Fran Mainella was nominated by President Bush on June 4, 2001, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Director of the National Park Service. She becomes the 16th Director of the National Park Service and the first woman to head the 85-year-old agency. Ms Mainella has more than 30 years of experience in the park management and recreation field. Since 1989, she has been the Director of the Division of Recreation and Parks for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. In this position she was responsible for the administration of more than 500,000 acres within 153 state parks, museums, preserves, recreation areas, historic sites, geological sites, botanical gardens, archeological sites, wildlife park, and trails. As Director, Mainella supervised planning, design and construction within the state park system, coordinated the statewide marketing, volunteerism, and technical assistance programs, and served as Florida's Outdoor Recreational State Liaison Officer administering Land and Water Conservation Fund grants.

Mainella has received the National Sporting Goods Association prestigious "State Parks Gold Medal," for recognition as America's Best State Park System in all 50 states. She has over 30 years of experience in the park and recreation field. Since 1989, she has been Director of the Division of Recreation and Parks for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, where she is responsible for the administration 153 state parks, 500,000 acres and over 1,000 park employees. Before that she served as Executive Director of the Florida Recreation and Park Association (1983-1989). Prior to that she served as Director of Recreation, Lake Park, Florida (1978-1983), and Assistant Center Director, Tallahassee Parks and Recreation Department (1977-1978).

Mainella served as the immediate past-president of the National Association of State Park Directors, past-president of the National Recreation and Park Association, and Secretary of Florida A & M University's Landscape Design Management Program Advisory Council. She serves as the Outdoor Recreational State Liaison Officer for the State of Florida, administering Land and Water Conservation Fund grants.

Mainella is an active member of the Florida Tourism Commission, and the statewide Eco-Tourism/Heritage Tourism Committee, the National Recreation and Park Association, National Association of State Park Directors, Florida Recreation and Park Association, National Association of Park Resources, National Association of State Recreation Liaison Officers, Tallahassee Society of Association Executives, and Zonta International.

Mainella is a native of Willimantic, Connecticut. She holds a master's degree from Central Connecticut State College and a bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut.

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