Sue Black being mentioned for spot in Trump administration

Sue Black, the former Milwaukee County Parks director, is getting some buzz as a possible candidate for a U.S. Interior Department post in the Trump administration.

Black, now head of Arizona State Parks, was mentioned by a newsletter for parks and recreation professionals as a possible choice for an “unspecified” position.

Federal Parks & Recreation, an independent publication based in Arlington, Va., said that Vice President-elect Mike Pence has been consulting with states on possible candidates for Interior Department jobs.

Among those mentioned in media reports as a possible pick to run the Interior Department is former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. Black was not mentioned as a candidate for that job, secretary of the agency.

Reached Wednesday, Black said she loves her job but would be open to a federal position.

“If there’s an opportunity to serve the country, I’ll take a look at it,” Black said.

The National Park Service is in the Interior Department. It is run by Obama appointee Jonathan B. Jarvis.

Black said she has not been contacted by Trump transition officials.

Black is active nationally in parks policy. She expressed interest in a 2007 Milwaukee Magazine interview in eventually becoming secretary of the interior.

Black was tapped by then-Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker in 2003 to run the county park system. She had served as Wisconsin State Parks director under Gov. Tommy Thompson.

Walker’s successor at Milwaukee County, Chris Abele, kept Black on but fired her in 2012 for unspecified reasons while praising her work. She was named to the Arizona position in February 2015 by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.

Ducey announced in September that Arizona’s park system had record revenue and visitation in fiscal year 2016.