Branches at the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

Our Executive Office Branch supports the entire organization by ensuring that our leadership team delivers on the Parks Conservancy’s Mission, Vision, Values & Strategy. They make final decisions on all organization-wide measures. 

This branch manages the Executive Team and supports the Board of Trustees. They also focus on innovative strategies and measuring our organization impact.

The Interpretive Centers and Sales Branch operates visitor centers at park sites across the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. These staff welcome, orient, and assist millions of visitors to the parks each year, offering an outstanding collection of park books and interpretive products, many created and produced by Parks Conservancy employees!

This branch also includes our distribution center – supporting visitor centers and operating our online park store.

The Visitor Programs & Services Branch serves as the hub for our visitor-facing exhibits and educational programs, with an emphasis on welcoming well over 1 million visitors to Alcatraz every year.

The branch oversees and facilitates our Alcatraz Cell House Audio Tour, and partners with the National Park Service on exhibit development and guide-led interpretive tours on the island.

The Community & Youth Branch engages deeply with our local community – supporting equitable access to parklands, centering historically marginalized communities. 

We operate one of the largest Intern and Volunteer Programs operating in the national parks systems. 

Our Youth Programs create opportunities that cultivate the next generation of resilient leaders who contribute to thriving parks, healthy communities, and a more just society. 

Our Community Stewardship and Engagement team focuses on co-design and community empowerment to lift new voices in shaping our parks.  

This branch of the organization is comprised of our Park Projects & Design team, our Community & Conservation Science team, and our Native Plant Nurseries team.

These staff focus on stewarding the rich natural historic, and recreation resources of our parklands, with a strong people-centered lens. They are park builders, community scientists, plant growers and – they are working to meet the challenge of the climate crisis in partnership and codesign with the community.   

The Development & Membership Branch brings in organizational resources through donations (large and small), our membership program and through applying for government grants. 

They also host events to raise money and to engage our membership and donor communities.  

The Finance & Accounting Branch supports the financial resiliency of the organization through managing budgeting, financial reporting and analysis, accounting, payment processing, investments and cash flow. 

This branch also supports managing restricted funding and reconciling revenue functions, while overseeing insurance and project contracting.

The Operations Branch enhances the Parks Conservancy by investing in infrastructure, supporting leadership and staff through legal, safety, risk management, technology, facilities, and fleet, and ensuring the Parks Conservancy community operates safely and effectively.

The Communications & Public Affairs Branch engages with the external audiences on behalf of the Parks Conservancy through communications. ​

They tell stories of the parks and share information about our programmatic work through marketing strategies, organizational publications, media coverage and through our website and social media channels.

The People & Culture Branch is the internal resource for Parks Conservancy’s employees – focusing on staff support and development. This branch aligns employee strategies and support with the Parks Conservancy's Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic Direction.