Welcome Japhet Hoff, Program and Volunteer Coordinator
We’re excited to welcome Japhet Hoff to the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes team as our new Program and Volunteer Coordinator!
Japhet’s new role marks an exciting milestone for both him and Friends: he is the first intern in the organization’s history to transition into a staff position. After an amazing six-month internship as our Trail Maintenance and Volunteer Coordinator intern, Japhet now joins the Friends team with a strong background in outdoor education, conservation, leadership, and service.
His transition from intern to staff member is also a great example of how Friends is growing and creating opportunities for people to build their skills, deepen their connection to Sleeping Bear, and take on greater responsibility in protecting the places and experiences that make the park so special.
For Japhet, the decision to stay with Friends came naturally. “Pretty early into my internship, I realized this was somewhere I wanted to stick around for a while. Who can beat the beautiful blue lakes, rolling sand dunes, lush forests, and, best of all, the people?” he says. “The past 6 months have been filled with learning, working alongside some of the best volunteers around, and spending countless hours in our beautiful national lakeshore, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue that work in a full-time role.”
“I’ve loved getting to know our volunteers, learning from the people who care so deeply about this place, and seeing firsthand how much can happen when people come together around something they love.”
That connection to people and place is something Japhet has cultivated throughout his life. He grew up attending Camps Leelanau and Kohahna, where he developed an early appreciation for the outdoors and the power of shared outdoor experiences. For the past two years, he has worked with their offseason program at the Leelanau Outdoor Center, deepening his experience in experiential learning and outdoor education.
His passion for conservation also extends beyond education. Last summer, Japhet worked with the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, gaining hands-on experience in conservation work. An Eagle Scout, he also brings a strong foundation in leadership and service to his new role.
As Program and Volunteer Coordinator, Japhet will help advance important work across the park, from maintaining the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail to growing volunteer programs, expanding accessibility, and inspiring the next generation of park stewards.
He’ll be involved in a wide range of projects, including helping pursue DarkSky certification for Sleeping Bear Dunes, working with the Sleeping Bear Inn to plant native trees in Glen Haven, and helping secure new equipment to support maintenance of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. He’ll also help build a new volunteer team through Friends to support the park’s ongoing efforts to manage invasive species, continue expanding our Accessibility Program, and support the development of youth stewardship programming that gives young people meaningful opportunities to learn about and care for the park.
In his new role, Japhet is looking forward to continuing to learn, take on new challenges, and find new ways to care for Sleeping Bear. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue growing with Friends,” Japhet says. “I’m excited to see where this next chapter takes us.”
We’re thrilled to see Japhet take this next step with Friends and look forward to seeing how his experience, enthusiasm, and passion for Sleeping Bear shape the work ahead. Please join us in welcoming Japhet to his new role!