Voyageurs National Park is excited to announce new staffing!
Facility Services:
Laura Bellasalma is the new Supervisory Facility Operations Specialist. She comes to Voyageurs from Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. Laura grew up in New Jersey but spent her summers in California with her grandparents near Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area and when she was younger, she spent her summers by Morristown and Thomas Edison National Historical Parks. Laura went to college at Florida Atlantic University for wildlife and forestry. After graduation, she worked in Florida before moving to Arizona. Eventually, she went back to college for her second bachelor’s degree in Science - Park and Recreational Management with a minor in Criminal Justice at Northern Arizona University.
In 2006, while in school, Laura got into the Park Ranger Training Program. After completing the program, she became a seasonal park ranger (protection) at Devils Tower, then Lava Beds National Monument, and Mount Rainier. In 2011, she accepted a permanent park ranger (protection) position at Lava Beds National Monument eventually transitioning her career from protection to maintenance. In 2014, she started at Crater Lake National Park as a Facility Management Assistant and moved up to the Budget Analyst and Facility Services Assistant, into the Facility Management Systems Specialist (FMSS), Housing Manager, and Fleet Manager in 2017. Prior to coming to Voyageurs, Laura was in the Facility Manager Leaders Program (FMLP), worked at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore for her developmental activity, then went to Morristown and Thomas Edison National Historical Park for her directed field experience, eventually graduating from the program in April of 2023.
Laura relocated to the area in early May and is looking forward to living in Minnesota. Her time at Crater Lake has prepared her for wintery conditions. In Laura’s spare time she enjoys camping, hiking, gardening, traveling, and exploring with her dog, Junior.
Chad Nevalainen is transitioning from the park’s Namakan District Roads and Trails Work Leader to the District’s Roads and Trails Supervisor. Chad joined the National Park Service as a seasonal employee at Voyageurs National Park in 2003. He worked seven summers at the park while attending Thief River Falls Technical Community College where he received a diploma as an Aviation Mechanic. After that, he attended Itasca Community College, where he received his Associates Degree (A.A.S) in Natural Resource Management and Wildland Firefighting. Chad also attended the University of Minnesota Crookston and received his bachelor’s degree (B.S.) in Natural Resource and Park Management. Chad joined Voyageurs National Park as a permanent employee in 2015.
Chad was raised in Kabetogama, MN where he and his family have enjoyed the park. Camping, fishing, hiking, snowmobiling, tubing, and water skiing are some of his favorite activities. He hopes to be a part of maintaining the park so others may have a positive experience when they visit. When asked what his goals at the park are, he said, “I am dedicated to making Voyageurs a better place for visitors to enjoy so they have a positive experience and can share memories of this place with their friends and family.”
Chad and his team are devoted to make the park facilities the best they can be. On a side note - he still has his red card for wildland firefighting and gets to travel out-of-state to fight wildfires. Chad resides in Kabetogama with his wife and two kids. His family loves having Voyageurs in their backyard where they enjoy doing all the same things he did while growing up.
Natural and Cultural Resources Team:
James Smith began a permanent position as a biological science technician at Voyageurs in June of 2022. James’ position is shared between the park, where he works on long term water quality monitoring in the waters in and surrounding Voyageurs, and the Great Lakes Network where he assists in region wide aquatic ecosystem monitoring. James is originally from Anchorage, Alaska where he grew up paddling, camping, and snowboarding. James started his career at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and has since worked three seasonal positions at Voyageurs National Park, as well as temporary positions in south Texas, New Mexico, and Oregon. James is thrilled to be back at Voyageurs after many years away and is most excited to enjoy evenings paddling calm waterways and collecting popular hot dish recipes to make his own.
Cat Berrick started in May 2022 as the new permanent Wildlife Technician at Voyageurs National Park. Cat previously worked as a seasonal technician in Voyageurs during the summer of 2020. Originally from Nebraska, for the past 7 years Cat has worked as a seasonal fisheries and wildlife technician in her home state as well as in Utah, Idaho, and Washington. She is excited to be back in Minnesota with all the foraging, fishing, and hunting opportunities the North Woods has to offer. In her free time, she enjoys looking for new wild edibles, reading, and training her cocker spaniel puppy, Timberdoodle AKA “Doodie”.
