FY2025 CVA Annual Report

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM FY2025 REPORT

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

CVA ACCOMPLISHMENTS

BY THE NUMBERS 77 TOTAL # OF CVAS

73 TOTAL # OF NPS SITES SUPPORTS

386,444 TOTAL # OF NPS SITES SUPPORTS

16,581 TOTAL # OF VOLUNTEERS ENGAGED BY CVAS (GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL)

PROGRAM OVERVIEW After another successful year, Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards), a program of Conservation Legacy, is excited to continue to partner with the National Park Service (NPS) to support the Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program. The CVA Program combines the strength of a national leader in conservation service with the National Park Service to train a diverse group of emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to local communities. From October 2024 - September 2025, 63 young professionals completed their CVA service at NPS sites across the country, from American Samoa to New York and Alaska to Florida. These CVAs support the Volunteersin-Parks (VIP) programs at NPS sites by hosting service events, supporting community partnerships, engaging local volunteers, and developing program resources. In October 2025, Stewards and the National Park Service incorporated a former CVA Leader into a Program Assistant position with the Washington Support office to support the rollout of Volunteer.gov resources for the National Park Service to assist CVAs in shifting volunteer recruitment and management to that platform. In January 2025, Stewards and the National Park Service continued a new cohort within the CVA program, a Resiliency Cohort whose express purpose is to educate the public and to engage local volunteers in mitigation of extreme weather events.

$13,444,386.76 VALUE OF VOLUNTEER TIME

3,217 YOUTH VOLUNTEERS

496 VETERAN VOLUNTEERS

3,373,962 SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENTS 864 PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPED/LEVERAGED

Flores Mezail serving at Cabrillo National Monument

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

CVA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES As part of the CVA Program, members participate in extensive training through the Continuum of Learning to ensure the experience supports ongoing development and growth to prepare CVAs for their service and future opportunities.

CVAs who completed service in FY 2024 participated in National Early Service Trainings (NEST) hosted in Fort Collins, CO and Boston, MA. These NEST experiences include cohort building activities, CVA presentations on their site’s volunteer program, adapted Volunteer Program Manager Training, and leadership development. At each training, CVAs interacted with local NPS staff at nearby sites (Rocky Mountain National Park and National Parks of Boston) and regional leadership.

Beyond National Early Service Training, Conservation Legacy supports additional webinars, including: orientation, mid-service check-ins, USAJobs, alumni panel, and CVA Member-Led Webinars.

The CVA Member-Led Webinars in FY 2025 highlighted CVA work on the following projects: Coming Full Circle – Using the Arts to Benefit Your VIP Program – Christine Longenecker, CVA at Jewel Cave National Historic Site Best Practices for Engaging Visitors and Volunteers with Digital Media – Mel Vigil, CVA at San Francisco Maritime Historical Park Plant-Palooza at President’s Park – Cassandra Rodrique, CVA at White House and President’s Park

Nature in an Urban Park and Managing Volunteers Through Transitions – Maria Wood, CVA at Stonewall National Monument Minds in Motion: Empowering Through Education and Service – Ana Karina Andrade, CVA at Channel Islands National Park Project Advocacy & Expanding Engagement – ildiko fox, CVA at Zion National Park

In addition to these coordinated activities, CVAs are provided with professional development funds to explore their own training opportunities in alignment with their career goals. In FY2024, CVAs completed the following trainings:

1. Safety/Medical Training (Type of Training: # of CVAs) First Aid/CPR/AED: 33 Operational Leadership: 8 Wilderness First Aid/Responder: 9 OSHA Training: 2 FEMA Incident Command Training: 4 2. Interpretation and Education Audience Experience Training (ACE): 4 Volunteer Program Management: 8 Certified Interpretive Guide: 5 DOI Museum Collections Training: 1 Ariel Fa'ali'i serving at National Park of American Samoa

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

CVA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES (CONT.) 3. Other Leave No Trace: 2 Leave No Trace Instructor: 4 American Sign Language: 1 Herbicide and Pesticide Application: 3 Land Management: 1 Open Water SCUBA Dive: 2 Canoe Training: 1 NPS Historical Weapons Training: 1 Commercial Driver’s License: 1 Wildland Fire Training: 3 Chainsaw Maintenance and Operations (S-212): 1 Basic Aviation Safety/Aviation Transportation of Hazardous Materials (A-100/110): 2 Off-Highway Vehicle: 1 Federal Railroad Administration 101: 1

