NRPA Proud to Announce 2022-2023 Board of Directors

Ashburn, VA (October 10, 2022)

Association welcomes four new members to its board

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the nation’s leading advocate for parks and recreation, is proud to announce its 2022-2023 Board of Directors. Board Chair Carolyn McKnight-Fredd, CPRP, owner, Eagle Methods Management Consulting and Kristine Stratton, NRPA president and CEO, welcome four new board members — all top leaders in their respective fields.

“I am excited to welcome our new members to the board whose vision, unique perspective and combined talents will strengthen the field of parks and recreation and our organization,” said Kristine Stratton, NRPA president and CEO. “I’m looking forward to working with them in advancing how we can continue to serve communities in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being.”

NRPA’s four new Board members are:

  • Phil Ginsburg, general manager, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department
  • John Prue, CPRP, morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) program analyst for Navy Region Mid-Atlantic
  • Cheredith Rhone, division manager of administration for City of Shreveport, Shreveport Public Assembly Parks and Recreation department
  • Breece Robertson, director of partnerships and strategy at One Tree Planted

Ginsburg, Prue, Rhone and Robertson join forces with the following diverse group of leaders who currently serve on the NRPA Board of Directors:

  • Michael Abbaté, FASLA, LEED AP, principal, Abbaté Designs
  • Kathy Abbott, president and CEO, Boston Harbor Now
  • Jesús S. Aguirre, CPRE, superintendent, Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation 
  • Jose F. Diaz, executive vice-president, Ballard Partners
  • Victor B. Dover, FAICP, CNU Fellow, LEED-AP, co-founder, Dover, Kohl & Partners Town Planning
  • Angelou Ezeilo, vice president, Empathy Ashoka Africa
  • Mollie-Marsh Heine, senior vice president of development, Earthjustice
  • Susie Kuruvilla, executive director, Gurnee Park District
  • Joanna Lombard, professor, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami School of Architecture and Miller School of Medicine
  • Carolyn McKnight-Fredd, CPRP, owner, Eagle Methods Management Consulting
  • Joshua Medeiros, Ed. D, CPRP, AFO, superintendent of Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, City of Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services
  • Arnold L. Randall, general superintendent, Forest Preserve District of Cook County
  • Kristine Stratton, president and CEO, National Recreation and Park Association (ex officio)
  • Nonet T. Sykes, chief equity and inclusion officer, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
  • Xavier Urrutia, chief of staff to the chancellor, Alamo Colleges District
  • Monica H. Vinluan, senior program officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  • Lakita Watson, CPRP, executive director, Richland County Park Commission
  • Greg A. Weitzel, MS, CPRP, director, Department of Parks and Recreation, City of Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Dr. Philip Wu, (retired) physician consultant, Kaiser Permanente Northwest Region

NRPA’s governance structure reflects a Board composed of 15-30 individuals. The Board of Directors reflects NRPA’s membership, which includes professional and advocate leaders in the park and recreation movement; park and recreation agencies and organizations representing the public, private, voluntary, commercial and industrial sectors; firms supplying park and recreation products and services; and individuals and civic groups interested in the park, recreation, conservation, health and equity fields.

The 2022-2023 Board of Directors’ term began on September 19, 2022.

To learn more about the Board of Directors and NRPA’s leadership team, click here.

To learn more about NRPA, visit nrpa.org.  

 

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About the National Recreation and Park Association

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit parksandrecreation.org.