Interpretive Solutions

Michael (Mike) Whatley began his career in interpretation and resource stewardship over 40 years ago. Family trips to Yosemite motivated him to obtain a bachelor of science in environmental resources from Sacramento State University. While enrolled there, he became an intern with the East Bay Regional Park District, attended the University of Uppsala Sweden during his junior year, and obtained student-career status with the National Park Service. He obtained a masters in wildland resource sciences at the University of California, Berkeley.Mike's early NPS career took him to Lake Mead NationalRecreation Area as a law enforcement ranger; Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park as a patrol ranger, horseback ranger, and naturalist;Albright Training Center in Grand Canyon National Park as a liaison; and the NPS Southern Arizona Group Office, where he undertook short assignments at Canyon de Chelly, Fort Bowie, Tumacaccori, and Saguaro. Mike served as the park's chief of interpretation, historian, and public information officer at Morristown National Historical Park, and after that spent more than 20 years at Cape Cod National Seashore. While at Cape Cod, he became a lead instructor for the North Atlantic Region interpretive skills team, authored a series of publications, supervised an extensive interpretation and environmental education operation, and received the regional Freeman Tilden Award for excellence in interpretation. Currently Mike serves as the chief of the Office of Education and Outreach within the NPS Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate.Over the duration of his career Mike has participated in a number of international assignments, including travels to Jordan, Israel, China, and Canada and has taught at the college level including at University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State University. Mike is a Life Member of the National Association for Interpretation and the George Melendez Wright Society.Mike is married to his wonderfully supportive wife Karen, has an inspirational daughter Jennifer, and grandchildren, all of whom enjoy and appreciate parks and open places and love connecting with their recently rekindled Hawaiian heritage (thanks to Karen's genealogical skills).