National Park Service Associate Director Michael Caldwell is no longer serving as the agency’s chief of planning and construction, according to five people familiar with his sudden departure last month.
A member of the Senior Executive Service, Caldwell has been absent from his post as associate director of park planning, facilities and lands since late January, said the five people, who were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
It’s unclear if Caldwell will return to his role, exit the agency or take on a different post. As of this week, Caldwell’s profile remained in an internal database.
His absence adds to a leadership vacuum among the agency’s top brass amid the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal government. At least 70 percent of the agency’s senior positions are currently vacant or temporarily filled by an acting supervisor, according to a public chart of senior leadership for the agency.
