New year, new manager at David Crockett Park.

In 2024, we said farewell to Ranger Rachel as she accepted a new and exciting position as the manager of one of Tennessee’s newest state parks, formerly a state natural area known as Devil’s Backbone in nearby Lewis County. While we will miss her, we are thrilled to still have her close by at our nearest neighboring state park. Rachel’s dedication, passion, and friendship are just some parts of the monumental legacy that she leaves behind and we wish her the absolute best in her new role.

The staff here at David Crockett State Park are excited to announce that a new manager has been selected to begin a legacy of her own, and we are honored to introduce Ann Paley as the new park manager! If this face seems familiar, it’s probably because Ann’s connections to this park and our community are strong and run deep, having been born and raised here in Lawrenceburg, TN. Ann began working at DCSP as a seasonal in 2009, and continued to spend her summers working in various seasonal roles throughout college.

Ann received her BA in linguistics, followed by her MA in applied linguistics from the University of Mississippi in 2015, just before accepting a seasonal interpretive ranger position at Pickwick Landing State Park. Her time as an SIR was brief, as she was soon offered a full-time ranger position at Chickasaw State Park and graduated from TLETA in 2016. When life later called her back home, she took a temporary step back from Tennessee State Parks and gained some outside experience in some new roles, including school resource officer, mother, and high school teacher, while simultaneously earning her second master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, as well as returning to work part-time as a seasonal law-enforcement ranger for DCSP.

Ann returned to TSP as a full-time ranger in 2021, where she has continuously demonstrated the drive, passion, and leadership that have earned her this role. Please join us in congratulating Park Manager Ann Paley as she transitions into this well-deserved position!