Claire Burnet serving at Blue Ridge Parkway

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

STORIES FROM THE FIELD Abigail Cook, Alaska Public Lands Information Center Abigail Cook, serving a second CVA term with the Alaska Public Lands Information Center, stepped deeper into sustainable structures for their site’s Volunteers-in-Park program. While connecting with the community helped identify volunteer opportunities, their work drafting VIP Local Policy, updating websites, and planning for new VIP programming has led to long-term outcomes and stability for volunteers. Across the Community Volunteer Ambassador program, Abby stepped into a leadership role in their term, supporting Professional Development Gatherings and paneling the 2nd Year CVA Panel at the National Early Service Training in Boston, MA.

Abigail Cook serving at Alaska Public Lands Information Center

Ildiko Fox, Zion National Park Ildiko put a lot of effort into educating others on how to keep the natural beauty of their park intact. They led 26 half-day volunteer events focused on graffiti clean-up, litter clean-up, and other beautification projects. ildiko also put their time at their site to good use by shadowing NPS staff in different divisions to gain a stronger understanding of NPS processes and career paths. They had the opportunity to share this experience and insight with a local high school student, coordinating a 10-day volunteer internship for them.

Through their experience as a Community Volunteer Ambassador, Ildiko gained a deep appreciation for their park and aspires to become a Park Ranger, specifically at Zion National Park.

Ildiko Fox speaking with NPS staff while serving at Zion National Park

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

STORIES FROM THE FIELD (CONT.) Raelyn Toya, Valles Caldera National Preserve Raelyn’s project work provided her park with many opportunities to expand their volunteer program in partnership with other divisions within Valles Caldera National Preserve. Through her efforts, Valles Caldera National Preserve was able to develop new volunteer opportunities, such as local ecosystem research education, pika monitoring, and repeat photography.

She also assisted in transitioning her park’s VIP Program to Volunteer.gov. Since the transition, Raelyn has noticed that the shift has improved program operations and has eased participation for volunteers. Raelyn also developed more ways for her park to show appreciation to its volunteers while also expanding her site’s volunteer recruitment outreach. Raelyn has remained with Valles Caldera National Preserve for a second Community Volunteer Ambassador term in the Fall 2025 Cohort.

Raelyn Toya holding up an informational sign at Valles Caldera National Preserve

Brett Boyles, Keweenaw National Historical Park Brett Boyles, who served at Keweenaw National Historical Park for a second CVA term, is proud of all the projects they completed, but particularly enjoyed creating a pop-up based around a Minor League baseball team in the area. Reflecting on their experience, they shared: “I would not have returned for a second term had I not felt that national parks are important. It feels good to be part of something bigger than myself telling the stories of America.”

Brett gained knowledge about masonry on historic buildings through the Campaign for the Historic Trades Workshop hosted at the Quincy Smelter. He continued to deepen his understanding of the Copper Country community through various interpretive research projects.

Looking toward the future, Brett emphasized the importance of opportunities like his, stating: “I would recommend continuing and expanding internship programs such as these to allow talented young individuals to work with the NPS. The NPS stands to gain much by welcoming the next generation, not excluding them.”

Brett Boyles interacting with a young park visitor while serving at Keweenaw National Historic Park

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

STORIES FROM THE FIELD (CONT.) Ulric Eubanks, Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park Ulric’s projects at Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park laid the foundation for a sustainable volunteer program at the park. This work included drafting documents to be used as local policy, creating repeatable and longterm volunteer opportunities, and training with Volunteer.gov to eventually teach and train others on the platform. Ulric is proud of the local policy document they developed in collaboration with their supervisor.

Once approved and adopted by the park, the document will serve as a reference for anyone working with the volunteer program. It outlines processes for all aspects of the VIP program at Ste. Genevieve and highlights elements unique to the site. By doing so, it establishes an environment where success can be replicated, and future growth can continue.

