The Southern Arizona Office (SOAR) supports Arizona parks, monuments, memorials, and so on. Read below for what we do, and who to contact for project partnerships. Then, give us a call: 602-794-3815.
Administration
![Putnam Headshot_150 A man in sunglasses with white hair looks at the camera](/orgs/1758/images/Putnam-Headshot_1.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Patrick Putnam, Superintendent
As SOAR Superintendent and Arizona State Coordinator, Patrick supports parks' needs. Meeting the National Park Service mission for all of Arizona's parks takes a great deal of customer service and continuation of the SOAR model. Patrick brings a passion for recreation and resource management along with a wealth of experience in land management within the state of Arizona.
![A smiling man in glasses leans back to look at a camera. A smiling man in glasses leans back to look at a camera.](/orgs/1758/images/Ryan-Headshot_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Ryan Isaac, Administrative Officer
Ryan oversees business operations for the Southern Arizona Group by supervising a staff of technical experts involved in budget planning/execution, workforce management, and administrative processes. He is responsible for establishing branch priorities and developing operating policies and procedures. Ryan designs and conducts studies to measure the effectiveness of strategic business objectives and makes recommendations for progressing the success of key initiatives. He supports AZ NPS units as the manager for the Southwest Border Resource Restoration Project (SWBRRP) found source. He also serves as a member of the IMR Administrative Advisory Council (2019-2023).
Tina Rios, Budget Analyst
Tina is responsible for duties related to formulating, executing, and monitoring financial plans and policies affecting the Southern Arizona Group. She assists program managers with financial plans, setting up programs by appropriation, object classes, and providing information on salary calculations and employment ceilings. Tina maintains expert knowledge of appropriations law, authorizing language, appropriations ceilings and related factors for our office with many disparate programs and projects.
![VanBuskirk_150 A smiling man sits in his car with his sunglasses on his head](/orgs/1758/images/VanBuskirk_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
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Jason VanBuskirk, Administrative Specialist
Jason manages the operational demands of the Southern Arizona Group as the senior advisor on procedures and processes related to acquisitions and procurement, energy cost and consumption, fleet, property, and housing management. He provides oversight to administrative support staff within our group and technical advice and guidance to staff across the region on payroll and travel policy. Jason’s positive attitude and well developed understanding of administrative processes are invaluable in assisting parks!
![White_150 Headshot of a woman with bangs and glasses smiles directly into the camera.](/orgs/1758/images/White_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
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Susan White, Administrative Support Assistant
Susan is the frontline point of contact for internal and external customers of the Southern Arizona Office. She serves as the expert for supply expenditures, records management, property, timekeeping, travel and maintaining the central filing system. She provides day-to-day support for SOAR leadership by scheduling meetings with stakeholders. She works directly with SOAR supervisors and HR professionals at the Arizona SHRO to expedite personnel actions and manage other human resources activities in systems.
Resource Management
![lt= A man sitting filling out an archaeological form.](/orgs/1758/images/MattGuebard_150_1.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
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Matt Guebard, Integrated Resource Manager
Matt leads the SOAR resources team. He is responsible for assisting parks with historic preservation planning, cultural resource project management, and NHPA compliance. He heads up the Technical Assistance Request (TAR) distribution for SOAR.![lt= A man in ball-cap sits on a rock by a flowing creek.](/orgs/1758/images/JakeDeGayner_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
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Jake DeGayner, Geographer
Jake helps Southern Arizona and other parks throughout the Region with managing their GIS programs and projects. He specializes in spatial documentation techniques such as terrestrial laser scanning and digital photogrammetry, and conducts projects using these technologies in southwest National Park units.![lt= A woman in white button shirt.](/orgs/1758/images/Sharlot-at-UA_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Photo Credit: University of Arizona
Sharlot Hart, Archeologist
Sharlot serves Arizona's park units by aiding in cultural resource management and information managment. She can administer agreements as an Agreements Technical Representative (ATR) or facilitate archaeological compliance projects. Sharlot also manages SOAR's website, creates visual media, and aims to bring the best, current, data about our resources to frontline interpreters.
