New Mexico State Parks welcomes four new park rangers

By SFNF

The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department’s State Parks Division proudly welcomes four new Park Rangers at Elephant Butte, Caballo Lake, Sugarite Canyon, and Fenton Lake State Parks. The newly graduated cadets completed their law enforcement training at the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Law Enforcement Academy in Santa Fe.

The State Parks Division is proud of Park Rangers Austin Wilson, Elephant Butte Lake; Cody Creager, Caballo Lake; Zoe Gonzalez, Sugarite Canyon; and Aaron Cobas, Fenton Lake State Park for completing their training and joining our team.

• Austin Wilson is originally from Alamogordo, New Mexico. He attended New Mexico State University (NMSU) where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Sciences and Management as well as a bachelor’s degree in Biology. He worked at NMSU in a Cancer research lab. He is a National Association for Interpretation (NAI) Certified Interpreter Park Ranger. His current position is the Natural Sciences Coordinator and Law Enforcement Park Ranger at Elephant Butte Lake State Park. Austin has a passion for big game species and herpetology, he added: “I take pride in public outreach and education to bring people outdoors and closer to the natural resources around them.”

• Cody Creager hails from Deming, NM where he enjoyed hunting, fishing, and spending time in the outdoors. Upon high school graduation, Cody joined the Army and served in the 101st Airborne Division and was deployed to Somalia. He served four years and then returned to New Mexico to continue his service in the New Mexico Army National Guard. Cody is a Natural Sciences Coordinator and Marine Enforcement Officer at Caballo Lake State Park. Cody said, “I finally got a Park Ranger position at a park close to home and I absolutely love my job and Caballo Lake State Park. I’m happy to be aboard!”

• Zoe Gonzalez grew up in Illinois and moved out west to Oregon after she graduated high school. She started her career in Oregon as a ranger working seasonally and she worked as a ranger in Utah. Zoe made her final move to New Mexico so she could be close to her passion- climbing the southern peaks of Colorado. She likes mountains because mountains are life. “Without the lows we are unable to appreciate the highs,” stated Gonzalez.  Zoe is a Natural Sciences Coordinator and Law Enforcement Park Ranger at Sugarite Canyon State Park.
• Aaron Cobas is from Los Angeles, California and he attended Humboldt State University with studies in Political Science and Environmental Policy.  Cobas is a Natural Sciences Coordinator and Law Enforcement Park Ranger at Fenton Lake State Park. He said a quote that sums up his job as a park ranger is, “The mountains are calling, and I must go,” by John Muir.

If you are interested in becoming a Park Ranger, the State Parks Division currently has multiple positions open for recruitment across the state. To learn more about becoming a Park Ranger visit the State Parks orState Personnel Office websites or call 1-888-NMPARKS.