Reflecting on the broader impact of their service, they observed that “people are inspired by the mission of the park service, especially young people. I truly believe that most people want to make the world better and I believe that most of them would if given the opportunity.” They also expressed a deep belief in the value of the Community Volunteer Ambassador program itself, stating, “There is a lot of powerful work that comes from CVAs. I believe in this program deeply, not only because of what it has done for me but also because of what it does for the parks, for their communities. I have had the opportunity to build things that I am confident will outlast me, that the park will use for a long time, and that is a beautiful thing. I know other CVAs that have made far reaching impacts to their communities and to their parks. I think we do really amazing things.”

CVA leader Ulric Eubanks with NPS staff at Ste. Genevieve National Historic Park

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

STORIES FROM THE FIELD (CONT.) Cassie Rodrique, The White House and President’s Park

Cassie Rodrique serving at The White House and President’s Park

During her term as Community Volunteer Ambassador at The White House and President’s Park, Cassie developed an immense respect for the contributions of volunteers as integral to the National Park system. This helped her to spark significant growth in volunteer engagement and program development at her site, introducing innovative initiatives such as a monthly volunteer newsletter, volunteer recognition potlucks, and the Plant Palooza event series, which deeply connected volunteers to the park’s mission of preservation. Cassie also forged strategic partnerships with George Washington University, Fort Reno, and Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital, expanding volunteer and educational opportunities. Despite challenges, such as the cancellation of the Youth Multimedia Program, Cassie adapted by focusing on long-term volunteer program stability, including drafting the park’s first Local Volunteer Policy and transitioning recruitment to Volunteer.gov. Her work not only strengthened the volunteer program but also left a lasting impact on the park’s future growth.

Madison DeGerolamo, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area During her second CVA term, Madison DeGerolamo provided support and assistance to 400 volunteers, helping them sign agreements, obtain new uniform items, and feel welcome in the park with a volunteer appreciation event. Madison was most proud of both the Volunteer Appreciation Event and the training she provided to both volunteers and their supervisors.

Through her two years as a Community Volunteer Ambassador, stepping into leadership roles to support the National Early Service Training in Boston, MA, Madison was able to find her next career step as the Mid-Atlantic Trails Coordinator for the Appalachian Mountain Club.

Madison DeGerolamo giving a presentation while serving at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

STORIES FROM THE FIELD (CONT.) Maria Wood, Stonewall National Monument Maria Wood, serving at Stonewall National Monument, committed to establishing the site’s Volunteers-in-Park program. Their biggest accomplishment over their service term was building the Volunteer Program from zero recurring volunteers to a group of 13. These volunteers, both virtual and in-person, contribute in many ways, including researching topics for future programming, planning social media, and leading tours.

Maria is extremely proud of the volunteers’ contributions and the growth of the program, noting: “I am very proud of the work I have done over the past six months growing the VIP program. This program has given me excellent experience for finding work after I finish.”

Maria also played a key role in planning the World AIDS Day project with Stonewall Rangers centered on the AIDS Memorial Quilt. In collaboration with Pride Live, the non-profit partner operating the Visitor Center, they developed an interpretive event where visitors created patches and learned about the quilt. These volunteers helped create a quilt panel honoring Antonio Torres, who died from AIDS and was the uncle of the co-founder of Pride Live. The project has since grown, now expanded to include Stephen T. Mather High School and New York University.

Maria Wood interacting with visitors while serving at Stonewall National Monument

Tyler Fuller, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Serving at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Tyler Fuller created robust systems for tracking and recruiting volunteers, creating a number of long-term volunteer positions which maximized volunteer impact. These positions offer meaningful engagement, a sense of belonging and stewardship, and important professional development opportunities to community members, some of whom went on to secure employment with the help of the skills and experience they gained through their volunteer positions. “I am most proud of (the) invasive plant crew volunteer position I created. Not only did we get volunteers who were able to consistently come out and contribute to the park, they actually were able to use their experience volunteering to get jobs for Great Basin Institute, and they came to work at Whiskeytown. I was proud to see that my volunteer program became a gateway for employment for people in the community. It also met Whiskeytown’s goal of increasing recruitment for employees as well.”

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Tyler Fuller peeling apples with a park visitor while serving at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

STORIES FROM THE FIELD (CONT.) Ana Karina Andrade, Channel Islands National Park Ana Karina’s projects greatly increased park visitation and outreach. Through her work, Channel Islands National Park was able pilot a middle school education program and continue hosting their Art in the Park Program. The middle school program consisted of creating and developing worksheets and lesson plans that followed NGSS 7th Grade California State Standards. This allowed Ana Karina’s students to connect their classroom content with the community and natural areas around them. This also had the added benefit of providing many students from Title 1 schools with their first opportunity to learn about and visit the visitor center, Channel Islands, and their beaches.

