About me
Dr Fran Mainella is a Visiting Scholar at Clemson University Department of Parks, Recreation
and Tourism Management. She is also President of Fran Mainella Consulting, LLC. Previously,
Director Mainella served nearly six years as the 16th Director and the first woman to lead the
National Park Service. Fran served twelve years as Director of Florida’s State Parks(first
woman), which received the Gold Medal Award, recognizing Florida as the best state park
system in the country. She has also served as executive director of the Florida Recreation and
Park Association and as president of both the National Recreation and Park Association and the
National Association of State Park Directors.
In 2022, Fran was recognized as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Business Leaders in Collier
County by Naples Illustrated. Also, she is the recipient of the Marquis “Who’s Who Albert
Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award” for her achieved career longevity and
unwavering excellence. Clemson University also has named an award in her honor, encouraging
women to pursue conservation careers. The American Recreation Coalition also presented her
with the Sheldon Coleman Great Outdoors Award. She has received the William Penn Mott, Jr.
Award for Excellence by the NSPR and she is one of the few that have been a two-time winner
of the Pugsley Award, the highest award given by the American Academy for Park and
Recreation Administration. She has also been selected as the Metcalf Lecturer for SUNY-
Cortland, the first ever Ralph Steele Lecturer for East Carolina University, and the Calhoun
Lecturer for Clemson University. For four consecutive years, the Clemson University Board of
Trustees presented her with an award for faculty excellence. In addition, Mainella received the
Outstanding Alumni of the Year from the University of Connecticut School of Education.
Additionally, she has written many articles and book publications including the introduction to
National Geographic’s 10 Best of Everything National Parks and an acknowledgment to
Richard Louv’s new book: The Nature Principle. Also in 2022, she wrote the introduction for
“Hola Ranger” by David Vela, former Deputy Director (first Hispanic) of Operations for NPS.
Fran is currently the Emeritus Chair of the Alliance for Florida National Parks; Consultant to
Guest Services Inc.; Member with Richard Louv of the Children and Nature Network Founder’s
Council; Chair Emeritus of the US Play Coalition; Member of the Clemson Institute for Parks;
Environment Chair for the new Bonita -Estero Women’s Club; Fellow of the American
Academy of Park and Recreation Administrators; Member of the Foundation for Sustainable
Parks and Recreation; and a National Speaker on Women in Leadership, Nature Deficit Disorder,
Play, and Parks and Recreation.
Director Mainella holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut, a master’s
degree, and an honorary doctorate from Central Connecticut State College.
