DNREC Adds New Leaders to Delaware State Parks

Among the new leaders at Delaware State Parks are (l-r) Jayce Madden, inland ponds regional administrator; Pat Thompson, northern regional administrator; Chris Pauley, superintendent of Delaware Seashore State Park; Lindsey Goebel, superintendent of Trap Pond State Park; and Amy Haddock, general curator/registrar at Brandywine Zoo.
Photos by DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) announced the recent appointment of several key leaders with Delaware State Parks.

Jayce Madden was promoted to inland ponds regional administrator overseeing operations at First State Heritage, Fort Delaware, Killens Pond, Lums Pond and Trap Pond state parks. Since joining the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation in 2016, she served in leadership roles at both Killens Pond State Park and most recently as park superintendent at Cape Henlopen State Park. Madden has a bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Sports Studies from Shepherd University in West Virginia and is a graduate of the Indiana University Executive Development Program and the State Park Leadership School.

Pat Thompson was promoted to northern regional administrator overseeing operations at Bellevue, Brandywine Creek, Wilmington/Alapocas Run, Brandywine Zoo, Auburn Valley and White Clay Creek state parks. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Leisure Service Management from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. During his career, Thompson worked as a park patrol officer, a conservation tech, park manager, assistant superintendent and most recently as superintendent at Wilmington State Parks.

Chris Pauley was named superintendent at Delaware Seashore State Park (DSSP) following a 31-year career at the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, where he served as director of park operations for 37 regional parks that spanned six political jurisdictions. He has a Bachelor of Business with a concentration in marketing from Radford University in Virginia. Pauley is responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of DSSP, a 3,024-acre site which includes Fenwick Island State Park, Assawoman Canal, Holts Landing State Park, Indian River Marina, the Indian River Life-saving Station, Assawoman Canal Trail and the Thompson Island Nature Preserve.

Lindsey Goebel was promoted to park superintendent at Trap Pond State Park (TPSP), transferring from a superintendent position at Delaware Seashore State Park (DSSP). Prior to being hired at DSSP, Goebel served as assistant superintendent at TPSP from 2018-2023. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Parks Management from Frostburg State University in Maryland. Goebel oversees the daily management and operations of TPSP including 4,291 acres, 11.6 miles of trails and the Barnes Woods Nature Preserve.

Amy Haddock was promoted to the general curator/registrar position at Brandywine Zoo. Haddock has been with the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation since 2019, where she took on the role of registrar, overseeing the animal management records database, permitting, and acquisition and dispositions. She was named assistant curator in 2022 before earning her latest promotion. She previously worked for the Minnesota Zoo, Adventure Aquarium in New Jersey and the Nashville Zoo. Haddock earned her Bachelor of Marine Biology from Stockton State College in New Jersey. Haddock oversees overall education and conservation programs at the Zoo and is responsible for the institution’s animal records and related policies for the facility’s 114 specimens.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo and the Indian River Marina.  For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contact: Beth Kuhles-Heiney, elizabeth.kuhlesheiney@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov