Terry Maddox, the long-time executive director of 26 years, is stepping down at the year’s end and will be succeeded by Laurel Rematore, who has 15 years of experience leading national park nonprofit groups.

Rematore has served as executive director of the Mesa Verde Museum Association in Colorado since 2008, and before that she worked as director of membership and development at the Yosemite Association in California. In all, Rematore brings the association some 15 years of executive and senior management experience in the public land association arena. 

“Laurel’s creativity makes her a perfect fit as the new executive director and a partner for this park, especially as the National Park Service moves into its next century of service,” said Cassius Cash, superintendent of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

The board agreed unanimously on Rematore’s hire, citing her passion, knowledge, financial know-how and consensus-building skills as reasons for her selection. 

Rematore describes herself as one who takes “calculated risks.” She considers cooperating associations the “agile and responsive partner” to the National Park Service, which is often more restrained by federal requirements than its partners.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to lead Great Smoky Mountains Association, a true innovator in the nonprofit cooperating association world,” Rematore said. “I look forward to meeting our members, exploring the park’s many natural and cultural resources, and to working with the gateway communities and the other park partners to strengthen our collective stewardship of our nation’s most-visited national park.”