Meet Georiga State Parks and Historic Sites Director, Angie Johnson
What was your first job?
In fall of 1989, I was hired as an hourly laborer for Georgia DNR Game and Fish. I was the radio operator, issued nuisance animal control devices, and completed administrative tasks at a minimum wage of $5.25 per hour!
What got you interested in this industry?
I grew up hunting, fishing, camping and hiking. I loved all things outdoors, but I also enjoyed sharing the outdoors with others and I also enjoyed the hospitality industry. Georgia State Parks was the perfect place to fulfill all my interests. As my career grew, I also became very interested in Georgia history and fell in love with our state’s historic sites.
What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?
I became Director last September and as I look to my one-year anniversary, there are a number of things I am in progress of completing. I am in the process of updating our strategic plan and setting the course for the future of the Division. I’m very excited about the opportunities and making a positive difference for the good of the Division. Focusing on employees and our aging infrastructure are my top priorities.
Any exciting projects you are working on that you would like to share?
We have been fortunate over the last several years to have received support from our Governor and legislators which has enabled us to make significant investments throughout the state. On January 2, we cut the ribbon opening a multi-million-dollar visitor center at Wormsloe State Historic site. This is our most visited historic site with nearly 200,000 visitors per year. In addition to the colonial history, Wormloe’s famous Oak Avenue is one of the most photographed places in Georgia. In order to protect the historic live oaks, we opened our first trolley system. We recently broke ground on a new Visitor Center for Vogel State Park, our largest park operation in the state. A great deal of thought went into the design of the structure, keeping with the CCC-era parkitecture.
What do you enjoy about the outdoors in your state?
I love the diversity that Georgia has as far as the environment. From the mountains to the coast, you can experience all four seasons in one day if you travel the state! I love the high elevation camping at our most northern park, Black Rock Mountain, the solitude I find at the gorgeous overlook at F.D. Roosevelt’s Dowdell’s Knob in the 5,000-acre F.D. Roosevelt State Park, the renewal of my passion for parks when I’m kayaking among the mighty cypress trees at George L. Smith, and am inspired at the abundance of gopher tortoise at beautiful Crooked River State Park on the boarder of Florida. As I’ve grown older, I enjoy birding, hiking, and a campfire at Vogel State Park just about more than anything.
Highlight one or two state parks in Georgia and why we should visit.
Recommending one or two state parks out of the 66 sites in Georgia is like trying to pick which child is your favorite! Each offers such a unique experience, they are incomparable. However, autumn at Cloudland Canyon State Park is gorgeous. Visit on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Hike the East Rim Trail which has beautiful views of the canyon. Hike down the staircase to a beautiful waterfall, though you do have to hike back up! Early in my career, my goal was the Manager’s position at Cloudland Canyon. It offers everything a traditional park should.
I would also recommend Stephen C. Foster State Park in the heart of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The untouched natural world you enter is like none other. Hiking or paddling, there is an abundance of wildlife year-round. This park was the International Dark Sky Association’s first Gold-tier International Dark Sky Park and is Georgia’s only Dark Sky Park.
If I was a visitor, what would be the top three things you’d show me?
Most memorable moment(s) in your career?
One of the most memorable moments in my career was a long-line rescue in 1995. I was on the SAR Team for 18 years including the high-angle team. We had an incident in Cloudland Canyon where a hiker fell 200’ into the canyon. I was selected as the only female (big deal at that time!) on a 5-person team to rappel down to the victim, attend and package for our first ever helicopter long-line lift. The victim was suffering from a ruptured aorta, hypothermia, and a near severed foot. I actually removed two of my layers of clothing (sweater and a vest) to use to package the victim. It was a success, and the individual made a full recovery. This event followed two previous that did not have good outcomes for the victims, so this successful operation came at a pivotal moment in my career.
What’s the most motivational/inspiring thing anyone has ever said to you?
I was faced with some extremely difficult circumstances early in my career and my first Chief of Operations, Wayne Escoe told me, “Perseverance; the good guys always win, just keep the course”. I needed those motivational words at that moment in my life, and he was right, many times over. Most recently my first State Park Director, Lonice Barrett inspired me with a piece of advice, “Always try to say yes, even when the answer’s no, find a way to offer a solution so it sounds like yes.”
Share a few fun facts about yourself.
