Alina is the Community Volunteer Ambassador for the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, located in Hodgenville, KY. Alina was raised in Elizabethtown, KY and has always had a passion for nature, fun, and, most importantly, PEOPLE! She regularly visited the Birthplace while growing up but didn’t realize the true importance of community outreach and impact until she began work as a summer camp counselor at West Kentucky 4-H Camp, which she had previously attended for 10 years, and YMCA Camp Thunderbird in SC. She always loved receiving personal time and attention from staff as a camper and was incredibly inspired by the opportunity to do the same for incoming youth.

The ability to teach campers new skills, encourage them to be themselves, and ignite a love for the outdoors was an exhilarating feeling and something Alina wants to replicate for everyone she meets. Through this internship, Alina hopes to develop current volunteers in their leadership and team building skills, while also bringing an understanding of the need for preserving history and the importance of diversity/inclusivity to the general public. In addition, she aims to learn the inner workings of the National Parks Service and give back to the community that has given her so much.

Alina recently graduated from the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) with an associate of arts degree and plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in Recreational Management and Event Planning from Eastern Kentucky University. Her day is not complete without a cup of coffee in hand and her Chacos on her feet! She can’t wait to see what the year holds and experience a year of impact!