It is easy to picture Frank Dean in uniform on a horse. His first job for the National Park Service (NPS) was, in fact, as a forest ranger. He never considered that his experience, talents and love for the outdoors would ultimately lead him to the highest administrative post in the Bay Area’s national parks system.

In September 2010, having served as acting superintendent since the death of Brian O’Neill, Dean was officially appointed as the general superintendent of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA).

“Frank … has served with distinction,” said Chris Lehnertz, NPS’s Pacific West regional director. “He brings with him strong leadership skills, a desire to work inclusively, and a solid background in park management,” she said.

Dean began his 34 years with the NPS in the Bay Area as a ranger, first on Alcatraz, then at Baker Beach and the Marin Headlands.

Dean has served as a ranger in Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Grand Canyon National Parks. He also was chief ranger and assistant superintendent at Point Reyes National Seashore. In 1999, Dean was the acting deputy superintendent at GGNRA, where his focus was on converting Fort Baker from a military post to a park.

From 2002 until 2007, he was superintendent of Saratoga National Historical Park in New York, and then executive director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

Having returned to the Bay Area, Dean never fails to appreciate the beauty and richness of the landscapes that make up the GGNRA. He points to the view of the Marin Headlands from a window in his upper Fort Mason Center office.

“Look at that. Ten thousand acres, all rural, only a mile from urban San Francisco,” he says, in the voice of a man who cannot believe his good fortune.

As the top ranger in the Bay Area, Dean is responsible for overseeing more than 80,000 acres of parkland in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties, including the operations of the Presidio and Fort Mason. The GGNRA also encompasses Fort Point National Historical Site, Muir Woods National Monument, and Mori Point, and this month will acquire 4,000 acres at Rancho Corral de Tierra near Montara.

Dean and his staff, together with volunteers, work to protect the regional open spaces, establish links for trails and wildlife, and manage the resources of each park.

“Already, Frank has proven to be a strong partner and leader,” said Craig Middleton, executive director of the Presidio Trust. “I look forward to our continued collaboration on behalf of the parks.”

Dean’s job description sounds daunting: to protect the resources in the parks, head the rangers’ operations and the NPS administration, and spearhead strategic planning, which includes working with neighboring communities. It is Dean’s mission to involve these communities in all aspects of NPS activities; the key word throughout his descriptions of NPS projects is “community.”

One of the projects completed while Dean was a deputy superintendent in the 1990s was the restoration of Crissy Field. Once a military landing strip, today it is a popular beach area. Dean would like to see Crissy Field evolve into an environmental center for underserved children.

“Kids will come and see certain plants and wildlife, hike the trails and experience nature for the first time. Parents then come to see what their children have learned here,” says Dean. “It’s a way to connect with whole new audiences,” he adds.

One indication that Bay Area residents value their parks is demonstrated by the number of GGNRA volunteers: a whopping 30,000 people in the three counties.

“It’s a great symptom of support,” says Dean.

There are 394 parks in the National Park Service system and just as the Presidio was considered a plum assignment for the military, the Bay Area parklands are deemed among the most beautiful and historically significant in the nation.

Dean could not be happier with his latest assignment.

“It’s an awesome honor to be here,” he smiles.