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Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
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Councilmember Matthew Frumin 5
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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 9
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 11
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To recognize and honor Julia Washburn on the occasion of her retirement as Superintendent of 13
Rock Creek Park for the National Park Service. 14
WHEREAS, Washington, DC native Julia Washburn spent the majority of her career 15
with the National Park Service (NPS) in the Washington, DC area; 16
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WHEREAS, after graduation for Mount Holyoke College with a bachelor’s degree in 18
Psychobiology, Ms. Washburn served two years with the United States Peace Corps in Sierra 19
Leone, West Africa; 20
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WHEREAS, in 1989, Ms. Washburn returned home to Washington, DC to work for the 22
National Park Service as a park ranger at National Capital Parks East, later worked for the 23
National Capital Regional Office and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia, 24
and in 1996, became Chief of Resource Management and Visitor Services for Rock Creek Park; 25
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WHEREAS, in 1999, Ms. Washburn left NPS to become Senior Vice President for 27
Grants and Programs at the National Park Foundation and then worked in the private sector 28
before returning to NPS in 2010 as the first Associate Director for Interpretation, Education, and 29
Volunteers. In that capacity, she spearheaded the NPS Every Kid in a Park program which 30
brought millions of 4
th
graders into national parks across the nation. Ms. Washburn also played a 31
critical role in the development of NPS relevancy, diversity, and inclusion efforts, and worked 32
collaboratively with numerous non-profit partners; 33
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WHEREAS, in 2017, Ms. Washburn returned to Rock Creek Park as the park’s 35
Superintendent. During her tenure, she oversaw the transition of the upper portion of Beach 36
Drive to permanent, non-motorized recreational use which has increased access to safe outdoor 37
recreation in the District, and the removal of Melvin Hazen’s name from reservation 630. Hazen 38
was one of the District Commissioners in the early 20
th
Century who was directly responsible for 39
the removal of African American residents and intentional housing segregation for white citizens 40
in large sections of northwest Washington, DC; and 41
42 WHEREAS, as Superintendent of Rock Creek Park, Ms. Washburn has served as a 43
tireless advocate for sharing a more inclusive park history, increasing park access for neighbors 44
and visitors, preserving the natural bounty of the Park, and building community with residents, 45
local leaders, and partners. 46
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RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this 48
resolution may be cited as the “Julia Washburn Recognition Resolution of 2023”. 49
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Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes and celebrates the many 51
contributions that Julia Washburn has made to the District of Columbia through her work with 52
the National Park Service, and wishes her and her husband, William Kules, well in their 53
retirement. 54
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Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 56