Yosemite’s superintendent is leaving after 4 years in the role

YOSEMITE (KSEE/KGPE) – After a four-decade career with the National Park Service (NPS) and four years as Yosemite National Park’s superintendent, Cicely Muldoon has announced her retirement.

In an email to all Yosemite National Park employees, Muldoon said she will be leaving at the end of February 2025.

“I am incredibly fortunate on so many fronts,” Muldoon wrote in the message announcing her retirement. “To have lucked upon a career that enabled me to serve in some of the most incredible places in the country, to have found an organization with a compelling and inspirational mission that has sustained me through the highs and lows of federal service, and most importantly, to have worked with people like you who are so dedicated to public service and the NPS mission.”

Muldoon started as Yosemite’s superintendent in 2020, initially stepping into the role in an acting capacity before being officially appointed later that year.

Before leading Yosemite, she spent a decade as superintendent of Point Reyes National Seashore, where she played a pivotal role in infrastructure improvements and strengthened community relations. Her extensive career also includes leadership roles at Pinnacles National Park, San Juan Island National Historical Park, and as a deputy regional director overseeing multiple parks.

During her tenure at Yosemite, Muldoon oversaw the implementation of a traffic management plan introducing a reservation system to help regulate park visitation and protect natural resources. She also navigated the park through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic while maintaining preservation efforts and visitor experiences.

Reflecting on her personal connection to Yosemite, Muldoon noted that her passion for national parks began with a childhood visit to Yosemite, an experience that left a lasting impact on her.

“A childhood visit to Yosemite introduced me to national parks. It captured my imagination and my heart then and still does. It’s the honor of my career to join the outstanding team of employees and partners who care for and love Yosemite as much as I do,” she said.

The NPS has yet to announce a successor to take over Muldoon’s role at Yosemite National Park.