Ana Karine shared that her experience as an AmeriCorps Community Volunteer Ambassador has significantly influenced her career trajectory. She still intends to use her extensive background in environmental science to pursue becoming a Restoration Ecologist. However, her experience working with her park’s Department of Interpretation and Education has inspired her to also seek opportunities to share her knowledge and findings with the general public.

Ana Karina Andrade leading a middle school education program while serving at Channel Islands National Park

Pearse Meighan, Christiansted National Historic Site, and Jhulian Gutierrez, Everglades National Park Pearce Meighan and Jhulian Gutierrez partnered across their parks, one in the Virgin Islands and the other in the Everglades of South Florida, to coordinate a week of community engagement and volunteer activities rooted in the common challenges faced by their coastal ecosystems. The events invited other parks across the country to participate and bolstered collaboration and cooperation both within and between communities. The knowledge shared and connections developed through these projects bolster resilience and encourage community responsibility.

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

STORIES FROM THE FIELD (CONT.) Pearce Meighan and Jhulian Gutierrez partnered across their parks, one in the Virgin Islands and the other in the Everglades of South Florida, to coordinate a week of community engagement and volunteer activities rooted in the common challenges faced by their coastal ecosystems. The events invited other parks across the country to participate and bolstered collaboration and cooperation both within and between communities. The knowledge shared and connections developed through these projects bolster resilience and encourage community responsibility.

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Pearce Meighan and Jhulian Gutierrez working together to care for coastal ecosystems at Everglades National Park

La’Nae Charles, Virgin Islands National Park As a young person from the Virgin Islands, La’Nae let her passion for mentorship guide her as she made space for other locals to “(spark) curiosity, pride, and a sense of connection,” take “pride in our home,” and learn “the deeper meaning of stewardship.”

“Youth engagement was a major focus of my service. I co-hosted multiple School Kids in Parks programs, teaching Virgin Islands students about the park’s mission and why stewardship matters. I also worked alongside our Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) students on a variety of activities, including sea turtle patrols and educational hikes on culturally significant trails like Ram Head always centering environmental awareness and pride in our home.”

La’Nae Charles engaging with middle schoolers to teach them about the Virgin Islands National Park’s mission and why stewardship matters

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Conservation Legacy is excited tos hare where CVAs have gone after their service. Please see this listed below by employment sector.

Federal: 7 NPS: 6 GS-5/7/9 Park Ranger GS-5 Park Guide: 2 GS-5 Fee Collector GS-7 Visual Information Specialist GS-7 Park Ranger (Interpretation) FEMA Historic Preservation & Environmental Compliance Reservist Education: 2 Substitute Teacher: 2 Academic Degree: 3 Master of Science, Historic Preservation Bachelor’s Degree Law School Nonprofit: 5 Native Seed Technician, Santa Monica Mountains Foundation Lifesouth Blood Bank Community Collaborator, Resources for Resilience Mid-Atlantic Trails Coordinator, Appalachian Mountain Club Historic Interpretive Guide, Golden Gate Conservancy, Alcatraz Island Local/State Gov: 2 Park Ranger with the City of Fremont, CA Park Ranger with TX Parks & Wildlife Continued Service: 25 Returning CVA : 14 Outreach, and Interp Intern Visitor Services Crew Member Native Plant Nursery Technician Bat Monitoring Intern at Mammoth Cave Other Conservation Legacy Positions: 7 A250 Fellow Volunteer.gov Program Coordinator NPS Southeast Regional Office Fellow: 2 VISTA with Ascend WV Undetermined - 20

Emily Haryasz serving at Steamtown National Historic Site

CVA Program Opportunities and Developments Conservation Legacy continues to develop the CVA program’s curriculum in partnership with Volunteer-inParks team at the Washington Support Office of the National Park Service to best meet the needs of CVAs and support their transition into permanent careers.

This includes increasing alumni engagement to better track long term outcomes for members. In FY2025, Conservation Legacy will be engaging an alumni advisory group comprised of alumni from recent CVA cohorts to provide feedback and direction on opportunities for programmatic improvement.

