New Superintendents Appointed for Delaware State Parks

State of DE - The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) announced the promotion of two new superintendents. The appointments fill leadership roles for Cape Henlopen State Park and Alapocas Run/Wilmington State Parks.

Sean Cain was promoted to the position of superintendent at Cape Henlopen State Park. He previously served as the park's assistant superintendent. Cain began his career with Delaware State Parks in 2018. His early roles included seasonal campground register, boathouse attendant, and fee booth attendant at Lums Pond State Park.

In 2019, he joined Cape Henlopen as a campground supervisor. He briefly left the agency in 2021 to work as the general manager of Yogi Bear Jellystone Park in Pennsylvania. Cain returned to Cape Henlopen in 2022 as assistant superintendent. He holds bachelor's degrees in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Parks and Recreation Management from Frostburg State University.

The superintendent role requires Cain to manage all park operations. His daily duties involve supervising staff, coordinating facility maintenance, and managing grounds keeping. He is also tasked with overseeing comprehensive visitor service programs, managing budgets, and planning long-term infrastructure. Fiscal accountability is ensured under his direction.

Jackie Kook was promoted to superintendent of Alapocas Run State Park and Wilmington State Parks. She previously served as assistant superintendent since 2023. Prior to her career with DNREC, Kook taught agricultural science in Delaware public schools for 16 years.

In 2018, she joined the Division of Parks and Recreation as the manager of volunteers at Auburn Valley and Brandywine Creek state parks. Later, she worked as an administrative specialist at Alapocas Run and Wilmington state parks. Kook holds bachelor's degrees in Agricultural Education and History from the University of Delaware. She also earned a master's degree in Education from Walden University.

New responsibilities for Kook include overseeing daily operations at both Alapocas Run and Wilmington State Parks. Tasks involve administration, maintenance, programming, and volunteer management.

She is additionally responsible for managing lands at Brandywine Park, Rockford Park, H. Fletcher Brown Park, and Kentmere Parkway. Her jurisdiction includes the Blue Ball Barn and the Hobbs Tract, along with various athletics fields, trails, playgrounds, and a rock-climbing wall. 

Photo Credit: DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation