Shelley Hall has been selected as the new superintendent of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument located in Central Oregon, about 100 miles northeast of Bend.

Her duties as superintendent will begin August 19. Hall replaces Jim Hammett who recently retired after serving as the park?s superintendent for 18 years.

?Shelley has a strong resource management background with demonstrated experience leading interdivisional teams for park operations and projects. Shelley is known for being proactive in working with local communities, other agencies, organizations, and volunteers to develop meaningful connections with parks,? said Pacific West Regional Director Chris Lehnertz.

Originally from Maryland, Hall has worked for the National Park Service for 29 years and has been the Chief of Natural Resource Management at Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts since 2010. Most of her career was in western parks, including Washington?s Olympic National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska and Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho. She is a wildlife biologist by training, with a Bachelor?s degree from Michigan State University and a Master?s degree from the University of Washington.

In accepting the position Hall said, ?I am looking forward to learning about the world-renowned paleontological resources at John Day Fossil Beds and working with the outstanding team of professionals who are dedicated to understanding, protecting and sharing the monument's natural and cultural resources.?

In her spare time, Hall enjoys most active outdoor hobbies including hiking, running, and skate skiing. She also likes to travel; recent trips include the Galapagos Islands, trekking in Peru and climbing Mt.Kilimanjaro. Her partner, Dan, will be joining her in Oregon.

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument was authorized by Congress on October 26, 1974, and established in 1975.

Situated along the John Day River and named for an early 19th-century fur trader, the 14,000 acre park is divided into three widely separated units -- the Sheep Rock Unit, Painted Hills Unit, and Clarno Unit. The monument's main headquarters is at the Cant Ranch Visitor Center in the Sheep Rock Unit.

Within the heavily eroded volcanic deposits of the scenic John Day River basin is a well-preserved fossil record of plants and animals. This remarkably complete record, spanning more than 40 million of the 65 million years of the Cenozoic Era (the age of mammals and flowering plants) is world-renowned.

To learn more, visit the park?s website at www.nps.gov/joda or connect with the park on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JohnDayFossilBeds.