Blog

Aug 25
Lisa Diekmann headshot

Meet our new CEO Lisa Diekmann

On this day 104 years ago, the National Park Service (NPS) was established. It is an important milestone and we owe a debt of gratitude to the foresight of those who established the NPS and to our incredible colleagues who continue the good work that was envisioned.

As the new President & CEO of Yellowstone Forever, I am honored to be working alongside our partners here at Yellowstone to protect and preserve the world’s first national park for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

I began my new role here on August 17, but my connection to—and passion for—Yellowstone National Park goes back much longer. I was the first Executive Director of the former Yellowstone Park Foundation, one of the predecessor organizations to Yellowstone Forever. During my tenure, I worked closely with the Yellowstone Association, and know firsthand how important our dual mission of education and philanthropy are to the future of the park.

I am thrilled to join the amazing and equally passionate Yellowstone Forever team. I am impressed by their talent and dedication, and excited to work together to provide the margin of excellence that is befitting of Yellowstone National Park.

I look forward to working closely with Superintendent Cam Sholly to ensure we continue to fund critical projects in the park that need support. In the coming weeks, I will work with the board, advisory council, staff, and park to develop a plan for the organization’s future, ensuring Yellowstone Forever is both sustainable and fiscally responsible. This includes a plan to restart the Institute and our educational programming, which was temporarily suspended in June 2020.

I will be in touch again soon and look forward to sharing timely updates with you about the park, the Institute, and our work to fund priority projects. In the meantime, I want to personally thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to working with you to preserve and protect Yellowstone National Park.