![MacDonald_150 A woman in red wine colored polo shirt smiles while standing in front of an old looking adobe buidling.](/orgs/1758/images/MacDonald_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
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Stephanie MacDonald, Environmental Protection Specialist
Stephanie supports Arizona's parks overseeing the environmental management processes and procedures and associated compliance. She provides guidance for the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), Wilderness Act, Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), and all associated fieldwork and documentation.![A woman sitting on a stream bank with bridge behind. A woman sitting on a stream bank with bridge behind.](/orgs/1758/images/Raymond_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Kara Raymond, Hydrologist
![Rodriguez in the field A woman in green ball cap and hiking backpack stands with hand on a tree.](/orgs/1758/images/Rodriguez_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
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Iraida Rodriguez, Archeologist
Iraida provides support to the resources division of SOAR by assisting in GIS projects and 3D digital documentation of cultural resources for the southwest national park units. She also assists parks with cultural compliance needs and on-site project direction.
Facilities Management
![Duane Hubbard A smiling man in uniform flat hat and glasses in front of a road and entrance sign to Tonto National Monument](/orgs/1758/images/Hubbard_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
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Duane Hubbard, Facility Program Manager
![A blonde woman squats behind a black bear; the bear is laying on the ground, asleep, a radio collar around it's neck. A blonde woman squats behind a black bear; the bear is laying on the ground, asleep, a radio collar around it's neck.](/orgs/1758/images/Roberts_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Beth Roberts, AZ PAMO Lead
Beth works with the SOAR office as the FMSS Lead for Arizona parks, supporting them through guidance in asset management data quality, inventory management, project development, and work tracking and planning. She also provides regional Cultural Landscape Inventory-FMSS support, FMSS Training support and property management support in FBMS.
![Nicole Berry A smiling woman with short brown hair standing in front of greenery.](/orgs/1758/images/Berry_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Nicole Berry, Facility Management Systems Specialist
Nicole is the FMSS specialist for Southeast Arizona parks and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. She supports the parks with asset management and inventory, work order processing, and project development.
![TC Oahe Fishing_150 A man in baseball cap and sunglasses holds forward a large fish; the man is grinning.](/orgs/1758/images/TC-Oahe-Fishing_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Theodore Corcoran, Project Manager
LCDR Theodore (Ted) Corcoran was selected to fill the position of Project Manager at the SOAR Office. Yes, he is back.! He was a Public Health Consultant for short time, just over a year for 30 parks. He learned a lot during the COVID pandemic and understanding and implementing Public Health issues. He provides sound advice and guidance on the planning, designing, and construction of facilities, water, waste water, & sanitary systems, ensuring that projects were appropriate to support the NPS & IHS missions.![Huck Headshot Nick Huck](/orgs/1758/images/Huck-Headshot.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Nick Huck, Project Manager (Trails)
Nick is a Project Manager with a focus on trails who provides support for the Inter-Mountain Region. He assists parks performing trail assessments, developing trail maintenance and construction projects, long range plans/schedules for facility investment plans, and identifying appropriate crews to execute trail projects. He lives in Tucson with his wife.![Sierra Lohr A smiling woman with long hair and glasses holding a brown dog with a red collar.](/orgs/1758/images/Lohr-headshot.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Sierra Raine Lohr, Facility Management Systems Specialist
![Kayla DeVault Wendt A smiling woman with long hair and ballcap in front of snow covered red rocks and arch.](/orgs/1758/images/DeVault_150.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Kayla DeVault Wendt, Project Manager
LT Kayla DeVault Wendt, EI, MS, MPH/CPH, MDiv-forthcoming (Shawnee/Anishinaabe) is a U.S. Public Health Commissioned Officer detailed to the NPS as a Project Manager. She works in Civil Engineering with specialties in Geotechnical and Enviornmental sectors and experience in structural inspection as well as sustainable energy development. She is multidisciplinary engineering with a cultural and environmental resources background and looks to incorporate her graduate work in American Indian Studies/Policy, Public Health, and Divinity.![Ramlal_ A man in sunglasses and red shirt looks at the camera](/orgs/1758/images/Ramlal_150_1.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
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Theo Ramlal, Project Coordinator
![Nick Smith A smiling man standing in front of a mountain range.](/orgs/1758/images/Smith_150_2.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
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Nick Smith, Facility Management Systems Specialist
Information Technology
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