National Park Service Selects Waco Mammoth National Monument Site Manager

News Release Date:
October 7, 2024

Contact:Cynthia Dorminey, 830-868-7128 ext. 232

JOHNSON CITY, Texas - The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Theresa Moore as the first permanent site manager of Waco Mammoth National Monument. Moore will begin her new assignment on November 17, 2024. The position reports directly to the Superintendent of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park.

Moore has worked for the National Park Service for 11 years, most recently as the Visitor Services Manager of Interpretation, Education, Volunteers, and Fees at Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

At Waco Mammoth, Moore will be responsible for managing the daily operations and staff of the monument. Designated a national monument in 2015 by President Barack Obama, the site is the nation's first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of ice age Columbian mammoths. Columbian mammoths are the largest mammoth species - larger than its relative, the woolly mammoth - and stood 12 to 14 feet tall and weighed 10 to 11 tons. Their tusks grew as long as 16 feet. Since the site's discovery in 1978, paleontologists have found the remains of 24 Columbian mammoths, including both adults and juveniles, as well as a Western camel, saber-toothed cat, dwarf antelope, American alligator, and giant tortoise. Many of the discovered bones, including the remains of at least four Columbian mammoths as well as the skeleton of the camel, remain in place, providing visitors an opportunity to view them.

"I am honored to be selected as the Site Manager of Waco Mammoth National Monument," shared Moore. "I look forward to working with the dedicated staff and collaborating with our park partners to help protect and preserve this amazing site."

During her NPS career Moore has served in a variety of positions including Revenue & Fee Program Manager at Mount Rainier, Science Communication Specialist for the Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Network, and Ranger positions at Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park and Zion National Park.

Moore grew up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area where her parents still live. She earned her bachelor's degree in American History from Texas A&M University and holds a master's degree in American History and Native American Issues from the University of Oklahoma. She enjoys outdoor pursuits-running, hiking, kayaking-and, like any true Texan, loves the arrival of football season.

About Waco Mammoth National Monument:
Established in 2015, Waco Mammoth National Monument preserves and protect the remains of a nursery herd of Pleistocene Columbian mammoths and related resources of scientific importance and to inspire visitors, foster a learning environment, and support ongoing research. Building on the visionary support of the communities of central Texas, the site is managed through continued collaborative partnerships with City of Waco, Baylor University, and the Waco Mammoth Foundation. Visit us at www.nps.gov/waco, on Facebook www.facebook.com/wacomammothnationalmonument, and Instagram www.instagram.com/wacomammoth.

About the National Park Service:
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 430 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.

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