To best support NPS staff selected to mentor CVA service at their site, Conservation Legacy has been implementing supervisor training focused on communicating through differences. This series was launched in 2023. Additionally, Conservation Legacy is adapting the program model alongside National Park Service staff to engage CVAs in A250 Commemoration at National Park site.

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

CVA PARTICIPANT DATA The Community Volunteer Ambassadors Program includes the Public Land Corps Hiring Authority. All participants within the program fall between 18-30 years of age, or up to 35 years old for veterans. For the project work in FY 2024, the CVA program did not include any veterans.

CVA Cohort and Applicants Education Level CVA Cohort

Applicants

HS Diploma / GED

Some College

Associates Degree

BA/BS Degree

Professional/Graduate Degree 0

20 %

40%

60%

80%

CVA RETENTION RATES % of cohort

# of CVAs

# of CVAs completing service

Retention %

BA/BS Degree

59%

43

36

87%

Associates Degree

7%

5

4

100%

Professional/Graduate Degree

7%

5

5

100%

Some College

8%

6

6

83%

HS Diploma/GED

1%

1

1

100%

Education Level

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Ewan Henderson - Rocky Mountain National Park

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

NPS Sites Support and States of Service

State

Alaska Public Lands Information Center

Alaska

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve

Alaska

Denali National Park and Preserve

Alaska

National Park of American Samoa

American Samoa

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail

Arizona

Saguaro National Park

Arizona

Flagstaff Area National Monuments

Arizona

Chiricahua National Monument

Arizona

Yosemite National Park

California

Joshua Tree National Park

California

Cabrillo National Monument

California

Channel Islands National Park

California

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

California

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

California

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

California

Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado

Mesa Verde National Park

Colorado

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

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NPS Sites Support and States of Service

State

Weir Farm National Historic Site

Connecticut

National Park Service (NPS) WASO

District of Columbia

NPS Region 1 - National Capital Regional Office

District of Columbia

National Capital Area Invasive Plant Management Team

District of Columbia

National Capital Parks – East

District of Columbia

The White House and President's Park

District of Columbia

Everglades National Park

Florida

Gulf Islands National Seashore – Florida

Florida

Dry Tortugas National Park

Florida

Big Cypress National Park & Preserve

Florida

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

Georgia

Fort Frederica National Monument

Georgia

NPS Region 2 - Southeast Regional Office

Georgia

War in the Pacific National Historical Park

Guam

Pullman National Historical Park

Illinois

Mammoth Cave National Park

Kentucky

Acadia National Park

Maine

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

NPS Sites Support and States of Service

State

Antietam National Battlefield

Maryland

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Maryland

Catoctin Mountain Park

Maryland

National Parks of Boston

Massachusetts

Lowell National Historical Park

Massachusetts

Salem Maritime National Historic Site

Massachusetts

Keweenaw National Historic Park

Michigan

Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument

Mississippi

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield

Missouri

Ste. Genevieve National Historic Park

Missouri

Homestead National Historical Park

Nebraska

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Nevada

Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park

New Jersey

Gateway National Recreation Area - Sandy Hook Unit

New Jersey

Valles Caldera National Preserve

New Mexico

Petroglyph National Monument

New Mexico

Stonewall National Monument

New York

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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

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NPS Sites Support and States of Service

State

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

North Carolina

Blue Ridge Parkway

North Carolina

First Ladies National Historic Site

Ohio

Valley Forge National Historic Park

Pennsylvania

Steamtown National Historic Site

Pennsylvania

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Pennsylvania

Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

Pennsylvania

San Juan National Historic Site

Puerto Rico

Jewel Cave National Monument

South Dakota

Missouri National Recreational River

South Dakota

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Tennessee

Stones River National Battlefield

Tennessee

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Texas

Christiansted National Historic Site

US Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands National Park and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument

US Virgin Islands

Zion National Park

Utah

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Utah

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS | FY2025 ANNUAL REPORT

NPS Sites Support and States of Service

State

Capitol Reef National Park

Utah

Manassas National Battlefield Park

Virginia

Petersburg National Battlefield

Virginia

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

West Virginia

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

Wisconsin

Juan Pablo Esparza Limon - CVA Leader, Washington Area Support Office with CVA Alumni supporting National Early Service Training

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