James Whitehead Award Recipients
1986 to Present
Photo by Jennifer Butzke, El Capitan SB sunset, 9.11.2023
CSPRA’s James Whitehead Award Recipients
Basic Visitor Service Training 1986 to Present
The $500 James Whitehead Award has been presented since 1986 to a State Park Peace Officer (Ranger/Lifeguard) Cadet in recognition of outstanding achievement and overall performance in all training program areas. The award was established by the California State Park Rangers Association as a perpetual tribute to a man whose philosophy and vision for parks inspired all of us who worked for him.
Jim Whitehead served California State Parks as a Ranger, Area Manager (the District Superintendent level in 2023), District Superintendent (the Regional Director level in 2023), and as a member of the California Park and Recreation Commission. In these many roles, Jim Whitehead exemplified the ways that a RANGER career can shape our Park System.
Year Group # SPPO Cadet
1986 2 Michael Stephenson
1986 3 Christopher Graff
1987 4 Scott Stewart
1987 5 Mark Langner
1988 6 Scott Nakaji
1988 7 Nicholas Franco
1989 8 Irvin Smith
1990 9 Jonathan Burgasser
1991 10 Robert Chambers
1991 11 Brian Kummer
1995 12 Thomas Smith
1997 13 Timothy Corliss
1999 14 Andrew Ahlberg
2000 15 Jeffrey David
2001 16 Darren Cooke
2001 17 Terry Kiser
2001 18 John Rowe
2001 19 Daniel Kraft
2002 20 Brett King
2002 21 Ziad Bawarshi
2002 22 Darren Wynns
2002 23 Edward Vodrazka
2003 24 John Stephens
2003 25 Matthew Khalar
2004 26 Dan Youngren
2004 27 Joseph Grier
2005 28 Gabriel McKenna
2006 29 Michael Story
2007 30 David Wilson
2008 31 Thomas Valterria
2008 32 Gregory Grilli
2009 33 Darren Parker
2010 34 Christopher Hendricks
2011 35 Tibor Laky
2012 36 Jennifer Grady
2013 37 Krista Bramson
2014 38 Jorge Barajas-Ochoa
2016 39 Carina Hammang
2017 40 Andrew Dobbs
2018 41 Michael Lawrence
2019 42 Alyssa Catherine Barry
2020 43 Alex Claude
2020 44 Joseph Kurtz
2021 45 Laureano Ortiz
2021 46 Lindsay White
2022 47 Andrew Fewsmith
2023 48 Riley Budd
2024 49 Brian Menter
CSPRA member Tom Bernardo presents the $500 CSPRA James Whitehead award to
2024 recipient, Brian Menter, with Academy Director Jason Smith
Cadet Brian Menter will be assigned to the Santa Cruz District in April
Ranger Jim Whitehead, Hearst Castle @1957
Ranger Jim Whitehead, Gene Davis
Big Basin,1948
Whitehead (front left)
District 5 Conference, 1953
State Park Commissioner Whitehead, 1970