BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota’s new parks director comes from the U.S. Department of the Interior. Gov. Doug Burgum has named Minot native Andrea Travnicek to head the state’s Parks and Recreation Department.
Travnicek succeeds Melissa Baker, who left in January to head Virginia State Parks. Travnicek will be on the job by the end of May with an annual salary of $145,000.
The Bismarck Tribune says Travnicek leaves her job as the U.S. Department of Interior’s deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management.
She also served as a senior policy advisor for natural resources under former Govs. John Hoeven and Jack Dalrymple from 2010 to 2016.
North Dakota has 15 state parks and recreation areas. The department has about 60 full-time employees and a two-year budget of about $43 million.
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