New manager named for Ryerson Station State Park
State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn appointed Etna native Casse Criss as the manager at Ryerson Station State Park in Greene County.
“Casse is a thoughtful and dedicated leader who understands the importance of connecting the public to nature,” Dunn said in a release issued Friday. “We are pleased to have her at Ryerson Station and look forward to seeing her work to engage with the community and to continue efforts protecting native species and habitats at the park.”
Criss assumed operations of the Ryerson Station in April, overseeing the 1,164-acre park features a swimming pool, campground, hiking, fishing, picnicking, and winter activities. She said she hopes to grow the friends group and volunteer opportunities, as well as facilitating events at the park.
“I am excited to have this opportunity to manage Ryerson Station because it is the perfect place to get outside, explore nature, reset, and refresh,” Criss said. “I look forward to meeting park visitors, connecting with the community, and empowering our incredible park staff continue to do great work.”
Criss enjoys educating park visitors on the importance of proactive habitat management, and said she plans to continue the previous park manager Alan Johnsons’ examples of native plantings and habitat improvements to the park.
Criss had a 20-year career in health care before going back to school at Slippery Rock University and obtaining a bachelor’s degree in park resource management. She joined DCNR’s Bureau of State Parks in 2020 as a resource ranger at Moraine State Park in Butler County. She worked as a semiskilled laborer at Moraine in 2021 before being accepted into the manager trainee program in 2022 in state parks’ western region.