Ranger Alexander Kellner

Many park rangers can think back to a time where they were inspired to pursue their career and Ranger Alexander Kellner is no different. When he was 10 years old, Alexander and his brother went on a camping trip to a state park in his home state of New York. During their stay they met a park ranger who described what they did, and it was then that Alexander knew he would love to become a park ranger. 

 Ranger Alexander is from Grand Island, New York and grew up on the river. He enjoyed many recreational hobbies, including fishing, boating, swimming, canoeing, and all the nature that the river provided. In addition to his time outdoors, he says that his degree in natural resource management, maintenance experience from previous jobs and things he learned from his dad helped him in his career. “I was always big into the outdoors and loved everything about them. The college I went to, Paul Smith, is known for being a big outdoorsy school, so everything I learned at my time there has definitely helped me out a lot with this career. Also, when I was in New York, I learned a lot of maintenance from previous jobs and from my father, he would always teach me and my brother so many things that would help us out in the future,” Alexnader said.  

Ranger Alexander began his career at Kings Mountain State Park as an assistant park ranger. He later became a Ranger I at Edisto Beach State Park and is now a Ranger II at Lake Wateree State Park. "We have a wide range of activities we perform at Lake Wateree including resolving maintenance issues such as fixing a water leak or electrical issues, educating the public on the rules and regulations of the park, and making reservations for guests," he said. He enjoys that each day there is always something new and exciting.  

Some of the hardest parts about being a park ranger in another state is being away from your family. Many park rangers transfer parks for promotions as well as live in the park with their immediate family. Despite this, staff at South Carolina’s State Parks are like one big family.  “One hardship I’ve dealt with is being 14 hours away from my family, but at each of the parks that I’ve worked at, the staff have treated me like I was one of their own and it always made me feel very welcome,” Alexander said.  

Alexander says that he has enjoyed working at each park and has learned so much. He enjoyed taking care of the animals at the living history farm at Kings Mountain, enjoying the sun and hiking at Edisto Beach, and fishing at Lake Wateree.  

When asked if he would encourage others to become a park ranger, Alexander said, “if you love the outdoors, experiencing amazing times and learning new skills, then being a park ranger in South Carolina’s state parks is a great career to choose from.” 

Thank you, Ranger Alexander, for your hard work and dedication to the state park service.  

Think you might be interested in a job with the South Carolina State Park Service? Click here to see our current, full-time job openings!