Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski

Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski

Public Affairs Officer


National Park Service–Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ


If I don’t know what I am doing, then I will figure it out. I’m not going to not do something just because there is a question of, “Can I?” I can. And I will.

Videos

By Roadtrip Nation

Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski

Milestones

My road in life took a while to figure out.
She was born in Seoul, South Korea to an unmarried mother—this was a big taboo in Korean culture, so her mother gave her up for adoption.
Was in foster care in South Korea for a year before she was adopted by an American family—moved to Pennsylvania and grew up in the Pocono Mountains.
Started working for the National Park Service in high school as a volunteer—two years later, they hired her as part of a student employment program and she worked for them all through college.
After graduating from college, she admits she struggled with the idea of starting her career and being on her own because she didn’t really know what she wanted to do.
The National Park Service ended up offering her a full-time position in Maryland, so she accepted—she’s been working for them for the last 15 years.
She has worked in a variety of positions within the Park Service, but she really found her passion while working as a public information officer during the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
After working on the East Coast in a “cubicle farm” as a management assistant, she was ready for a change; when an opportunity to transfer to Grand Canyon National Park opened up, she grabbed it.
She now works as the public affairs officer and acts as public spokeswoman for the Grand Canyon; says, “It’s the job I never knew I always wanted.”

Career

Public Affairs Officer

I am the spokeswomen and public representative of the Grand Canyon National Park.

Career Roadmap

Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Environment & Nature
Non-Profit Organizations
Communicating / Sharing Stories

Day to Day

A great day is a day where I am able to deal with several high level decisions / events. Possibly a VIP visit, possibly meetings with Congressional delegation, speaking to a group of International VIPs from Foreign Governments. At the end of the day, its about having the opportunity to share with somebody else about the National Park Service or Grand Canyon.

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for high school students

Find your passion, what makes you tick, and then find a way to engage that passion- by way of a job, volunteer work, extra study, travel, etc. Explore that drive - don't let the narrow lanes of what seems "acceptable" prevent you from exploring further.

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

"I can't believe they hired me. What were they thinking? "

Challenges I Overcame

First-Generation Immigrant
Racial Discrimination
Self-Esteem Issues

Interviewed By

Beating the Odds

Beating the Odds

Overcoming barriers as a first-generation college student