Glacier, she started as a member of the regional incident management team. A team assignment to Grand Teton National Park peaked her interest in the area, and she transferred to the park as public affairs officer.
“What a career it’s been, absolutely incredible,” said Germann, noting that she has greatly enjoyed living and working in some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes and places.
“I remember the saying ‘Love what you do and do what you love’ and I have been extremely blessed with my career,” said Germann.
Denise and Dave are moving back to Kalispell, Montana. Their retirement plans include many travel and outdoor adventures, and visiting family and friends.
