As the Resource Stewardship Division Manager at Gateway National Recreation Area, Patti Rafferty is responsible for conservation and stewardship of the park’s natural and cultural resources and compliance with related rules, regulations and policies. She first joined the National Park Service (NPS) in 2004 as a coastal ecologist assisting parks in the Northeast Region to obtain and utilize science to meet their management goals. Much of that work focused on the restoration of coastal habitats and processes. Before joining the NPS, Patti worked as an ecologist with U.S. Geological Survey in Lafayette, LA, conducting research on plant ecology, salt marsh biogeochemistry, and wetland restoration.