Author: jaysmiller

Recently retired after 37 years as head of the Arkansas State Park interpretation division, I own Interpretive Communications, and am consultant to agencies and private entities. I have developed audiovisual programs for US National Park Service, design brochures and indoor and wayside exhibits, and lead workshops on interpretation effectiveness, planning, and exhibit design. I taught Interpretation of Historic Sites in the public history graduate program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and am a frequent speaker at conferences, including the National (USA) Interpreter’s Workshop, and Interpreting World Heritage Conferences in Puerto Rico and Canada. I have been a consultant to the Madagascar National Park Service and developed a program for training Malagasy park service staff in Arkansas; and in Bolivia I developed the interpretation plan for the Flor de Oro ecolodge complex at Noel Kempff Mercado National Park and in 1995 was part of a five-country NAI interpretive team to South Korea. I served on the advisory committee for the Arkansas Ecotourism Development Manual; and for several years enjoyed traveling America’s rivers as guest naturalist on the historic Delta Queen steamboat. I was honored to be named Distinguished Professional Interpreter in Region 6 of the National Association for Interpretation, named NAI’s Master Interpretive Manager, and I received the NAI Region 6 Life Achievement Award. I received my Bachelor’s Degree from Ouachita Baptist University and a Master of Science in Forest Recreation Management with an emphasis in interpretation from Utah State University. I am a Certified Public Manager, a Certified Interpretive Planner, and a Certified Interpretive Trainer.