Leader of Grand Canyon National Park resigns three months after being cleared of accusations she was too harsh and created a hostile workplace

The first female superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park resigned Thursday, less than three years after she took the helm of one of the country's most popular tourist destinations, after being cleared of accusations she created a hostile work place. Christine Lehnertz's resignation comes months after she was reassigned amid a federal investigation that cleared her of allegations she created a hostile work environment and wasted park resources. She was brought in to tackle a pervasive culture of sexism and sexual harassment but quickly found herself the subject of allegations from colleagues. They included claims that she had been wasteful with money and that the workplace she created was hostile. At the end of a federal investigation, she returned to the position despite being warned by her lawyer that he feared for her safety. Now, she says she has changed her priorities and wants to promote feminist causes. Lehnertz was the park's first openly gay, female superintendent and the second consecutive Grand Canyon chief to leave under pressure. She started the job in August 2016, tasked with changing what federal investigators said was a pervasive culture of sexual harassment. In a statement, Lehnertz said she would pursue what's important to her when she leaves the Grand Canyon job, including empowering women, promoting social justice and supporting families challenged by Alzheimer's. Her mother had the disease, and Lehnertz learned of her death the day she was reassigned from Grand Canyon...MORE